白族三道茶是一种愿望美好，并富于戏剧色彩的饮茶方式。喝三道茶，当初只是白族用来作为求学、学艺、经商、婚嫁时，长辈对晚辈的一种祝愿。如今，应用范围已日益扩大，成了白族人民喜庆迎宾时的饮茶习俗。 　　
以前，一般由家中或族中长辈亲自司茶。现今也有小辈向长辈敬茶的。制作三道茶时，每道茶的制作方法和所用原料都是不一样的。 　　
第一道茶，称为“清苦之茶”，寓意做人的哲理：“要立业，先要吃苦”。
第二道茶，称为“甜茶”。当客人喝完第一道茶后，主人重新用小砂罐置茶、烤茶、煮茶，与此同时，还得在茶盅内放入少许红糖、乳扇、桂皮等，待煮好的茶汤倾入八分满为止。 　　
第三道茶，称不“回味茶”。其煮茶方法虽然相同，只是茶盅中放的原料已换成适量蜂蜜，少许炒米花，若干粒花椒，一撮核桃仁，茶容量通常为六七分满。饮第三道茶时，一般是一边晃动茶盅，使茶汤和佐料均匀混合；一边口中“呼呼”作响，趁热饮下。这杯茶，喝起来甜、酸、苦、辣，各味俱全，回味无穷。它告诫人们，凡事要多“回味”，切记“先苦后甜”的哲理。

Bai Ethnic Minority: Three-Course Tea
The Three-Course Tea of the Bai ethnic minority is a dramatic tea ceremony. This ceremony was originally held by the senior members of a family to express best wishes to juniors when they were going to pursue studies, learn a skill, start a business or get married. Now, to drink Three-Course Tea has become a conventional ceremony when people of the Bai ethnic minority greet guests.
In the past, the ceremony was normally conducted by the senior family members, but now juniors can also take charge of the whole procedure and offer tea to elder members. In Three-Course Tea, the brewing techniques and materials used in each course are different from each other.
The first course of tea is called bitter tea, meaning that one will suffer a lot before she/he starts his or her career.