Many people love tea-drinking across different countries, especially in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Poland, the United Kingdom and Turkey. There are many categories of tea leaves. Different people in different places have their own culture about tea.
Tea is roughly categorised into six types. The most common types of tea are probably black tea, green tea and “Pu’er tea”. Pu’er tea belongs to dark tea. In addition, there are yellow tea, qing tea and white tea as well. Tea is not only a good choice of quenching but also an interesting leisure activity for us to enjoy life. Basically, to prepare a cup of good tea, there are 6 factors that affect the quality and aroma of the tea. They are quality of tea leaves, water, water temperature, set of utensil for tea brewing, the people and the ambience.
To judge whether the tea leaf are good enough, we can observe the appearance of tea leaves, scent the aroma and taste it.
Utensil for tea brewing
What utensil we use for brewing tea up depends on what tea we drink. For black tea, like pu’er, zisha teapot is a choice. For oolong tea, its pleasant aroma is noticeable so zisha teapot is also the choice. Why? Zisha teapot can keep the tea a number of temperature for a long while and hence the aroma can be kept.
Fresh green tea is great to brew in glass tea utensil as well as ceramic cup. Ceramic can also keep the water temperature for a relatively long while and heat can transmitted fast. The aroma can be kept for a longer time.
Utensil also depends on who taste the tea because old people may like zisha teapot while young people may like glass utensil.
Water
There are 7 options for water used in tea-brewing. Mountain spring water, tap water, distilled water, well water, mineral water, rain water and snow water.
Water temperature
The tea taste depends on variety of elements. Even though the tea leaf is the same, the tea taste can vary by different people brewing it up. Besides, water temperature of boiling water is another element that makes taste different. The lower the water temperature, the less the solubility, the lighter the tea; the higher the temperature, the greater the solubility and the stronger the tea.
- Green Tea: Recommended water temperature – 75 oC to 85 oC
- Black Tea: Recommended water temperature – 95 oC to 100 oC
- Oolong tea: recommended water temperature – 85 oC to 95 oC
- Yellow Tea: Recommended water temperature – 75 oC to 80 oC
- White Tea: Recommended water temperature – 75 oC to 85 oC
- Black Tea: Recommended Water Temperature – 100 oC
Ambience
In a busy city, the space for living is limited. To enhance the ambience of tea-tasting, we may be required to keep eye on any great environment for tasting activity. Basically, there are 4 types – dining room, in park, study room, and tea room.
At home, some friends gather together, with tea-tasting and chatting. We also can appreciate flower and the natural environment with great tea in park. Book may enhance the feeling of tea-tasting. Some people may brew the tea with traditional tea-brewing method. Whatever tasting way is carried may boost the sense of tea-tasting to next level.
Black Tea
To most of the people in Asia, the English name of black tea is like a riddle. Why? The reason is simple. The translation of the word is not straightforward. Many people will be confused between black tea, red tea and dark tea. In fact, there are several names for black tea. The other names are English Tea and Breakfast Tea. In Britain, English breakfast tea is a black tea which is prepared in light of a typical mix of different black tea leaf.
There are many countries of black tea production, including India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan, Turkey, Vietnam, Indonesia and other places. Usually a cup of black tea with a mellow taste is made by mixing several kinds of black tea leaves, taking the advantages of various types of tea leaves.
Black tea is fully fermented tea. Tea leaves and its tea soup, like its name, is kind of reddish black. Black tea has a mellow and sweet taste. Black tea from China can be classified into three categories according to the different production methods, Gongfu tea, broken black tea and Souchong Gongfu tea. The main varieties are “Qimen Black Tea”, “Chuanhong”, “Dianhong”, “Yunnan Black Tea”, “Guangdong Yingde Black Tea”, “Bailin Gongfu”, “Zhenghe Gongfu”, “Tanyang Gongfu” and so on. On the other hand, the classification of Western-style black tea is based on the variety and size of the tea leaves. The main reason is that the tea aroma and color of the tea leaves are different from relatively big tea leaves, medium tea and small tea that is as small as handful of powders. Therefore, the taste and texture of black tea can be made by mixing different proportions of black tea leaves.
In southern China, when we choose tea, we usually consider the name of tea leaves and the planting place. The Zhengshan Souchong black tea is mainly produced in the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian Province. There is another interesting black tea, namely “lychee black tea”, which come from Guangdong. The tea leaves are black but tea becomes red after we pour the hot water into the leaves. Everyone calls it as lychee black tea, mainly because its aroma has a lychee fragrance. The tea brings the refreshing feeling and sweet flavour. The color of tea itself is red. One more black tea that quite impresses people is , Yingde Jinhao Tea. The golden color of Yingde Jinhao tea is very special and the leaves has a rose scent
When you take a sip, the rose aroma will fill fully in your mouth. The tea taste is very mellow. Taiwan is also famous for black tea leaves. It is “Sun Moon Lake Black Tea”, which is from Nantou County in Taiwan. The bottom of the leaves is red. The tastes is very nice with rich aroma.
Black tea is also very popular in Europe. Usually, black tea is classified by the country of origin and variety of tea size. However, when we choose the it, we will consider the brand and the tea grading in the package. It is generally sold to consumers in small tea bags and boxes of tea bags. Even so, the taste of tea leaves will not be inferior. Whether a cup of tea is mellow or not depends on the tea leaves itself, instead of the presentation format.
No matter from east to west, north to south, Asia or Europe, you may sell the aroma of classic black tea.
Dark tea
Dark tea is a post-fermentation tea. Pu’er tea is the most popular in the dark teas. Pu’er tea is produced via either the dark tea production method or the green tea production method. There are different Pu’er tea in the market, like brick tea, square tea, loose tea leaves and so on.
Pu’er tea has many varieties and names. One of the famous Pu’er tea is “Pu’er Tea Brick” from Yunnan. It has a fragrant aroma with a mellow flavour. Yunnan is a famous area that Pu’er tea is produced. In addition to tea bricks, there are more other Pu’er tea products, like Pu’er loose tea, Yunnan Pu’er Tuo tea, Qizi tea cake and so on. I like to buy Qizi tea cake as a gift, because this tea has a meaning of good luck.
As far as I know, in the aspect of dark tea, apart from Pu’er tea, there is another tea in this category. It is “dark hair tea” (黑毛茶), which tea leaves are small. In fact, Pu’er tea leaves are large in size. “Dark hair tea” is mainly produced in Taojiang, Yuanjiang and other regions in Anhua, Hunan Province. Pu’er tea is mainly produced in Yunnan, and there are also some produced in Guangdong, China. From my point of view, they are two separate types of teas. Besides, some third party websites express that Pu’er is not a dark tea. I don’t have any input on this opinion. However, according to the “Tea Classic” written by Lu Yu, Pu’er tea is classified as a dark tea.
Besides, Yunnan Pu’er Tuo tea has an interesting name, called “girl’s tea”. The colour of tea leaves is maroon. Someone describes this tea colour like the pink cheeks of a shy girl.
Generally, Pu’er tea seems a drink for the elderly. It has a good nutritional value, like quenching, clearing heat, helping digestion, keeping fit and more. It is a great match with vegetarian and vegan diet.
4 tips for choosing Pu’er tea
To enjoy life better, we may pick some teas in our daily drinking mix. Pu’er tea is very good for health and beauty. It can lower fat, keep fit, lower blood pressure, nourish the stomach, resist aging, and reduce inflammation. When we buy Pu’er tea, we firstly smell the its tea leaves or tea cakes. The smell should be fresh and must not be musty. Then, if the tea shop has a tea tasting service or the staff is willing to make a cup of tea for you to try, it is suggested to see the colour. Many people think that Pu’er tea is black. In fact, good Pu’er tea is brownish red. If the colour is black, it is not recommended to buy it personally. Pu’er tea is a post-fermented tea. The older the Pu’er tea leaves, the more fragrant the cup of Pu’ertea is. Some people may buy Pu’er tea as an investment tool. Therefore, it should be stored in a dry and cool place, where no smell is.
White tea
Is white tea in white colour? Definitely not. Why do people call “white tea” as “white tea”? There is a romantic story behind. Anciently, Chinese people imagined that the charm of white tea was like a beauty of flower and the white tea also looks like snow. That’s why people give this name to the tea leaves as “White Tea”. Tea is one of good vegetarian drink. It is very good for plant-based eaters to have it because white tea has a nutritional value, anti-inflammatory.
White tea is a type of tea that is only slightly fermented. White tea is also a unique tea type in the mainland of China. Local people comment white tea as the best tea among 6 tea types there. The famous production area of white tea are mainly located in Songzheng, Fuding, Jianyang and other places in Fujian Province.
White tea is classified based on the varieties of tea trees. The variety of “dabai tea” is called “dabai”. The leaves from the narcissus tree is called “narcissus white”. There are more diverse names such as white peony and silver needle for different categories of white tea. It depends on the method of harvesting. Every food ingredient seems to have its own story.
Semi-oxidised tea
The most famous type of semi-oxidised tea is Oolong tea. Many people even use “Oolong tea” to represent the entire semi-oxidised tea category. Oolong tea is known for its cooling properties, making it a popular drink to quench thirst during hot summer days. Although it doesn’t contain as many tea polyphenols as green tea, Oolong tea has unique polyphenol compounds that help reduce calcium loss, relieve fatigue, and prevent obesity. Additionally, it contains the highest levels of vitamin C among all teas, which is known for its “beautifying and whitening” effects. In Japan, Oolong tea is often called “beauty tea.”
Oolong tea, a type of semi-oxidised tea, is characterised by its greenish-brown colour, bright yellow brew, and leaves with “green centre and red edges.” It has a rich floral aroma. The flavour of Oolong tea varies widely, ranging from floral and grassy notes to sweet and roasted flavours. These differences depend on the level of oxidation during processing, which in turn is influenced by the tea’s production region, processing techniques, and methods. Today, the major regions producing Oolong tea include northern Fujian and southern Fujian in China, as well as some mountainous areas in Taiwan.
Semi-oxidised tea combines the production techniques of green tea and black tea, earning it the nickname “green leaves with red edges.” It is prized for its lingering sweet aftertaste and its aroma that stays on the palate.
Oolong tea grown at higher altitudes has a more distinct and unique flavour. As a type of semi-oxidised tea, it is also known for its cooling effect, providing a refreshing sensation.
Green tea
Green tea has a number of nutritional values. It aids in fat loss, antioxidant support in the skin, fighting cancer cell growth, improving brain power and reducing the risk of heart disease.
Green tea is classified as “unfermented tea”. Green tea has all of leaves itself, leaf bottom and its tea soup in green. The largest production country of green tea is China, where nearly all provinces, such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou and more places, produce green tea products. The second production place of green tea is Japan. Apart from these two countries, there are more countries, like Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Turkey and Russia, which a variety of green tea products are produced.
Differences between Japanese green tea and Chinese green tea
Tea leaves come from the same type of trees, tea tree. However, there are many differences between Chinese green tea and Japanese green tea, including the taste, the nutritional value, and the stories behind. The place where green tea was first found is China. Green tea was brought to Japan from China Japanese Buddhist monks. In Japan, green tea is not just a drink. It has been developed as part of Japanese culture. Green tea is kind of a ritual in many ceremonies and formal activities in Japan.
There are a number of varieties in green tea products in China. However, the green tea in Japan is basically Yabukita. Japanese green tea has three times more antioxidant properties than Chinese green tea, just because of different methods of making green tea between two countires. In China, mainland people usually adopt stir-frying method to produce green tea leaves, while in Japan, Japanese people usually adopt streaming method to produce green tea products. Hence, Japanese green tea is slightly sweeter than the green tea produced in the mainland, China. Besides, Japanese green tea has more antioxidant substances.
Reference
“The Bible of Tea (茶經)”, written by Lu Yu (陸羽), published by Hua Wei International Business Co., Ltd (華威國際事業有限公司).
