We drink tea on a clock at our house. Not because we have to — because the cup decides what time it is. A Yunnan Golden Tips cup at 7am means I'm awake. A Moroccan Mint at 11am means it's a working morning. A Jasmine Silver Needle at 4pm means I'm done thinking hard for the day. A Chamomile & Verbena at 9pm means tomorrow starts at the latest, six hours from now.
The cadence isn't arbitrary. Caffeine peaks 30–45 minutes after brewing, and lasts 4–6 hours. A black tea at 4pm will keep you up. A green tea at 4pm is borderline. A white tea at 4pm is fine. An herbal at 4pm is no consequence.
We named our Moments around this clock — The 7am Cup, The 4pm Pause, The Quiet Evening, The Sunday Ceremony, The London Fog. Each one is calibrated to a moment in the day. You don't have to drink them at those times, but if you do, the cup makes sense.
