Wenzhuo Liu
German Elke Werner dreamed of opening a tea shop since childhood. After graduating from university, she started from scratch to realize her childhood dream. Since 2012, Elke has founded and operates a modern tea shop called Teerausch in Dresden, Germany. Unlike traditional German tea shops that focus on herbal teas, her shop mainly promotes Japanese tea. Dresden, in Elke’s view, seems to have a richer tea culture compared to other German cities. In 2025 and 2026, Elke took the lead, together with local tea merchants and enthusiasts, and successfully held the first two editions of the Dresden Tea Festival in a century-old traditional Chinese tea house in the city. The festival will continue to be held annually.
Elke moved to Dresden and opened a modern tea shop, which has been running smoothly since its opening in 2012
Elke had dreamed of opening a tea shop since childhood. While studying at Heidelberg University in Germany, she worked part-time at a traditional German tea shop, learning about tea and tea shop management through practice. After graduating with a degree in Spanish and Portuguese translation, Elke did not pursue a career in translation. Instead, she moved to Dresden and opened a modern tea shop, which has been running smoothly since its opening in 2012. For a long time, Elke was particularly fond of Japanese tea. Not only does her shop sell over 30 types of Japanese tea, but she also started learning Japanese and Japanese culture, and has traveled to Japan many times to experience Japanese tea culture.
For a long time, Elke was particularly fond of Japanese tea. Not only does her shop sell over 30 types of Japanese tea, but she also started learning Japanese and Japanese culture, and has traveled to Japan many times to experience Japanese tea culture.
In recent years, Elke admits that her tea preferences have shifted somewhat. She has started trying more Chinese teas and has recently become interested in Yunnan Pu’er tea. Her tea shop has also begun selling a few types of Chinese tea, such as Longjing green tea, Lapsang Souchong, Bai Mudan, and raw Pu’er cakes, all of which sell well. Compared to Japanese tea and tea culture, which are common in the European market and media, Elke finds Chinese tea culture more mysterious. Although Chinese tea has a long history, a profound influence on global tea culture, and a wide variety of tea products, there seem to be insufficient English or German language resources for people to learn more about Chinese tea in depth.
In recent years, Elke admits that her tea preferences have shifted somewhat. She has started trying more Chinese teas and has recently become interested in Yunnan Pu’er tea.
The trend of organizing tea festivals has become popular across Europe. In 2025, Germany added a new tea festival. Elke, together with local tea merchants and enthusiasts, held the first Dresden Tea Festival in a century-old traditional Chinese tea house in the city. She said she had finally realized a plan she had been brewing for ten years. Unlike other commercial tea festivals in Europe, the Dresden Tea Festival focuses on quiet tea tasting. Participation is limited to 200 people, with 14 tea vendors. The affordable ticket price is just 6 euros, and tickets sold out very quickly upon release; securing a ticket depends entirely on how fast one can click. The second Dresden Tea Festival was successfully held on March 28–29, 2026. Elke stated that the success of the festival would not have been possible without the support of the participants, and the festival will continue to be held annually.
In 2025, Germany added a new tea festival. Elke, together with local tea merchants and enthusiasts, held the first Dresden Tea Festival in a century-old traditional Chinese tea house in the city.
Dresden is one of Germany’s ten major cities. It is the second-largest city in eastern Germany after the capital Berlin, and lies only 30 kilometers north of the Czech border. Elke notes that unlike most Germans who prefer black tea, people in Dresden prefer green tea. Mainstream German tea sets are not very popular; instead, they are replaced by Chinese Gaiwans and Czech ceramic tea wares. Perhaps influenced by Czech tea culture, or maybe due to the 40-year tradition of tea in East Germany, Elke speculates that many tea drinkers frequently visit the Czech Republic or travel to Asia for work and leisure, bringing back various tea cultures along the way. On the last Saturday of each month, Elke’s tea shop organizes an open tea house, where the local tea community gathers to exchange knowledge about tea and tea tasting.
Elke notes that unlike most Germans who prefer black tea, people in Dresden prefer green tea. Mainstream German tea sets are not very popular; instead, they are replaced by Chinese gaiwans and Czech ceramic tea wares.
In recent years, a new trend has emerged in the European tea service industry: many tea houses and shops offer knowledge-sharing and experience-based activities such as tea tastings for customers. Elke’s tea shop offers similar services, including public tasting events and private classes. The matcha experience class is particularly popular; participants not only get hands-on involvement but also learn about the history and culture of matcha. Elke mentioned that their experience classes are typically booked up months in advance. She understands that similar classes in other German cities are also very popular. In fact, the Japanese tea house in Hanover, for example, has its tea ceremony experiences fully booked for a year and a half.
In recent years, a new trend has emerged in the European tea service industry: many tea houses and shops offer knowledge-sharing and experience-based activities such as tea tastings for customers.