How to Taste Tea like a pro– Ritual and Mental Preparation
普洱茶（蔡夫子收藏）
How to distinguish Pu'er arbor ancient tree tea from terraced tea, and how to distinguish Pu'er terraced tea from ancient tree tea
1. The distribution and output of arbor tea
The arbor tea on the market must indicate which mountain top it is produced from. If there is no place of origin but simply called arbor tea, its authenticity and purity are questionable, and the correct tea quality must be selected for collecting arbor tea. Therefore, tea products that do not indicate the place of origin are not easy to identify even if they are really arbor tea. The tea products indicate the place of origin, and collectors can also judge the authenticity by knowing the situation of the tea produced in each mountain top.
2. What is the "mountain and wild charm" of Pu'er tea 山野氣韻
There are two characteristics of old raw tea: one is that the ecological environment for the growth of old trees is good, and there are not too many pesticide residue problems, but because the tea quality, tea smell and tea flavor of old trees are good. The tea odor and tea rhyme of arbor and old tea trees exist objectively, and they are the most important basis for distinguishing ancient tea.
The most intuitive sense of the mountain and wild charm is the tea fragrance of arbor tea. Pure arbor tea must smell a special fragrance from dry tea, tea soup and the bottom of the cup. This special scent is not available in terraced tea.
The scent intensity is proportional to the wild environment where the tea trees grow. The fragrance of wild tea is the strongest and is easy to feel. "Mountain and wild qi charm" is an important basis for distinguishing arbor tea, but it is not the only one, because the "mountain and wild qi charm" of the ancient tea grown in the corners of the village is weak, but they are indeed arbor tea.
3. the characteristics of arbor tea
The quality, color and fragrance of arbor tea and terrace tea are different. Because Pu'er tea is affected by latitude, climate, soil and other conditions, almost all the teas with the most abundant tea flavor are in Menghai（勐海） and Lancang（瀾滄） west of Lancang, such as Laobanzhang, Hekai, Bada, Jingmai, Bangwei （老班章、賀開、巴達、景邁、邦崴）the tea smell of these tea mountains is very strong, and the tea is also very mellow, resistant to brewing, good aroma, and sweetness.
In order to identify the ancient arbor tea from each mountain, it is also important to pay attention to the characteristics of each mountain tea. It is very important to collect standard tea samples from each tea mountain. After the standard samples are brewed, the fake and impure teas will appear immediately. The best collection of standard samples is early spring tea, summer tea, and autumn tea.
4. look at the manufacturer and price
Buying arbor and old tree tea cannot depend on cheapness. You must first understand the raw material prices of different tea mountains, plus processing fees and profit prices to estimate a rough price. If the selling price of a Pu'er tea is lower than the estimated price, it is likely to be fake or blended. Generally speaking, the famous Shantou tea from big factories and big brands is more reliable, but with the development of small and medium-sized Pu'er tea enterprises, there are also many small conscientious enterprises that make Shantou tea with high price-efficiency ratio.
5. look at tea leaves
Generally speaking, the tea sticks of old trees are black and bright（條索黑亮）, with few buds, thick old leaves and tea stalks（茶梗）, while terrace tea sticks are yellow-green or green and black, with many buds, and rarely have tea stalks and thick old leaves. For example, the dry tea of Jingmai Laoshu tea is characterized by black, bright and tight knots, thin buds and outstanding tea fragrance. Laobanzhang old tea trees are characterized by tight black and bright lines, large buds and more fluffy heads, and a prominent and deep tea fragrance.
圖片來源：https://kknews.cc/zh-tw/culture/62rxzzl.html
6. Tea soup identification
（1） resistance to brew
The same proportion of tea is brewed, tableland tea is obviously poorer due to tea age and fast-growing reasons, generally, after four or five brews, it will turn weak, and there will be a taste we call "leaf flavor"(樹葉味）, and due to the age of the tree and the ecological relationship, generally speaking, arbor tea can be brewed for more than 10 times, and some can even be brewed for more than 20 times. Moreover, the color and taste of the soup are normal, and there will be no other unpleasant flavors.
（2） Tea soup
Arbor tea has a special fragrance, mellow taste and rich layering（層次感）. In fact, most old tree teas are not obvious in bitterness and astringency. The soup is sweet and the sweetness is more lasting. After more than 10 brews, there will be no leaf flavor. When tasting tea soup, pay attention to whether it meets the characteristics of each mountain. For example, Jingmai tea soup has sweetness, weak bitterness and astringency, with orchid fragrant, and mellow soup quality, while the tea soup made from Jingmai tableland tea as ancient tree tea does not have orchid fragrance, with heavy bitter and astringent taste and poor soup quality.
3. Leaf bottom（葉底）
How to distinguish Pu'er terrace tea from ancient tree tea
First of all, if it is pressed tea (such as cake tea), from the perspective of the cake tea stalks(條索）, the old tree tea sticks are very fat, and the cake stalks（條索） appear to be large and thick, with relatively few buds. Terrace tea is delicate and tender, with relatively many buds. (However, this is easy to fake, and many people make the rough and old tableland tea look like ancient tree tea);
Second, make tea out of soup (this is the most accurate)
If it is ancient tree tea, it has a stronger flavor and is exceptionally resistant to brewing. Under the same conditions (water temperature, steeping time, amount of tea, and utensils), ancient tree tea can be brewed more than 50% more times than terraced tea.
If you are not very familiar, it is recommended that you use this method to identify.
If you compare unconditionally, you can take 5 grams of tea and put it in a large tureen and soak it in boiling water for 5 minutes. Repeat this more than four times. If more than four teas are flavorful, then it is undoubtedly regarded as ancient tea. Although this method is relatively stupid, but extremely feasible.
3rd floor: Furong Green Snow
The difference between ancient tree tea and terraced tea
Speaking of ancient tea trees and terraced teas, everyone will often think about it. There are different opinions and opinions. I personally think that it is better to promote Pu'er tea to seek truth from facts, so that consumers can correctly understand Pu'er tea and understand the benefits of Pu'er tea to the human body. Efficacy, here are some views on the differences and characteristics of ancient tea trees and terraced teas:
In the historical sense, the meaning of traditional Pu'er tea is based on the large-leaf species of ancient Yunnan trees. Pu'er tea, as a traditional famous tea in China, has a very long history and rich connotations. In the long years of growth, Pu'er tea has nourished countless common people with its unique qualities. Especially in recent years, with the in-depth research and discovery of its medical and health functions, Pu'er tea has been favored by more and more tea people, social elites and the general public, and has gradually become an important content in people's daily lives.
With the increase in the demand for Pu'er tea market, Yunnan has opened large-scale tea gardens (table land) tea since the late last century to make Pu'er tea more productive and easier to harvest. However, from the perspective of the main transformative components (water extract, tea polyphenols, catechins, etc.) in tea, the characteristics of ancient tree tea from arbor and terrace tea from tea gardens are different, and there are the most basic differences:
(1) Appearance: The leaves of ancient tree tea are sturdier than that of terraced tea, with obvious leather texture, clear veins, irregular teeth on the leaf edges, and less hair on the back of the leaf; because terraced tea is cultivated, the leaf body is relatively more. Thin, wavy leaf skirts, regular teeth on the leaf edges, and hairy backs.
(2) Aroma: The aroma of ancient tree tea is deep and heavy, and it stays for a long time, while the aroma of terrace tea is fluttering and short.
(3) Taste: Ancient tree tea will bring a rich taste, and feel a breath from the mountains and wilds. The tea soup has a high density and mellowness, and the penetration is smooth; while the terrace tea makes people feel the taste It is thin and sometimes has a mixed taste. The penetration of the tea soup can hardly make the root of the tongue feel comfortable, and some may feel domineering in the mouth, and the bitter and astringent taste is heavier than that of ancient tea.
(4) Leaf bottom: After brewing, the leaves of ancient tree tea are well stretched, hypertrophy and elasticity, and good flexibility; while terrace tea is not easy to relax, the texture is thin and brittle.
(5) Charm: The taste of ancient tree tea is mellow, the sweetness of the bitter and astringent taste makes the mouth produce fluid, and the charm remains in the mouth and throat for a long time. The energy of the old tea is released slowly, and the performance of the tea gas is slowly reflected. The index of making the human body feel comfortable is high. On the other hand, the tea flavor of the terrace tea and the tea remaining in the mouth are short-lived, the production of body fluid is not obvious, the flavor is short, the energy contained in the old tea is relatively small and the release is fast, and the comfort level of the human body is also weak.
(6) Potential: Because the leaves of ancient tree tea are big trees with roots deep into the soil, the roots absorb more nutrients from the ground and make the leaves have more substances that have transformative value. Of course, the potential space is also high; terrace tea comes from terraces with short and shallow roots. , The substance contained in it that can be transformed over time is scarce, and the transformation space is also limited.
Because there are still many human factors, there are some "variations" in ancient tree tea and terraced tea. For example, some terraced teas now have plenty of fertilizer and water, and they provide good nutrients from the climate, and the leaves are also very fat; while some ancient teas are rarely managed by humans and grow naturally, and sometimes they grow thinner leaves. . The over-picking of ancient tree tea will also cause the leaves of ancient tree tea to have fewer photosynthetic leaves, and the roots will shrink, and the green tea picked will be different.
Pu'er tea is not only a popular drink in the world, but also a good medicine for bodybuilding and a variety of diseases. The ancient medical book "Materia Medica Supplements" records; "Cure sore pain and suppuration, which will not heal for a long time, use Pu'er tea to rot overnight and then apply and wash the affected area, which has a miraculous effect."
"To cure cholera and boredom, use ordinary tea to decoct water for one dollar, adjust dried ginger for one dollar, and take it and it will heal." "New Prescriptions" says: "Cure colds, headaches, and nasal congestion:
Three kinds of ordinary tea, three green onion stems, decoction and hot serving, lying on the quilt. Hot and sweaty, heavier. "According to the information provided by Yunnan Tea Science Institute:
In 1956, a scientist in the former Soviet Union put Shigella flexneri in a concentrated Pu'er tea solution. In only 20 minutes, all the bacteria were killed.
4th Floor: Longmei Pu'er Wholesale
The leaves of Pu'er terraced tea are also relatively small compared to the leaves of ancient tree tea. The leaves of ancient tree tea are soaked very much~~~
5th Floor: [First Tea Network
The difference between Pu'er terrace tea and ancient tree tea
1. Terraced tea
It belongs to cultivated tea trees, grows in fertile soil, grows fast, and shrubs.
The actual problem is: chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and unsafe factors exist.
The main factors affecting the safety of terraced tea are:
a. Chemical harmful factors. Harmful chemical substances in tea are first used in normal or illegal use of pesticides, growth regulators, etc., resulting in the residue of harmful chemical substances in tea leaves. The second is the environmental pollution of the production area, such as soil, air and water pollution, resulting in toxic and harmful elements and radioactive substances in the tea; in addition, there are chemical pollution caused by improper tea processing and packaging.
b. Biological harmful factors. Tea has many production links. There are opportunities for microbial contamination during production, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, and sales. For example, production and processing tools and packaging materials are contaminated by microorganisms; Semi-finished or finished tea products are placed directly on the ground to cause microbial contamination; the health problems of workers engaged in tea processing and packaging may also cause the tea to be contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms.
c. Human deliberate factors. Individual tea producers and operators are driven by economic interests to illegally use substances such as pigments, flavors, cement and talcum powder, resulting in an increase in the harmful ingredients in tea.
d. Physiological factors. Due to the physiological reasons of the tea tree, the tea tree is enriched with certain chemical substances. For example, the tea tree is a fluorine-rich plant, resulting in a low tens of milligrams per kilogram of tea, a high hundreds of milligrams, and a maximum of more than 1,000 milligrams. A small intake of fluoride in the human body is good for health, but too much intake can cause harm to human health.
Safety is fundamental. Without safety as a guarantee, the quality of tea, especially the nutritional and health value of tea, cannot be discussed.
2. Ancient tree tea
Features of primitive ancient tea trees: wild, hundreds of years old, tree height up to 10 meters;
The characteristics of cultivated ancient tea trees: artificial cultivation, hundreds of years old, 3 to 5 meters high;
The characteristics of ecological tea trees: grow in the natural original ecological environment, without artificial interference and treatment.
Primitive ancient tea trees and cultivated ancient tea trees, because these arbor-type tea trees are deep-rooted plants with a main root,
It grows deep into the red soil (the local people in Yunnan believe that "the tree is as high as the root is deep"), and it absorbs more nutrients than shrub tea trees. The quality of the tea is good, but because the yield is not high, it is more precious. The same is the tea cyanine just picked, the concentration of the first two may be ten times that of bush tea. Therefore, the first choice for collection is Pu-erh tea made by picking tea cyanines from primitive ancient tea trees and cultivated ancient tea trees.
How to distinguish big tree tea and terrace tea in Pu'er tea?
6th floor:
The mesa tree has the following characteristics, I hope it can help you distinguish between the two. Ha ha
(1) Appearance: Because terraced tea is cultivated, the leaf body is relatively thin, the leaf skirt is wavy, the leaf edge is regular in teeth, and the leaf back is hairy.
(2) Aroma: The aroma of terraced tea is fluttering and short-lived.
(3) Taste: Table tea makes people feel thin and sometimes has a mixed taste. The penetration of tea soup makes the root of the tongue feel difficult. Although some feel domineering in the mouth, the bitter and astringent taste is heavier than that of ancient tea.
(4) Leaf bottom: Mesa tea is not easy to relax, the texture is thin and crunchy.
(5) Flavor: The post-degree of the terrace tea and the taste of the tea remaining in the mouth are short, the production of body fluid is not obvious, the flavor is short, the energy contained in the old tea is relatively small and the release is fast, and the taste of the human body is also weak. .
(6) Potential: Terraced tea comes from a platform with short and shallow roots. It contains few substances that can be transformed over time, and the transformation space also has a limit.
7th floor: Modoujushi
The difference between big tree tea and terraced tea can be analyzed from the color of the soup, taste and taste, and the shape of the tea before and after brewing.
First, the shape of the tea leaves. Before brewing, whether it is cake tea, brick tea, tuo tea, or tight tea, the texture and color of the tea are different. Big tree tea, the surface texture of the tea is clear, and the continuous distance between the branches on the surface can be seen or felt thick and long. The color of the tea on the surface is mainly tea stalks. Raw tea is dark green-brown, and ripe tea is dark red-brown, yellow. The white leaf buds come next, and the color becomes darker with the prolonging of the year; the terrace tea has the delicate texture of the tea on the outside, and the coherent distance between the branches on the surface is short. The color of the tea on the surface is mostly green. Yellow, if it is cake tea, white leaf buds are mainly visible, which is especially easy to identify. The ripe tea is greenish-brown, and the color will become darker with the prolongation of the year, but it will not become dark brown.
After brewing, the big tree tea leaves have thick branches after the tea leaves are soaked; while the terrace tea has short leaf branches, the contrast and discrimination after brewing is much more intuitive.
Secondly, the soup color. The soup color of big tree tea is yellow-brown in raw tea. The longer the year, the color will transition from yellow-brown to dark yellow-brown; the ripe tea is red-brown, and the longer the year, the color will transition from red-brown to dark red-brown. The soup color of tableland tea is green-yellow, while the ripe tea is also reddish brown. The longer the age, the darker the color. Regardless of the raw and cooked tea, the soup color of the tableland tea will not have the brown base of the big tree tea.
Secondly, taste and taste. The raw tea tea soup of Dashu Tea has a bitter taste and a little bit astringency. After drinking, it will return to Ganshengjin. The year is long, there is no bitterness, and the sweetness is turned into sweetness. It is the top grade; the tea soup of the cooked tea has no bitterness, slow sweetness, long years, color and tasteless, but sweet and mellow. The raw and cooked tea in Taidi tea has obvious characteristics of green tea and Tieguanyin tea. Resistant to brewing.
In short, one can see the comparison between two products and three products. It is really so-called "not afraid of not knowing the goods, but afraid of comparing goods." After brewing, the branches and leaves of the tea are big, thick, and long; the tea is small, thin, and short. It's mesa tea. The tea soup is strong and astringent. After drinking, the sweetness of the tea is the big tree tea; the tea soup is bitter and sweet, and has the unique tea aroma of green tea and neutral tea. It is tableland tea. The tea soup is resistant to brewing, and the strong tea is the big tree tea; the tea soup is weak after a few brews, and the table tea is not enough for the tea.
How to distinguish between tableland tea, ancient tree tea, arbor tea, how to distinguish Pu'er arbor tea and tableland tea?
Shanquanqing
丹寧缺點：One of the biggest concerns with tannins is their potential ability to hinder iron absorption.
In the digestive tract, tannins can easily bind with iron present in plant-based foods, rendering it unavailable for absorption (13Trusted Source).
Research indicates that this effect is not likely to cause significant harm in people with healthy iron levels, but it could be problematic for those with iron deficiency
To get the most benefit from tannin-rich tea, consume it separately from foods containing iron, and make sure you drink it in moderation.
Benefits：
1., prevent body from absorbing fat 2. Help digestion Good and helpful bacteria in intestines 3. Prevent Type 2 diabetes by decreasing blood sugar 4. Lower cholesterol levels 5. Rich in anti-oxidant 6. Protect the elastin in the skin 7. Keep the brain healthy 8. Protect against osteoporosis 9. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (氨基丁酸GABA for short) to decrease anxiety 10. Anti-inflammatory properties., having a nice figure, or lowering your blood pressure
n test-tube studies, pu-erh tea extracts have killed breast cancer, oral cancer, and colon cancer cells。 May boost liver health. big tea drinkers, like Japan and China. "They have much less heart disease and don't have certain cancers that we in the Western world suffer,
It’s also said that pu-erh tea can help promote weight loss, enhance eyesight, stimulate circulation, and soothe hangovers.
Most of the side effects of pu-erh tea come from its caffeine content. Depending on the strength of the brew, pu-erh tea can contain 30–100 mg of caffeine per cup (18Trusted Source.
Most people can tolerate up to 400 mg of caffeine daily, but some of the side effects of excessive caffeine can include (19Trusted Source):
insomnia
dizziness
shaking
changes to your heart’s rhythm
dehydration
diarrhea or excessive urination
a combination of L-theanine and caffeine bring the best effect.
Time: Fifteen seconds is the right amount of time. Second infusion is 5 or10
seconds longer.
Here are the Top 10 Pu erh Brands
Dayi大意, Menghai Tea Factory大益茶业集团（廣州）
— This one is a bit of a no-brainer. Dayi has established itself as the standard bearer of pu erh tea. Within the 20 years of its incorporation, Dayi is the enterprise that has achieved the lion’s share of honors and awards. Among its offerings, 7572 has set the benchmark for ripe pu erh. She same can be said for 7542 as far as raw pu erh is concerned.
Ba Jiao Ting（勐海县，雲南西雙版納傣族自治州）
— Ba Jiao Ting pu erh tea is the only Yunnan state tea enterprise. Liming Tea Factory produces teas of several different standards, types, and shapes, but the Ba Jiao Ting brand is considered a top brand, consistently among the top 10 of pu erh tea brands.八角亭普洱茶，黎明茶厂, Liming Tea Factory
— A brand that entered the market in 1951 as part of a state-enterprise, Zhongcha is one of the most recognized brands globally.
Xiaguan Tuocha云南下关沱茶(集团)股份有限公司（大理市，下關鎮）
— Established in 1941 and headquartered in one of Yunnan’s largest pu erh processing centers, Dali.
Lancang Gucha
— Most recognized in the market is its Jingmai, though the winner of several awards and receiving special state recognition for its overall quality. This one is not well known in the English-speaking world.
Longsheng Pu erh Tea 龙生普洱茶
— Engaged in the cultivation, processing and production of its tea. It’s
Fucun Meiji福村梅记是全球十佳网货品牌（勐海县，雲南西雙版納傣族自治州）
— One of the newer brands that markets exclusively on-line, perceived to possess great potential.
— This maker opened its doors in 1995 and has tirelessly employed the know-how of experts to craft teas that combine traditional methods with the latest technology. Products consistently sold at a fair value.
Lao Tongzhi, Haiwan Tea Enterprises老同志普洱茶是云南海湾茶业公司（昆明）
— Most famed for its ripe productions, Lao Tongzhi is one of the most famous pu erh brands. The name “Lao Tongzhi”, which translates into Old Comrade, is a carryover from the state-enterprise days. It is the winner of several gold, silver, and “cha-wang” distinctions.多次获得普洱茶行业评比“金奖”、“银奖”、“茶王”
There are many top pu erh tea brands out there, but these are the ones that consistent made the cut. You might be surprised to not see one of your favourites on the list. At the same time, you’re probably not to surprised to see Da Yi, Xiaguan and Lao Tongzhi. Keep an eye out for the internet sensation Fucun Meiji and Longsheng Pu erh, which given their relative popularity are still quite reasonably priced. Lancang Gucha is the only ultra-premium brand that made the list, a distinction that may have has much with the brand than actual tea quality.
Very early spring picked silver beige buds producing a luscious, thick and soft liquor. Summer meadow flowers and dry grass with sweet, ripe cantaloupe.
The Ideal Places and Methods for Storing Pu-erh Tea
Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe, 大红袍) is a Wuyi rock tea grown in the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian Province, China.[1] Da Hong Pao has unique orchid fragrance and a long-lasting sweet aftertaste.[2] Dry Da Hong Pao has a shape like tightly knotted ropes or slightly twisted strips, and is green and brown in color. After brewing, the tea is orange-yellow, bright and clear.[2] Compared to other tea, Da Hong Pao can retain its flavor for nine steepings.[3]
There are seven steps needed to make Da Hong Pao. 采摘-萎凋-凉青-做青-炒青-揉捻-烘培.[4]
采摘 (picking): Da Hong Pao is picked once a year, generally in May and June. The standard for fresh leaf picking is 1 bud with 2—3 leaves.[1]
萎凋 (withering): The picked tea leaves are spread evenly in the sun, using sunlight and breeze to evaporate the water.[4][5]
凉青 (cooling): After withering, the tea leaves are moved inside and cooled down.[4]
做青 (making): The tea leaves are shaken and rolled in a big bamboo sieve. This may be conducive to the oxidation of polyphenols inside the tea leaves.[1] This step is the most crucial part to form the fragrance, taste and rhyme of Da Hong Pao.[1][4] And it is also the most complicated and time consuming step.[5]
炒青 (stir-fry): There are two types of stir-fry, hand stir-fry and mechanical stir-fry leaves. The pot temperature of hand stir-fry is between 140–160 °C (284–320 °F), people put on gloves and keep turning over the tea leaves with hands. The pot temperature of mechanical stir-fry is between 220–260 °C (428–500 °F), no hands needed.[4]
揉捻 (kneading): There are two types of kneading, hand kneading and mechanical kneading. By kneading, rolling, twisting, the tea leaves will form a cord shape.[4]
烘培 (baking): This step includes put the tea in a big basket and using different temperature to heat and dry the leaves, which usually takes hours.[4]
Catechins are a type of polyphenol and are the main astringency component in green tea, long known as tannins. Catechin was first isolated from the Indian plant extract catechu (from the plant acacia catechu, a tree of the fabaceae family, acacia genus), from which it derives its name. Tea catechin was first isolated by Dr. Michiyo Tsujimura in 1929 at RIKEN (The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research) in Japan. There are four main types of catechins found in tea leaves.
Catechins oxidize extremely easily. In green tea, since the process for making crude tea involves halting the action of oxidizing enzymes, most of the catechins remain unoxidized. In oolong and black teas, the action of oxidizing enzymes produces oxidized polymers (complex catechins, such as theaflavins and thearubigins).Unlike catechins, which are colorless in aqueous solution, these oxidized catechins become orange or red. This is what gives oolong and black teas their distinctive reddish color. Ichibancha has a catechin content of approximately 12-14%, while Nibancha has a catechin content of approximately 14-15%. The catechin content of young shoots (first or second leaf) is higher than mature leaves (third or fourth leaf). In teas that have been grown using cover culture to block out most light, such as Gyokuro, the generation of catechins is suppressed, giving such teas a lower catechin content than Sencha (approximately 10% as polyphenols). Theanine is produced in the roots of the tea bushes, and migrates to the leaves. Theanine is broken down when exposed to light, producing ethylamino, which in turn changes into catechin. Since theanine does not break down if it is not exposed to light, teas high in theanine and low in catechin may be produced by using covered culture.
Caffeine
Drinking tea when tired from work or study can make a person feel refreshed. This is an effect of caffeine, which is present in tea. Although there is not a great difference in caffeine content depending on the period in which the tea is picked, such as between Ichibancha and Nibancha, similar to catechin and amino acid (theanine), there is a higher caffeine content in young shoots and mature leaves tend to contain less. Among teas that have been roasted at high temperature, such as Hojicha, the caffeine is sublimated (changed directly from a solid to a gaseous state) and is said to decrease. The main effects of caffeine include increased alertness and a mild diuretic effect. Since caffeine has a stimulant effect on the central nervous system (CNS), it can ward off drowsiness and increase the capacity for mental or physical labor. If one consumes caffeine and then does a moderate amount of physical exercise, before the muscles' internal energy source (glucose or glycogen) is used, there is a phenomenon whereby fat is used as an energy source, thereby helping enhance stamina. Furthermore, tea is said to be effective for preventing hangovers. This is also an effect of caffeine, whereby alcohol is metabolized more rapidly. Historically, it is thought that tea has was adopted as a preferred drink by humans owing to the refreshing effects from caffeine.
Amino Acid 氨基酸(Theanine)
Tea has unique characteristics of full-bodied, rich flavor (Umami) and sweetness. Simultaneously, it also has a relaxing effect. A type of amino acid called theanine are largely responsible for these characteristics. Amino acids are the component in tea that contributes full-bodied flavor and sweetness. Of these amino acids, more than 60% are theanine, which is unique to tea. Theanine has a structure similar to that of glutamine, with its particular trait being a refined, rich flavor and sweetness. Amino acids other than theanine present in tea leaves include glutamine, asparagine, arginine and serine. Theanine is present in the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), other camellia and sasanqua but does not occur in any other plants. The theanine content of Ichibancha is higher than Nibancha, and even within Ichibancha, the theanine content of younger shoots is higher. In mature leaves, the theanine level drops away dramatically. If tea is grown using cover culture (shaded from sunlight), as is the case with Gyokuro, the generation of catechins from amino acids is suppressed, resulting in a high theanine content in the tea leaves. Consequently, Shincha and Gyokuro have a rich, full-bodied flavor (Umami), whereas Bancha has a much lighter flavor. The caffeine content of infused tea beverage is approximately 0.01-0.02%. This translates to approximately 15-30mg of caffeine per cup of tea consumed. Although this amount of caffeine should result in a very strong stimulant effect, in fact, the stimulant effect is quite gentle. The reason for this is that theanine acts to limit the stimulant effect of caffeine. Thanks to this property, a potentially dramatic stimulant effect is instead transformed into a moderate effect. This may be regarded as one of the excellent natural attributes of tea. In experiments on animals, theanine has shown properties for suppressing high blood pressure and protecting central nervous system cells. Measurements of the brain waves of people who have consumed theanine reveal that there is an increase in α-waves (according to research by the ITO EN Central Research Institute), which are produced particularly when a person is in a relaxed state.
Vitamins
Vitamins have various effects on the human body. Although vitamins are essential nutrients, they cannot be produced within the body. Regularly drinking green tea, which is full of vitamins, is good for your health. Vitamins, along with saccharides, lipids, proteins and minerals, are one of the five primary nutrients used by the body. Although vitamins are essential nutrients, they cannot be produced within the human body, and must be acquired through food. There are 13 types of vitamins, which are classified into water-soluble vitamins, which dissolve in water, and fat-soluble vitamins, which only dissolve in fat. A deficiency in even one of these 13 vitamins can result in skin disorders, numbness in the hands and feet, sluggishness and fatigue. Green tea is known for having more vitamins in higher concentrations than other foods, and this fact alone makes tea a superior beverage. Many types of oolong and black tea contain few vitamins, with Vitamin C and other vitamins mostly lost during the production process.
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B2 is essential for regular development. A deficiency in Vitamin B2 can result in cracked and red lips and inflammation of the mouth and tongue. One hundred grams of Sencha includes around 1.4mg of Vitamin B2, more than 4 times that of parsley, spinach and Jew's marrow, which have some of the highest concentrations among foods.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a necessary nutrient in the production of collagen. Vitamin C deficiency results in lost formation of collagen fibers, weakening vascular walls and causing scurvy. Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant and is believed to play an important role in the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases such as cancer. Sencha contains the most Vitamin C of any tea, around 1.5 times that of red peppers, which have one of the highest concentrations among vegetables. In contrast, oolong tea contains very little Vitamin C and black tea contains none at all.
Folic Acid
The nutrient folic acid assists in the formation of red blood cells, and pregnant mothers are recommended to take it as it acts to prevent the onset of fetal neural tube defects (NTD). Its relationship to the prevention of arterial sclerosis, colon cancer, dementia and Alzheimer's Disease is also becoming clear, making it the most studied vitamin in recent years. Green tea (Matcha and Sencha) contains more than five times the folic acid of spinach or parsley, and around the same amount as dried seaweed, which has one of the highest concentrations of any food. Black tea contains only a small amount of folic acid.
β-carotene
β-carotene is absorbed through the intestinal walls and is then converted mainly by the liver to Vitamin A as necessary, in effect acting as the precursor of Vitamin A (pro-Vitamin A). Vitamin A aids in the maintenance of night vision, and among teas β-carotene is found in particularly high quantities in Matcha, which contains five times the β-carotene of carrots.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E has been shown to act as an antioxidant that works to protect lipids within the body from oxidizing. Cells are made up of fat-soluble and water-soluble parts, and Vitamin E works in the fat-soluble part of the cell. Sencha contains around 32 times the Vitamin E found in spinach and around two times that found in chili peppers, and hardly any foods have it in higher concentration. However, as Vitamin E does not dissolve in water, it is best taken through powdered green tea or Matcha.
Saponins and Other Components
Tea is effective in preventing tooth decay and high blood pressure, as well as bad breath and other health problems. This is due to the different components found in tea.
Saponins
Saponins are found in all teas, and result in the frothing seen in teas like Matcha. Tea leaves contain around 0.1% saponins, which give it its strong bitterness and astringency. Saponins have anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergy properties and have been shown to lower blood pressure and prevent obesity and influenza (according to studies by the ITO EN Central Research Center).
Fluorine
Fluorine is found in large quantities in the plant Camellia japonica, and in general mature leaves contain more fluorine than younger leaves, with Bancha containing the most fluorine among teas. It forms the acid-resistant outer layer on the teeth's surface and is effective in preventing cavities.
γ-aminobutyric acid （GABA）
GABA is formed when raw leaves are left without oxygen. These are processed into dry tea leaves to make Gabalong tea. GABA contains elements that have been reported in animal testing of Gabalong tea to reduce blood pressure.
Minerals play an important role as bodily regulators. Tea contains around 5-7% minerals, mainly potassium (K), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and magnesium (Mg), as well as small quantities of manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu).
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is the component that gives plants their green color and plays an important role in photosynthesis. In teas that have been grown using cover culture to block out most light, such as Gyokuro and Kabusecha, the tea tries to make the most of the limited light available, resulting in higher levels of chlorophyll. This results in the deep green color of Gyokuro and Kabusecha. The deodorizing effect of chlorophyll has led it to be used in chewing gum.
Fragrance Components
Tea contains an immense number of fragrance components, with around 200 in green tea and more than 300 in black tea. However, the essence, or "Seiyu" that makes up the tea's fragrance occurs in very small quantities, only around 0.005% in green tea and 0.02% in black tea. Raw tea leaves contain very little fragrance, but when harvested, enzymes work to disperse the individual tea leaf components and release their fragrance. However with green tea, as the fermentation process is halted soon after harvest, the fragrance has little time to develop, and as much of the fragrance is released during the tea leaf production process, the tea is left with a very delicate fragrance. The fragrance of teas is developed through the heating process, where the amino acids and saccharides react to the heat to form the tea's wonderful fragrance. Vitamin U is also created during the heating process of Gyokuro, Tencha and high-grade Sencha. Vitamin U is a key ingredient in gastrointestinal drugs and is an effective against gastric ulcers. The distinctive "green laver aroma" of high-grade teas is created with the release of Vitamin U. With Hojicha, many fragrance components are released during the roasting process, resulting in an aromatic taste. The fragrance components of oolong tea and black tea are created during the fermentation process following harvest. The fruity aroma of the tekkannon variety of oolong tea and the muscat aroma of darjeeling black tea, as well as the sweet rosy or fruity aroma of high-grade black teas, are all created in the fermentation process. The unique fragrance of fermented teas such as these is realized through high temperatures. This is why oolong tea and black tea are most delicious when enjoyed hot. The fragrance of tea helps people to relax and relieve stress, making tea desirable as a sort of aroma therapy.
Biluochun or Bi Luo Chun (Chinese: 碧螺春;ounced [pî.lwǒ.ʈʂʰwə́n]) is a famous green tea originally grown in the Dongting mountain region near Lake Tai in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. Also known as Pi Lo Chun, it is renowned for its delicate appearance, fruity taste, floral aroma, showy white hairs and early cropping.
The name Biluochun literally means "green snail spring". It is called so because it is a green tea that is rolled into a tight spiral, resembling snail meat, and is cropped in early spring.
Its original name is Xia Sha Ren Xiang (嚇煞人香; "scary fragrance"). Legend tells of its discovery by a tea picker who ran out of space in her basket and put the tea between her breasts instead. The tea, warmed by her body heat, emitted a strong aroma that surprised the girl.
According to the Qing Dynasty chronicle Ye Shi Da Guan, the Kangxi Emperor visited Lake Tai in the 38th year of his rule. At that time, because of its rich aroma, local people called it "Scary Fragrance". The Kangxi Emperor decided to give it a more elegant name, "Green Snail Spring".
Chinese tea experts regard it very highly. Zhen Jun (1857 to 1918), author of tea encyclopedia Cha Shuo, ranked it first among Chinese green tea. Longjing tea came second, Liu An Gua Pian came third. It is so delicate and tender that one kilogram of Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun consists of 14,000 to 15,000 tea shoots.
Today, Biluochun is cultivated in Dongting Mountains near Lake Tai in Suzhou, Jiangsu. Biluochun from Dong Shan (East Mountain) or Xi Shan (West Mountain) is considered the best. Biluochun is also grown in Zhejiang and Sichuan province. Their leaves are larger and less uniform (may contain yellow leaves). They taste more nutty than fruity and smooth.
Biluochun is divided into seven grades in decreasing order of quality: Supreme, Supreme I, Grade I, Grade II, Grade III, Chao Qing I, and Chao Qing II.
Tea-drinking is a
constituent part of Chinese culture. China is an original producer of tea and
is renowned for its skills in planting and making tea. Its customs of
tea-drinking spread over to Europe and to many other regions through cultural
exchange via the ancient "Silk Road" and other channels of trade. The
Chinese nation has written a brilliant page for its tea culture in the history
of world civilization. The development and promotion of tea has been one of
China's principal contributions to the world. Traditionally, there are ten most
famous teas, but not all "best ten" lists are in agreement. Here is a
typical list of the ten most famous teas in china for your reference.
Description: Very gentle and sweet, these teas can be quite expensive.
The tea leaves can be eaten after infusion.
Dragon Well Tea, as an important part of Hangzhou culture, expresses the
living attitude of locals as well as the Chinese people.Generally speaking, it
takes 6 hours for the Dragon Well tea to pluck, it takes more than 4 hours to
fry and make this one that shows dragon well green tea squarely is wonderful.
The Dragon Well tea, line with having yellow again in the color and luster is
completely green, green. The tea form is flat, smooth, after washing bubbles,
each is hung in water, the bud stands upright, tea is fragrant and lasting,
dark brown and dark green and bright, flavor glycol.
Dragon Well name derives from a local spring that legend has it is the lair of
a dragon. Also known as Longjing, it is the best known of China's green teas,
justifiably so. It had been presented as tribute to many generations of Chinese
emperors, and was the tea served to Richard Nixon in his memorable encounter
with Mao Tse-tung. In local parlance, it is praised for its "four
characters": jade color, vegetative aroma, mellow chestnut flavor and
singular shape.
Description: Clean needle-like tea with a slight floral overtone
Huangshan Maofeng Tea is a
kind of green tea produced in Anhui Province in China. It is one of the most
famous Chinese teas and can be always found in the list of China’s Famous Tea.
Huangshan Maofeng Tea
The tea is grown near
Huangshan, also named Yellow Mountain, hence the name. Yellow Mountain is also
the home for many famous Chinese green teas. Huangshan Maofeng is also called
“Yellow Mountain Fur Peak” in English, because the leaves are covered with
white hairs and the processed leaves looks like peaks of mountains.
For this kind of tea, the
best teas should be picked in the early spring before Qingming Festival (A
Chinese festival in middle spring). Only the new buds which look like orchid
buds on the tea trees and the leaves near by the buds are picked for making the
tea.
Biluochun Tea (Green Snail Spring 碧螺春)
Type: Green Tea
Origin: Dong Ting Mountain of Taihu,JiangsuProvince Description: A green tea with a strong aroma.
Seven grades in decreasing
order of quality: Supreme, Supreme Ⅰ,Grade Ⅰ,Grade Ⅱ,Grade Ⅲ, Chao Qing Ⅰ, and Chao Qing Ⅱ.
Biluochun, a famous Chinese green tea, is grown in Dong Ting Mountain of Taihu in
Jiangsu Province. The tea is also known as Pi Lo Chun. As it is a kind of green
tea rolling in to a tight spiral which looks like snail meat and it is cropped
in early spring, its English name is "Green Snail Spring".
The tea is features by its
exquisite appearance, floral aroma, showy white hairs and early cropping. It is
said that it was discovered by a girl tea picker. The girl put the tea between
her breasts instead of put it in her basket. And the tea warmed by her body heat
and emitted a floral aroma.
Biluochun tea in Dong Shan
in Dong Ting of Jiangsu Province is considered as the best. And the tea is also
cultivated in Sichuan and Zhejiang Provinces. In
these provinces, the leaves are larger and may contain some yellow leaves. Teas
here are taste nuttier and smoother.
Description: fruity, sometimes even berry taste and aroma
Tieguanyin is a kind of
oolong tea in China. It originated in Anxi in Fujian Province in 19th Century. Producing in different areas of Anxi, the
tea has different tastes.
Tieguanyin is named after the Chinese Buddha-- Goddess of Mercy Guanyin,
female embodiment of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. It is also called “Iron
Goodness” in English. The process for making the Tieguanyin Tea is complex and
need professional skills. The leaves must be of high raw quality and plucked at
ideal time. There are 8 main processes: 1.plucking tea leave; 2.sun withering;
3.cooling; 4.tossing; 5.withering, this includes some oxidation; 6.fixation;
7.rolling; 8.drying. And after drying, some kinds of teas have to go through
roasting and scenting which are added processes.
Junshan Yinzhen Tea is a
kind of yellow tea originated in Junshan Island of Hunan Province in China. It
is also planted around Dongting Lake where
the Junshan Island located.
The other names of Junshan
Yinzhen Tea are “Mount Jun Silver Needle”, “Superfine White Tea”, “Yin Zhen”,
and “Superfine Silver Needle”
Keemun Tea (Qimen Black Tea 祁门红茶)
Type: Black Tea
Origin: Qimen County, Anhui Province
Description: Fruity with hints of Pine
Varieties: Keemun Gongfu or Conggu, Keemun Mao Feng, Keemun Xin
Ya, Keemun Hao Ya, Hubei Keemun
Keemun Tea
Keemun Tea or Qimen Hong
Cha is a kind of black tea originated in Qinmen County of Anhui Province.
Relatively speaking, it has a short history of about 137 years. The Tea was
first produced by a failed civil servant, Yu Quianchen, in 1875. Before that,
there was only green tea in Anhui. When Keemun Tea was produced, the result
exceeded Yu’s expectation that the tea even was popular in England. It
gradually became ingredient of the breakfast tea in England.
The tea features by it
fruity, little pine, dried plum and floweriness aroma. As it also tastes a hint
of orchid fragrance, it also called “Chinese tea sweetness”. These make the
taste of the tea very distinctive and balance. Depending on different
varieties, the tea can made more bitter or smokiness.
Da Hong Pao (Large Red Robe 大红袍)
Type: Oolong Tea
Origin: Mount Wuyi, Fujian Province
Description: The most famous oolong tea of Wuyi teas.
Da Hong Pao or Large Red Robe is the most famous tea in Mount Wuyi. It is
a kind of oolong tea which less than 1 kg of tea was harvested each year.
There is a legend of Da
Hong Pao that a Ming Dynasty King’s mother was cured of an illness by a certain
tea. The King sent great red robes to drape on the four tea bushes to show his
thanks. Now there are 3 original bushes still growing on the rock of the Mount
Wuyi which is said that can be dates back to Song Dynasty. The Da Hong Pao is
picked from these bushes. The tea was very rare and so it is expensive.
Liu'an Melon Seed Tea (六安瓜片)
Type: Green Tea
Origin: Lu’an City, Anhui Province安徽六安縣
Description: A little bit bitterness and a little bit sweetness
Liu'an Melon Seed Tea
Liu'an Melon Seed Tea or
Liuan Leaf is a kind of Green tea grown in Liu’an City of Anhui Province. It is
listed on all Chinese famous tea’s lists.
The shapes of the tea’s
leaves are flat and oval which looks like a melon seed, hence the name. Most
green teas are produced from the new buds in central vein, but Liu'an Melon
Seed tea uses the second leaf on the branch. The central veins on these leaves
are removed and are pan fired and shaped so that the tea will not been
oxidized.
In the Ming Dynasty, Lu'an
Melon Seed Tea was widely used to prevent sunstroke. And it was a tribute tea
for the highest power class.
Origin: Fuding County, Zhenghe County政和縣
of Fujian Province
Description: Fleshy bright colored and covered with tiny white
hairs. The flavor and fragrance should be delicate, light, fresh, and
sweet.
Baihao Yinzhen or White Hair Silver Needle is a kind of white tea grown in
Fuding and Zhenghe County of Fujian Province.
Amongst all the white teas,
Baihao Yinzhen is the most expensive one as it only use the top buds to produce
the tea. The best production of the tea is from the first flushes from late
March to early April. Pluck the first new buds before it opens. The best time
to pluck the white tea is on sunny morning. The buds are laid in shallow basket
and under the sun for a long period. Then, the softened buds will be piled for
requiring enzyme oxidation before they going through a low temperature bake-dry
of the later process.
There are 2 regions---
Zhenghe and Fuding make this tea. The Zhenghe style is usually much darker than
the Fuding style, because its oxidation time is much longer. As the tastes of
the 2 styles are different, both of them have their own fans.
Description: It is a Chinese specialty. The flavor of the tea depends
on where the tea is grown and the grade. Old Pu-erh tea, born tea, dry
warehouse natural aging, and soup was yellow red, Chen fragrant odor.
Pu-erh tea from Yunnan province in China has long been considered a special
delicacy and an indispensable part of daily health care. Unlike other
types of tea, which are consumed not long after harvest, Pu-erh tastes better
with age.
Pu-erh Tea can be divided
into cooked and raw types. The cooked types are the varieties that have gone
through a process which accelerate post-fermentation, while the raw types are
the varieties that have gone through the process of gradually darkening by
exposure to the environmental elements instead of fermentation. And this is why
the teas are labeled with the region and the year it was produced.
Japan:
Matcha
The green tea
plants used for matcha are shade-grown for three to four weeks before harvest.
During shaded growth, the plant Camellia sinensis produces more theanine（茶氨酸） and caffeine. The traditional Japanese tea
ceremony centers on the preparation, serving,
and drinking of matcha as hot tea, and embodies a meditative spirituality. Only
the finest tea buds are hand-picked.
Sencha煎茶:
Only the finest
tea buds are hand-picked. After harvesting, if the leaves are rolled up before
drying as in the production of sencha, the result will be gyokuro玉露(jade dew) tea.
Hōjicha (焙じ茶, ほうじ茶) is a Japanese green tea. It is distinctive from other Japanese green teas because it is roasted in a porcelain pot over charcoal, whereas most Japanese teas are steamed. The tea is fired at a high temperature, altering the leaf color tints from green to reddish brown.
Bancha (番茶) is a type of Japanesegreen tea. It is harvested from the second flush of sencha between summer and autumn.
碾茶If the leaves are laid out flat to dry, however, they will
crumble somewhat and become known as tencha (碾茶) Tencha refers to green tea leaves that have not yet
been ground into fine powder as matcha, as the leaves are instead left to dry rather
than be kneaded. Since the leaves' cell walls are still intact, brewing tencha
tea results in a pale green brew, which has a more mellow taste compared to
other green tea extracts, and only the highest grade of tencha leaves can brew to its fullest flavor.
White tea may refer to one of several styles of tea which generally feature young or minimally
processed leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. White tea is known to be one of the most delicate tea varieties because it is so minimally processed. White tea is harvested before the tea plant’s leaves open fully, when the young buds are still covered by fine white hairs, hence the name “white” tea.更多茶多酚,兒茶素（Catechin），又稱茶單寧、兒茶酸,可可鹼，白毫是茶葉嫩芽背面生長的一層細絨毛，乾燥後呈現白色，如果保持其不脫落，茶葉顯現白色，為白茶，浸泡後，白毫仍然附著在茶葉上。綠茶經過揉捻，白毫脫落乾碎，沏茶後，碎落的白毫漂浮在水面，形成似乎像油膜一樣，證明茶葉非常新鮮
White Tea
White teas are the least processed of all teas. They release the least amount of caffeine of all teas, generally ranging from 10-15 milligrams per 8 oz cup. Almost all white teas hail from Fujian Province, China.
White teas are picked when young tea buds are tightly enclosed in new leaves. This retains a silky, downy quality in the leaves. When you first drink white tea, it seems quite tasteless – as if you were drinking hot water. However, after a while, you’ll become aware of a subtle change in your breath and at the back of your mouth. You will taste a soft, nourishing sweetness and eventually experience a similar sensation down your throat.
Preparation of white teas requires pure water at 175° F. (Boil, then cool 3 mins)
Process: White tea is the most delicate tea in flavor and aroma, as the leaves are not rolled or crushed in the processing. Camellia sinensis bushes that have large, fleshy leaf buds are used for most white teas today. Those leaf buds become Silver Needles white tea. If the next two leaves are picked and processed the same way, they yield White Peony white tea.
Origins: With flavors that are close to the heart of the tea plant, they were the favorite of the famous ’Tea Emperor’ in the 1100’s who was so preoccupied with his love of tea and his pursuit of the perfect cup, that he lost his empire to invading Mongols. White teas have since traditionally been used as a Tribute Tea to the Chinese Emperor. Long popular in China, they are just becoming well-known in America. Recent claims that white tea has less caffeine than green tea are often debatable. Caffeine content is sometimes more dependent on the part of the plant used, rather than on process.
spring harvest teas (like Bai Hao Yinzhen/Silver Needles White Tea) are often (but not always) higher in caffeine than late-harvest teas (like White Peony Tea).福鼎白茶的主产区在点头镇、白琳镇、蟠溪镇、太姥山镇、管阳镇、贯岭镇。每个镇都有很好的山场。
黃茶是一種與綠茶的加工工藝略有不同的茶，多了一道燜堆渥黃工序。燜堆後，葉已變黃，再經乾燥製成，黃茶浸泡後是黃湯黃葉，名茶如湖南的君山銀針等，浸泡後每葉都在杯中立著，「如刀山劍硭」。The process for
making yellow tea is similar to that of green but with an added step of
encasing and steaming the tea. This allows the tea to oxidize at a slow rate for a brief period before the
tea is heated fully to denature the oxidizing enzymes, producing a far more
mellow taste than is found in most green teas
青茶，茶的一種，其發酵程度介於綠茶與紅茶之間，茶水呈現黃褐色，以香氣著稱。青茶中以烏龍茶最為知名，因此也被稱為烏龍茶。此外，鐵觀音也屬於青茶的一種，只差在發酵程度不一樣。Oolong teas are semi–oxidized, which places
them mid–way between green and black teas. This gives them the body and
complexity of a black tea, with the brightness and freshness of a green tea.
The caffeine content and
antioxidant level is also mid–way between that of green and black teas, making
them most healthy and palatable. A very favorite and desired tea amongst
connoisseurs, all oolongs hail from either China or Taiwan.
紅茶是一種全發酵茶，是西方茶文化中的主要茶品。明朝時產於福建武夷山的正山小種為紅茶鼻祖[1]，1610年荷蘭人透過印度尼西亞殖民地將小種紅茶運往歐洲[2]，開始了西方紅茶文化。紅茶與綠茶不同，綠茶會隨著時間而失去味道，但紅茶能夠保存相當長的時間而味道不變，因此紅茶能適應長途運輸，這也許是紅茶傳到西方的重要原因之一。Black teas are fully oxidized teas. Black teas
brew a liquor from reddish brown to dark brown. They are the most popular type
of tea in the Western world. Black teas range from 40 – 60 milligrams of
caffeine per 8 oz cup.
黑茶，一種中國茶，陳放茶葉數個月或數年，讓其中的麴菌發酵後製成，泡出的茶湯顏色呈黑褐色且混濁，並因此得名。生產歷史非常悠久，已有四百年歷史，最早的黑茶是由毛茶阿薩姆而成. 中國的黑茶以雲南最為出名。而雲南普洱茶的前身就是阿薩姆所謂黑茶。Fermented tea (also known as post-fermented tea or dark tea) is a class of tea that has undergone microbial fermentation, from several months to many years.
Chai Tea
印度拉茶： India is the largest tea exporter in the world. Most of its tea production is consumed at home. This gives us an idea of the magnitude of production, and of its economic impact on the country. While tea plants are indigenous to parts of northwestern India, tea was not a part of the Indian diet until after the British began producing tea there circa 1850. The Indian palate was not satisfied by the thin, sugared beverage. But by drawing from their own cultural pantry they created the tea drink that we know as chai - black tea simmered with milk, sugar, and rich flavorful spices such as cardamom, ginger, clove and cinnamon. Every household in India has their own family recipe for what they call masala chai, or spice tea.
English Tea Doctor
And as I said the main Caribbean asking for about the last year when is it coming out because they love it so now is the moment check out the color a lovely how would you describe and it's got a lot of activity in there you see that I did not filter it so it's got a lot of activity going on slightly cloudy lovely looking liquor here we go straight face playmates 2011 now I want to stress this point this is not an ultra thick tea this is sort of I would put it in the medium territory but when you find out about the taste which I'm already getting from one step you'll see that that Mary's very very well so this is I would say medium to medium thick as you'd expect it is just opening up this has the most incredible cooling sensation in the mouth and that's why the medium I think works with it medium texture works with it it's so cooling sweet and fresh in the mouth I know I'm jumping to finish but that just should be a testament amazing the tingly cooling fresh sweet honey so did this this back and forth between minty cool and honey and that is what I absolutely adore about this too but let's go let's move a little bit of extra depth to it though little bit of freshness to it so I would say it's sort of baked oranges and maybe fresh blood oranges and a little bit of person on sweetness so liquid honey it's a little bit lighter the honeys and caramels baked oranges those magnolias are still there magnolia wisteria light flourish of Florence baked dried fruit sweetness and honey sweetness minerality is there as well and I'm going to brew another one immediately but what I know about this tea and what I'm already sensing is if there's any tea which is going to show you this is a really good candidate in the mouth fruity sweet a little bit zesty and then it hits you with this like the perfect bitterness it's it's there but it's not aggressive at all cooling minty sweet finish it's such a complex deep rich adult tea on the one hand and yet incredibly profitable really drinkable you just want to go back and then hit it again and again and again and that's why you got to be a little bit careful with this tea as the sort of trichomes of the buds sort of mostly came out in the first in the first infusion leaves are opening up nicely turning into a sort of olive green and tan color right infusion number two looks a bit thicker and but this will never go to sort of evil star fitness but as I said I think that that really works with that that orange and a note to it in that cooling finish okay as I said I can I can just down this tea I mean you know you can see I can drink this team really and you will get a lot of infusions out of this in fact this is the kind of tea that you can just keep rolling with it just becomes beautiful Sweetwater after multiple infusions of bitterness is so it's it's like that sweet bitter sweet liquor so it's really not like a pharmaceutical bitterness in any way at all is very much a sweet some sweet to bitter to sweet but the the first week it's like mineral cooling all the way down it's my whole throat down top high mountain vaporous quality to it just is an immense it's just such a cooling sensation all right I'm going to smell the empty going to die before I move on and just go through a load of infusions without you is happening right let's give this a smell so you hit with a load of sweetness honeycomb and baked oranges again baked oranges honeycomb there's a sort of saline quality to it as well a little bit salty salted honeycombs orange juice again this lovely palette a little bit creamy a little bit floral sweet lots and lots of honey caramel notes a little bit in fact a fair amount of orange still that sort of deep baked oranges and a little bit of salt as well OK Google is incredibly heating and cooling at the same time it's like
Flavored Black Teas
Chinese black tea leaves have been flavored since around the time the Ming Dynasty was founded in 1368, and have become wildly popular in America and Europe in recent decades. The addition of natural essences and flavors create an exciting sensual and gastronomic experience, as both the tea and the scent are often enhanced in the marriage of the two. Tea can be flavored by adding fruits, floral essences, and/or flavorings to the finished black tea leaves. All tea leaves are very absorbent of fragrances (and all odors, which is another reason why air-tight containers are important for storage.) Popular scented black teas include Earl Grey, scented with bergamot; Lapsang Souchong, which is scented with pine wood smoke; Rose tea, Caramel tea and various fruit-flavored black teas. View our entire selection ofBlack Teas.
Chai Tea
India is the largest tea exporter in the world. Most of its tea production is consumed at home. This gives us an idea of the magnitude of production, and of its economic impact on the country. While tea plants are indigenous to parts of northwestern India, tea was not a part of the Indian diet until after the British began producing tea there circa 1850. The Indian palate was not satisfied by the thin, sugared beverage. But by drawing from their own cultural pantry they created the tea drink that we know as chai - black tea simmered with milk, sugar, and rich flavorful spices such as cardamom, ginger, clove and cinnamon. Every household in India has their own family recipe for what they call masala chai, or spice tea.
British tea
served between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and typically lasts about one and a half to two hours. mostly black tea. English tea appreciates the varied flavoring added. They usually drink their tea with milk and sugar. They are usually imported from India or Ceylon, Earl Grey tea is a tea blend which has been flavoured with the addition of oil of bergamot. The rind's fragrant oil is added to black tea to give Earl Grey its unique
American tea brands like Lipton or Tetley or Red Rose or “Kirkland”
Pu'erh Tea
Pu’erh teas are aged and fermented. These aged teas are revered throughout Asia for their medicinal benefits, which range from curing hangovers to reducing cholesterol.
Pu’erh tea is very smooth in taste, and can be even darker than black tea. This is a naturally fermented tea, and, if stored properly, the older the tea, the better the flavor. Black Pu’erh teas contain about 60–70 milligrams of caffeine per 8 oz cup, and Green Pu’erh yields about 30–40 milligrams of caffeine for the same sized serving.
Preparation: Requires pure water at boiling point (212° F).
Process: Pu’erh tea is processed through special fermentation by using the semi-fermented green tea of Yunnan large leaf tea. It is black or brown in color. This tea undergoes a secondary fermentation process that takes 6 months to a year, during which the tea is contained in a warm, humid environment, allowing beneficial bacteria and fungal microflora to flourish. The more aged Pu’erh tea is mellow and gives a sweet taste in mouth after drinking.
Health Benefits: This is an ideal health drink. It can cut through grease and cholesterol, help digestion, warm you, help produce saliva and shake thirst, dispel the effects of alcohol, and refresh one’s mind. Pu’erh tea has also been shown to lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels in the body.
Origins: Grown exclusively in and around the county of Pu’erh in Yunnan Province, China, the leaves are mildly sweet, with an aroma reminiscent of autumn leaves. View our selection ofPu'erh Teas.
Yerba Mate
Yerba Maté (pronounced "yerba mahtay") is a medicinal and cultural drink of ancient origins. Introduced to the world by the Guarani Indians of South America, Maté is a species of holly plant, and can range in flavor from earthy and roasted to grassy.
Mate is a healthy and stimulating drink, with roughly 35 milligrams of caffeine per 8 oz. serving. Yerba Maté is an appetite suppressant, also high in Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and manganese. Mate contains xanthines, which are in the same family as caffeine, and sometimes called "mateine". Mate also contains other natural chemicals and trace minerals that seem to mellow out the experience of consuming this particular type of caffeine, and many mate drinkers report that they feel alert and focused without any negative effects of coffee, such as jitters and a caffeine crash. Preliminary scientific studies of mate have shown that the compounds in the plant have a relaxing effect on smooth muscle tissue, rather than a stimulating effect on the central nervous system.
Preparation: Requires pure water at 203° F (Boil, then cool 1 min)
Yerba Maté should be steeped for 6–7 minutes using hot, but not boiled water. Boiling water can make mate bitter, just like tea. Some people even like to pour cool water over the mate leaves before filling the rest of the cup with hot water to avoid extracting tannins, which create the bitter flavor.
Process: After harvesting, yerba mate branches are dried sometimes with a wood fire, imparting a smoky flavor to some styles. Other styles are steamed which results in a grassier flavor, which can be likened to Japanese green tea. The leaves are then chopped to a specific size of leaf cut.
Origins: Grown and processed in South America, specifically in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil. Cultivators are known as yerbateros (Spanish) or ervateiros (Brazilian Portuguese). View our selection ofYerba Mate Teas.
Herbal Tea
The history of herbs and spices is far more ancient than that of tea. Herbal Infusions are not tea, per se, as they do not come from the Camellia sinensis plant. They are popular after’dinner beverages and naturally 100% caffeine–free.
Many host a variety of health benefits, and all the ones we offer deliver a sensational experience in aromatherapy and taste. Herbal Infusions include many well-known herbs such as mint, flowers such as hibiscus and chamomile, roots like licorice and ginger, and other botanicals including rooibos and lemongrass. Some blends combine many herbs and even add seeds, berries, nuts and even cocoa.
Herbal infusions have a wide variety of purported health benefits and cures, from indigestion to allergies to insomnia. There are infinite combinations and possibilities for creating herbal infusions, and all of them are free of caffeine.
Most herbal infusions should be steeped for 6–7 minutes using freshly boiled water, or decocted for 10–20 minutes on the stovetop for maximum effectiveness. View our selection ofHerbal Teas.
Hibiscus
As a naturally decaf tea, hibiscus is a great way to stay healthfully hydrated any time of day. Medical research shows that hibiscus is promising in treating high blood pressure and possibly high cholesterol triglyceride levels*. It also offers a natural source of Vitamin C and antioxidants to give your immune system a boost. When cold-brewed, hibiscus makes a mouthwatering, smooth & refreshing, vibrant red infusion in under ten minutes. Brewed hot, the taste of hibiscus flowers is more tart. Hibiscus is the most prevalent component in herbal teas sold in North America. View our selection ofHibiscus Teas.
* Reference: Hopkins AL, et al., Hibiscus sabdariffa L. in the treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidemia: a comprehensive review of animal and human studies, Fitoterapia. 2013 Mar;85:84-94. doi: 10.1016/j.fitote.2013.01.003.
Rooibos
Rooibos is a naturally caffeine-free herbal tea indigenous to the Cedarburg mountain area in South Africa, also known as red bush tea. Its naturally sweet flavor, lack of bitter tannins, and naturally decaf nature makes it a great tea for the whole family.
Its needle-like leaves are well suited to its arid home. It is harvested manually during the summer, at which point it is still green. Oxidation is essential in order to enhance the flavor of the tea and this turns the tea leaves from green to bright red. This faintly sweet red herbal infusion is unique because it contains health benefits while being naturally caffeine free and low in tannin, thus allowing iron absorption. Rooibos contains almost no tannins, but has many replenishing minerals including iron, potassium, copper, alpha-hydroxy and zinc. It is rich in antioxidants, the substances that combat free radicals in the body.
Rooibos is a great thirst quencher and is an excellent beverage for active people, including children. Most kids will drink Rooibos without added sugar or sweeteners. This tea contains almost no oxalic acid, making it a good beverage for people prone to kidney stones. Rooibos contains the following minerals: copper, iron and potassium, calcium, fluoride, zinc, manganese, alpha-hydroxy (for healthy skin) and magnesium (for the nervous system) are also components of this tea. In South Africa pregnant women and lactating mothers drink Rooibos because it contains loads of antioxidants without any caffeine. With its many positive attributes, Rooibos tea is an excellent choice of drink for health conscious people. View our selection of loose leafRooibos.
The daily cup of tea has many
positive associations. Winding down (thought to be due to the relaxing presence
of amino acid L-theanine), or winding up (thanks to caffeine’s influence).
Along with a dose of ritual
comfort, there’s also the health-giving benefits of herbal teas, lauded for
antioxidants – the molecules that prevent free radical cell damage – and more.
But recent research has uncovered
a connection of a less pleasant kind – the possibility of pesticides and other
carcinogenic chemicals in your tea.
Independent lab testing by CBC News Canada has
found many tea brands contain pesticides over levels permitted in that country.
CBC’s research found multiple
chemicals in eight out of 10 popular brands of green and black tea. Half the
teas contained pesticide levels in excess of allowable limits. Tetley,
Lipton and Twinings, brands popular with Australians, were among
those highest in pesticide contamination.
Indicating more than a random
finding, two reports by Greenpeace show pesticides are widely present in
leading international tea brands from China and India, the two largest tea-producers in the world.
All 18 brands of Chinese
tea tested contained three or more
different kinds of pesticides. Six tea brand samples contained up to 10 types
of pesticide. One contained 17 types.
Alarmingly, pesticides
banned for use on tea by China’s Ministry of Agriculture, were found on 12
of the 18 samples. The teas tested were mid-grade green, oolong and jasmine, and
included China’s top tea-sellers.
About 94 per cent of 49 Indian
tea brands tested
by Greenpeacecontained pesticide residues, and 59 per
cent contained at least one pesticide above the Maximum Residue Levels set by
the EU. Similar to the Chinese teas, 68 per cent of the pesticides discovered
in the teas weren’t registered for use in tea cultivation.
The Greenpeace report, Trouble
Brewing, described the presence of pesticides in tea “as a
serious problem, which undermines its otherwise positive image as beneficial to
health and well-being.”
Pesticides found in the tea
included neonicotinoids, insecticides that negatively impact a variety of
beneficial insects. An extensive 2018 literature review of available
scientific data, conducted by the European Food Safety Authority, concluded
neonicotinoid pesticides pose a threat to bee populations.
Another reason to choose organic
at the supermarket and cafe, perhaps? But buying a certified organic product is
no guarantee of a 100 per cent pure product. Studies suggest trace amounts of
chemical contamination from nearby farms is common on agricultural products
certified as organic.
Another source of potential toxic
chemicals is the tea-bag itself.
New
sachet-style teabags were also found to contain toxins. Photo: Getty
Those chic-sounding tea-bags,
variously marketed as ‘nylon’, ‘silky sachet’, or ‘luxurious mesh’, are made of
plastic, specifically, food-grade nylon or polyethylene terephthalate (PET),
viscose rayon, or thermoplastic. They’re liable to leach chemicals into your
tea.
While there aren’t any studies on
the subject (yet!), bear in mind, it has been proven that chemicals from
plastic can leach into water and that heat compounds the effect.
Paper tea-bags aren’t much of an
alternative. They’re generally treated with epichlorohydrin (a carcinogenic
compound that helps prevent the bag from breaking) and/or sealed with glue or
polypropylene plastic. Tea-drinkers in the UK are currently petitioning leading
UK tea manufacturers to remove plastic from tea-bags.
How worried should we
be?
Those in the tea industry
frequently point to the fact that allowable maximum residue levels, that fuzzy
line of safety defined by governments, varies greatly from country to country.
But do we really want any toxins
in our tea?
Reassuringly, a Canadian
study on pregnant tea-drinkers published in Environmental Research in
2015, found no association between low or moderate tea drinking (green, herbal
and regular tea) and blood and urine levels of pesticides or adverse birth
outcomes. However, the researchers acknowledged they didn’t test heavy
tea-drinkers and suggest the topic needs further research.
Discomfortingly, they refer to
past research suggesting a potential link between tea drinking in pregnancy and
pre-term or small-for-gestational-age babies.
Using
loose-leaf tea in a good ol’ teapot is probably the way to go. Photo: Getty
The take home
message?
Like any agricultural food
product, tea leaves can be contaminated with agri-chemicals and toxins related
to packaging. If you’re health conscious, certified organic loose-leaf teas,
infused in an old-fashioned pot or stainless steel infuser, are probably your
best bet.
（图片源自网络）
（图片源自网络）
（图片源自网络）
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