26.How is tea categorized?
Tea can be sorted in a myriad of ways. Some categorize it by the season it’s harvested, like Spring tea, Summer tea, or Autumn tea. Others classify it by its region of origin, such as Anhui’s Qimen for black tea, Yunnan for Dianhong black tea, and Guangdong Yingde for Yinghong black tea, among others. Some even categorize it by its market destination—domestic, exported, or border sales. However, within the realm of tea production, tea is usually divided into two major categories: basic types and reprocessed types.
27.What are the main categories based on the principle of tea processing?
The generally accepted method divides tea into two major classes: basic and reprocessed. The basic types are classified according to their processing methods into Green tea, Yellow tea, Black (dark) tea, White tea, Oolong tea, and Red tea, collectively known as the “Six Major Types of Tea.” Reprocessed types mainly refer to floral teas, compressed teas, and the like.
28.What are the primary steps in the initial processing of green tea?
The primary steps in the initial processing of green tea generally follow this order: de-enzyming (or “killing the green”), rolling, and then drying.
29.What is the significance of the ‘killing the green’ step in green tea production?
This critical step in green tea processing aims to deactivate enzymes that cause oxidation. This helps to preserve the green color and clear soup-like quality that green tea is known for.
30.What’s the difference between roasting and pan-frying methods in green tea?
The difference lies in how the tea leaves are dried. Roasting refers to using dryers or drying cages where hot air evaporates some of the water content in the leaves. Pan-frying, on the other hand, involves drying the leaves in a pan or frying machine, using heat from the pan’s surface and radiating heat to evaporate water from the leaves.
31.How many initial processing steps are there in making black tea?
In China, black tea is categorized into three types: Gongfu black tea, small leaf black tea, and broken black tea. They all go through several stages including withering, rolling (or cutting), fermenting, and drying.
32.What is the English name for red tea?
Red tea is fully fermented, which gives it a characteristic “red brew and red leaves.” The dry tea leaves are glossy and black, except for the golden tips. Hence, it is called “Black tea” in English. Fermentation is the key process for this type of tea.
33.Why does black tea become cloudy when it cools?
After cooling, black tea can appear cloudy. This phenomenon, called “cold clouding,” is a complex of caffeine, theaflavins, and thearubigins. The presence of “cold clouding” is a sign of good quality black tea. This is also reported in green and oolong teas.
34.What are the characteristics of oolong tea processing?
Oolong tea is a semi-fermented tea made from partially matured fresh tea leaves. The process involves sun-withering or withering, cooling, shaking, pan-frying, rolling, and drying. The cooling and shaking steps are unique to oolong tea.
35.How does oolong tea get its “green leaves with red edges”?
After brewing, oolong tea leaves display both red and green colors. Typically, the center of the leaf is green while the edges are red, often referred to as “green leaves with red edges.” This occurs due to the shaking and bruising of leaf edges during processing.
36.What are the characteristics of white tea processing?
White tea undergoes minimal fermentation. Withering is the key stage in its processing. Generally, the tea is not rolled, leaving the buds and leaves intact. The tea retains its white fuzz, has a fresh aroma, a light soup color, a sweet taste, and is durable through multiple infusions.
37.What are the characteristics of yellow tea processing?
Yellow tea is made by piling the tea leaves to “smother” them after pan-frying, resulting in a “yellow brew and yellow leaves.” It has a lighter level of fermentation.
38.What are the unique features of Dark Tea?
Dark Tea (also known as Hei Cha) goes through the processes of de-enzyming, rolling, fermentation, and drying. The raw materials are often coarse, and the fermentation period is long. This results in a dark, oily color of the leaves, hence the name “Dark Tea.” Piling is a critical step unique to dark tea that defines its aroma, flavor, and color.
39.What defines Green Tea quality? What are its primary types?
Green Tea is distinguished by its “green leaves and green liquor.” It is the most diversified category of tea produced in China. Based on de-enzyming methods, it is categorized into pan-fired and steamed types; as for drying methods, there are pan-fired, oven-dried, and sun-dried. There are thousands of high-quality green teas in China alone.
40.What are the quality traits of Black Tea? What are its main types?
Black Tea is characterized by its glossy black dry leaves, vibrant red brew, and bright red leaf bottom. The primary types of black tea in China are Gongfu, Small-leaf, and Broken black teas. Each type has its unique features; Gongfu Black Tea has a beautiful shape and high aroma; Small-leaf Black Tea has a stout shape with a hint of pine-smoke aroma; Broken Black Tea is divided into leaf, broken, fannings, and dust, with a strong, aromatic flavor.
41.What are the quality traits of Oolong Tea?
Oolong Tea is mainly produced in Fujian, Taiwan, and Guangdong provinces of China. It has different characteristics based on the production area. The general traits include a sandy green or dark brown, glossy appearance, strong floral aroma, golden-yellow brew, and a fresh, rich, and sweet taste. The leaves often have red edges and a green center.
42.Where is Wuyi Rock Tea produced? What are its characteristics?
Wuyi Rock Tea is produced in the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian Province. Its unique features are sturdy and even, sandy-green leaves, rich floral aroma, yellow-clear brew, and a lasting, mellow, rock-specific aftertaste. The leaves are soft and plump with a cinnabar-red edge and light green center.
43.Where is West Lake Longjing Tea produced? What are its traits?
West Lake Longjing Tea is produced in the West Lake area of Hangzhou city. It is known for its flat, sharp, smooth, uniform leaves, tender green color, long-lasting fresh aroma, bright greenish liquor, and a sweet, refreshing taste. The leaves are evenly young and bud-like. It is renowned for its “green color, fragrant aroma, beautiful shape, and rich flavor.”
44. Is Anji White Tea a Type of White Tea?
Anji White Tea is not a white tea; it’s actually a green tea. In China, teas are classified based on their processing methods combined with unique features. Anji White Tea undergoes the same processing steps as green tea, such as spreading, fixing, cooling, and drying. It’s produced in Anji County at the foothills of the Tianmu Mountains in Zhejiang Province. Its leaf turns white during specific temperature conditions in spring but gradually turns green as temperatures rise above 22°C.
45. What is Yellow Leaf Tea?
Yellow Leaf Tea is a new bud variation of yellow tea, cultivated using single-plant selection from mass plantations. Processed in the same way as green tea, its color is yellowish-green and has a refreshing fragrance. This tea variety has an amino acid content above 6.5% and polyphenols ranging between 14.7% to 21%. Brewed in a glass, it has high aesthetic value and is well-liked by some in our diverse society, fetching a high market price.
46. Is Spring Tea the Best Quality? What are its Characteristics?
Spring tea is generally considered the best in terms of quality. Consumers often stock up on spring tea for the entire year because it has a richer flavor, aroma, and fewer pesticide residues, thanks to a winter of nutrient accumulation in the tea plants and fewer diseases and pests in spring.
47. How’s the Quality of Summer Tea?
The quality of summer tea is usually not as good as spring tea, particularly for green teas. Summer teas are often bitter, fibrous, and have a coarse texture due to the hotter climate and intense sun exposure. However, summer red teas (black teas) may have a stronger taste and color due to higher polyphenol content.
48. What About the Quality of Autumn Tea?
Autumn teas are not as high in quality as spring teas but better than summer teas. Due to shorter growing periods and less nutrient accumulation, autumn teas generally have a lesser aroma and flavor. If high temperatures and low rain persist, the bud growth can be stunted.
49. How to Differentiate Between Real and Fake Tea?
A straightforward way to identify authentic tea is to examine its external features. Brew the suspect leaves in hot water to fully open them, and observe the edges. Genuine tea leaves have distinct serrated edges with glandular hairs, net-like veins, and obvious main veins. They also have a cylindrical young stem and silver-white fuzz on the back of buds and young leaves. This method is easy enough for most consumers to perform.