Sorting into piles
Sort the sun-dried green tea into different piles according to their quality for pile fermentation.
Pile fermentation
"Pile" means to add moisture to the tea and control its humidity and temperature. In pile fermentation, pile tons of raw tea leaves together, add water, keeping the temperature within 58-60°C. The tea leaves are kept thus for 48 days. Fermentation occurs under suitable temperature, humidity and by the chemical reaction of the microbes and enzymes in the leaves.
The leaves turn reddish-brown and the tea liquid is red, bright, thick, mellow and smooth as you brewing it in teapot. Pile fermentation is a major step in the production of processed Pu-erh tea. The humidity, temperature, pile-stirring times and degree of fermentation should be flexible; it should be controlled according to the season and the tenderness of the raw tea leaves. Improper fermentation will produce substandard tea. This is why great importance is attached to the origin of the Pu-erh tea. Processed Pu-erh tea of different origin possess different taste and flavor.
Tests show that Pu-erh tea processed through artificial pile fermentation have the same physicochemical indices as the tea through natural fermentation. Post fermentation, the quality of the tea leaves become more stable. Consumers can drink processed tea immediately after buying, or store it for a while to reduce the dryness of the newly processed tea, thereby improving the taste. But there is no need to store it long. The artificially fermented tea is processed to satisfy the market demand ahead of time.
The terms "raw cake," "processed cake," "traditional Pu-erh tea," experts' definition of Pu-erh tea, the industry standards and the terms for techniques and processing are all closely associated with the development of the artificial pile fermentation.
Drying
After pile fermentation, the tea is dried and becomes loose Pu-erh tea.
Selection
After selection by machine comes selection by hand. This step is an important factor to the quality of the tea. Given that machines fail to pick the stem and impurities out from the leaves, only manual selection can guarantee tea quality.
Moisturizing
Moisturizing is an important step in making processed tea. Before compressing the processed tea, moisture should be added to the dried tea to soften it. After pile fermentation, tea cannot be steamed but can be moisturized to ensure that tea leaves form tight striations and will not crumble during compressing.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Long-term Storage And Natural
Post-fermentation
After packaging the seven-cake tea, you have two options: You can store the tea for a period of time. You can do this by keeping it in a storehouse or just let it ferment naturally (without putting in the storehouse), before selling it according to the market demand. Another way is to directly sell the raw Pu-erh tea.
In the past, large batches of Pu-erh tea were transported to Tibet and other places. Yunnan's and Tibet's rugged terrain made transportation difficult. The combination of the demand for Pu-erh tea, the hazardous route and the lack of roads and proper vehicles led to the world-famous ancient caravan route and the caravan career. The tea matured continuously along the way. Factors such as long exposure to the sun, wind, rain and humidity, the bamboo shoot skin wrap, the wild grass and flowers along the way and the temperature of the horse on which it was laden affected the raw tea cakes, imbuing it with a special fragrance of the Yunnan wilderness. Transportation by ships, too, took a long time, affecting the quality of the tea. That is why Pu-erh tea fermented in natural conditions is especially fragrant and mellow.
Pu-erh tea gained popularity during the middle and late period of the Qing Dynasty. It was the tribute tea to the imperial court during the reign of emperors Yongzheng and Guangxu. However, after the Qing Dynasty, the importance of Pu-erh tea quickly declined and went into oblivion. Today, Pu-erh tea has risen to the fore as a new drink in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Its long-term storage capability has made it regain popularity overnight, and there is great demand for its mellow fragrance and taste if you brew it with Japanese tea sets.
The present generation s fast pace of living makes time invaluable. There is a sharp gap between the prices of the naturally fermented Pu-erh tea and artificially fermented tea-the more technology develops, the more precious the time-honored natural products become.
After packaging the seven-cake tea, you have two options: You can store the tea for a period of time. You can do this by keeping it in a storehouse or just let it ferment naturally (without putting in the storehouse), before selling it according to the market demand. Another way is to directly sell the raw Pu-erh tea.
In the past, large batches of Pu-erh tea were transported to Tibet and other places. Yunnan's and Tibet's rugged terrain made transportation difficult. The combination of the demand for Pu-erh tea, the hazardous route and the lack of roads and proper vehicles led to the world-famous ancient caravan route and the caravan career. The tea matured continuously along the way. Factors such as long exposure to the sun, wind, rain and humidity, the bamboo shoot skin wrap, the wild grass and flowers along the way and the temperature of the horse on which it was laden affected the raw tea cakes, imbuing it with a special fragrance of the Yunnan wilderness. Transportation by ships, too, took a long time, affecting the quality of the tea. That is why Pu-erh tea fermented in natural conditions is especially fragrant and mellow.
Pu-erh tea gained popularity during the middle and late period of the Qing Dynasty. It was the tribute tea to the imperial court during the reign of emperors Yongzheng and Guangxu. However, after the Qing Dynasty, the importance of Pu-erh tea quickly declined and went into oblivion. Today, Pu-erh tea has risen to the fore as a new drink in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Its long-term storage capability has made it regain popularity overnight, and there is great demand for its mellow fragrance and taste if you brew it with Japanese tea sets.
The present generation s fast pace of living makes time invaluable. There is a sharp gap between the prices of the naturally fermented Pu-erh tea and artificially fermented tea-the more technology develops, the more precious the time-honored natural products become.
Friday, September 28, 2012
The Processing Technique Of Pu-erh Tea
The processing is key to the special fragrance of Pu-erh tea. It is also the source of the various names used to refer to the tea. As artificial fermentation and natural fermentation are two techniques of the later stage of tea processing, let us first divide the tea processing into two stages-the preliminary sun-baking and the later fermentation.
1. Making raw material of Pu-erh tea—sun-baked tea leaves
Picking tea
Whether raw or processed, Pu-erh tea is rich in taste. Unlike green tea, yellow tea or white tea, where farmers need to choose the most tender sprouts, when picking fresh leaves for Pu-erh tea, farmers just pick sprouts with three leaves and some old leaves for their mellow fragrance after brewing in tea pot sets.
The Pu-erh tea leaves are picked in spring, summer and autumn, but those picked in spring are the best. According to the tea farmers, the fresh leaves and sprouts are picked in batches. In spring they usually pick one or two batches called the first and second batch respectively.
The first image that appears in our mind when visualizing tea-leaf picking is of women deftly picking leaves from the waist-high trees south of Yangtze River. The picking of leaves from the Yunnan big-leaf tea trees are more colorful. This is because the Pu-erh tea grows m regions dominated by the ethnic minorities. During the tea-picking season, the Hani, Blang and Dai people in brightly colored ethnic costumes and accessories paint a pretty picture. Secondly, tea trees, this region are not only large areas of short trees planted in the past 20 to 30 years (the so called terrace tea trees about waist or breast height), but also many tall 200-, 300-, 500- and even 800-year-old trees, forming a wonderful landscape.
Pu-erh tea farmers pick the leaves in many ways—simply reaching out their hands, standing on their toes and there are times when they have to climb the trees. The scenes are varied and rarely seen elsewhere.
Withering tea
Withering (or airing) is to reduce the humidity of the fresh leaves, to lower the temperature for baking the leaves and to soften the leaves. The natural process of withering is by exposing leaves to the air. withering in weak sunlight and withering with hot air in the rainy season.
Sha Qing (heating tea)
Sha Qing is a terminology in processing tea, which means heating and stirring.
Chao Qing, that is steaming, Zheng Qing or scalding in boiling water, Lao Qing or destroying the enzyme activity, thereby preventing the phenol substances from oxidizing and the fresh leaves from turning yellow or red and the quality of tea from changing. Heating keeps the leaves in the desired state. Except for a few types of tea, the first step of processing after picking tea is heating it. Among the many ways, heating in woks, as in Pu-erh tea is most widely used.
Put the fresh leaves in a heated iron wok. Using both hands pick up the tea leaves from the bottom of the wok and scatter them back into the wok. Repeat the process until the leaves are no longer stiff, their color has turned yellowish and you can smell the smoky fragrance of the green leaves.
Airing tea
Transfer the hot leaves into the bamboo basket. Scatter them with care to dispel the heat and cool them quickly to prevent the leaves from further changing due to the heat for the next step of processing.
Rubbing and twisting tea
Rubbing and twisting is to shape the tea leaves for the final product.
If the tea leaf is rubbed and twisted it will take a spiral form, like the green tea Bi Luo Chun.
Twist the Pu-erh tea into striations along the stem. Roll the leaves with both hands into a ball, then rub and squeeze them repeatedly forming an oval (like practicing Taiji). Apply pressure evenly, it the pressure is too light, the leaves are unlikely to form striations and there will be no tea extract.
This is not conducive for fermentation. Rubbing or twisting too hard will cause the leaves to break and become unmarketable. Once the tea extract starts oozing out. the hands feel sticky, smell freshly fragrant and turn light green. Stop when the 3 or 4 leaves on the stem have twisted into striations.
Drying tea
The twisted tea leaves are spread in bamboo baskets and put out in the sun to absorb sunlight.. These sun-baked green crude tea leaves are the raw material for compressed Pu-erh tea. However, most of the tea-pinking time in Yunnan coincides with the rainy season characterized by heavy and continuous rainfall. On rainy days, striations are often dried over gentle fire. That is why raw tea leaves picked in the raw tea leaves picked in the season smell smoky. Today, large quantities of raw tea leaves are machine-dried, yet the traditional | sun-baked green crude 1 tea leaves are the best in terms of quality.
Producing naturally fermented Pu-erh tea
Compressing and shaping
Compressing the tea into different shapes eases packaging and transportation over long distances and time. The compressing technology was introduced during the period of the Ming Dynasty. The people of Yunnan reformed the various steps for tea production. Compressing tea by hand is still prevalent in the regions producing traditional Pu-erh tea (e.g., Yiwu).
Tea cakes are traditionally, sun-baked green crude tea leaves compressed into different shapes in the following steps:
1. Weighing: Usually a tea cake weighs 357-400g.Take a suitable amount of tea leaves in a perforated metal steamer.
2. Placing the flyleaf: Position the flyleaf with some striated tea leaves on it.
3. Steaming: Put the metal steamer over the steam to soften and moisturize the tea leaves for convenient compressing and post-fermentation of the tea.
4. Putting in the bag: Overturn the steamer into the cotton bag, and knead the leaves into a pile in the bag.
5. Kneading: Roll the bag tightly, knead the hot tea pile into a tea cake of even thickness, winding the bag into a spiral on top of the cake as shown. Press the spiral- shaped knot into the middle part on the back of the tea cake.
6. Compressing: Put the tea cakes under the special stone and stand on the stone to compress the tea leaves evenly. Today, machines are used to compress the tea leaves, but pressing manually shapes the cakes evenly and neatly.
7. Drying: Take the tea cakes out of the bags to dry in a cool place.
8. Packaging: Pack the tea cakes in cotton paper and fold the edge of the paper into the hole made by the bag knot on the back of the cake.
1. Making raw material of Pu-erh tea—sun-baked tea leaves
Picking tea
The Pu-erh tea leaves are picked in spring, summer and autumn, but those picked in spring are the best. According to the tea farmers, the fresh leaves and sprouts are picked in batches. In spring they usually pick one or two batches called the first and second batch respectively.
The first image that appears in our mind when visualizing tea-leaf picking is of women deftly picking leaves from the waist-high trees south of Yangtze River. The picking of leaves from the Yunnan big-leaf tea trees are more colorful. This is because the Pu-erh tea grows m regions dominated by the ethnic minorities. During the tea-picking season, the Hani, Blang and Dai people in brightly colored ethnic costumes and accessories paint a pretty picture. Secondly, tea trees, this region are not only large areas of short trees planted in the past 20 to 30 years (the so called terrace tea trees about waist or breast height), but also many tall 200-, 300-, 500- and even 800-year-old trees, forming a wonderful landscape.
Pu-erh tea farmers pick the leaves in many ways—simply reaching out their hands, standing on their toes and there are times when they have to climb the trees. The scenes are varied and rarely seen elsewhere.
Withering tea
Sha Qing (heating tea)
Sha Qing is a terminology in processing tea, which means heating and stirring.
Chao Qing, that is steaming, Zheng Qing or scalding in boiling water, Lao Qing or destroying the enzyme activity, thereby preventing the phenol substances from oxidizing and the fresh leaves from turning yellow or red and the quality of tea from changing. Heating keeps the leaves in the desired state. Except for a few types of tea, the first step of processing after picking tea is heating it. Among the many ways, heating in woks, as in Pu-erh tea is most widely used.
Put the fresh leaves in a heated iron wok. Using both hands pick up the tea leaves from the bottom of the wok and scatter them back into the wok. Repeat the process until the leaves are no longer stiff, their color has turned yellowish and you can smell the smoky fragrance of the green leaves.
Airing tea
Rubbing and twisting tea
Rubbing and twisting is to shape the tea leaves for the final product.
If the tea leaf is rubbed and twisted it will take a spiral form, like the green tea Bi Luo Chun.
Twist the Pu-erh tea into striations along the stem. Roll the leaves with both hands into a ball, then rub and squeeze them repeatedly forming an oval (like practicing Taiji). Apply pressure evenly, it the pressure is too light, the leaves are unlikely to form striations and there will be no tea extract.
This is not conducive for fermentation. Rubbing or twisting too hard will cause the leaves to break and become unmarketable. Once the tea extract starts oozing out. the hands feel sticky, smell freshly fragrant and turn light green. Stop when the 3 or 4 leaves on the stem have twisted into striations.
Drying tea
The twisted tea leaves are spread in bamboo baskets and put out in the sun to absorb sunlight.. These sun-baked green crude tea leaves are the raw material for compressed Pu-erh tea. However, most of the tea-pinking time in Yunnan coincides with the rainy season characterized by heavy and continuous rainfall. On rainy days, striations are often dried over gentle fire. That is why raw tea leaves picked in the raw tea leaves picked in the season smell smoky. Today, large quantities of raw tea leaves are machine-dried, yet the traditional | sun-baked green crude 1 tea leaves are the best in terms of quality.
Producing naturally fermented Pu-erh tea
Compressing and shaping
Compressing the tea into different shapes eases packaging and transportation over long distances and time. The compressing technology was introduced during the period of the Ming Dynasty. The people of Yunnan reformed the various steps for tea production. Compressing tea by hand is still prevalent in the regions producing traditional Pu-erh tea (e.g., Yiwu).
Tea cakes are traditionally, sun-baked green crude tea leaves compressed into different shapes in the following steps:
1. Weighing: Usually a tea cake weighs 357-400g.Take a suitable amount of tea leaves in a perforated metal steamer.
2. Placing the flyleaf: Position the flyleaf with some striated tea leaves on it.
3. Steaming: Put the metal steamer over the steam to soften and moisturize the tea leaves for convenient compressing and post-fermentation of the tea.
4. Putting in the bag: Overturn the steamer into the cotton bag, and knead the leaves into a pile in the bag.
5. Kneading: Roll the bag tightly, knead the hot tea pile into a tea cake of even thickness, winding the bag into a spiral on top of the cake as shown. Press the spiral- shaped knot into the middle part on the back of the tea cake.
6. Compressing: Put the tea cakes under the special stone and stand on the stone to compress the tea leaves evenly. Today, machines are used to compress the tea leaves, but pressing manually shapes the cakes evenly and neatly.
7. Drying: Take the tea cakes out of the bags to dry in a cool place.
8. Packaging: Pack the tea cakes in cotton paper and fold the edge of the paper into the hole made by the bag knot on the back of the cake.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
What Is Pu-erh Tea
1. Pu-erh tea: A common man's perspective
Ten years ago, most Chinese outside Yunnan had probably only heard of Pu-erh tea but not seen it. It is only recently that people have started to learn more. Today, drinking Pu-erh tea has become a trend.
The most commonly used terms associated with Pu-erh tea are "raw cake," "processed cake," "mellower with age" and "collection and appreciation." Most drinkers know that Pu-erh tea is a combination of raw tea and processed tea. The uniqueness of Pu-erh tea lies in its becoming "more fragrant with age," a common characteristic of dark teas in general, contrary to the general belief that tea is better when it is fresh.
What is raw tea? What is processed tea? Do both become more fragrant with age? Does Pu-erh tea really become better with age? The answer is not simple. Therein lies the chief attraction of Pu-erh tea-the more you search for the truth, the more elusive it becomes.
2. Pu-erh tea: An expert's perspective
According to tea experts Pu-erh tea is the generic name given to the loose tea and the compressed tea, which conform to the local standards of Yunnan Province. They are sun-baked big-leaf green crude tea processed through fermentation (including natural fermentation and artificial post-fermentation).
Experts specify key points, such as place of origin, type of raw material, processing technique, standard for and form of the final product.
Place of origin: The area under the ancient Pu-erh Prefecture
In 1729, Emperor Yongzheng established the Pu-erh Prefecture. Its administration bureau was in the present Ninger County. The Pu-erh Prefecture covered the present Pu-erh city (originally Simao City, renamed in Apnl 2007), Xishuangbanna Prefecture and part of Lincang Prefecture. The fresh leaves of the big-leaf tea trees in this area are the first criterion for recognizing Pu-erh tea.
Type of tree and raw material: Sun-baked green crude tea of the big-leaf type
These trees are found only in Yunnan. They have evolved from growing wild to planned planting today. Usually, the leaves are 12-24 cm long and their texture is leather-like thicker and tougher than leaves of other types of tea trees. Tea trees across the globe have, through continual migration, evolved from the wild big-leaf tea trees. The type of trees used as raw material is an important factor for long-term storage of the tea product.
Pick fresh leaves of the big-leaf tea trees, (usually one sprout and three leaves), stir them in a wok over fire to get rid of the fresh- leaf smell, destroy their enzyme activity, evaporate the moisture and release the fragrance. Twist them into striations and keep out in the sun to turn them into sun-baked green crude tea. This material is used to produce Pu-erh tea.
Techniques: Natural fermentation or artificial fermentation of the sun-baked crude green tea
Compress the sun-baked green crude tea into cakes or bricks. This is known as raw tea. After a specific period of time (5-10, or 10-20 years), under normal temperature and humidity, the raw tea becomes naturally fermented Pu-erh tea.
This technique is called "natural fermentation." Put the sun-baked green crude tea (loose tea) in a controlled environment having the appropriate temperature and humidity conducive to its fermentation and help it ferment quickly, in a process called “Wodui" (pile fermentation). After approximately 40 days, it becomes processed tea. In this book, the term Pu-erh tea refers to the fermented tea which is naturally or artificially fermented-the "processed tea."
Physicochemical and sensory indices: Conforming to the local standards of Pu-erh tea in Yunnan Province
Post 1973, after repeated testing, the artificial pile fermentation technique has greatly developed. Now there is a distinction between "raw tea" (traditional Pu-erh tea) and "processed tea," which makes the concept of Pu-erh tea more pluralistic.
Meanwhile, the industrial standards of artificial fermentation and other related local standards have also been established. The purpose of the artificial pile is to speed up the fermentation of Pu-erh tea.
Artificial fermentation shortens the natural fermentation process of 10 to 20 years to merely days, thereby meeting the needs of the customers.
Thus. Pu-erh tea is the kind of tea whose physicochemical and sensory indices conform to the local standards of Pu-erh tea in Yunnan Province.
Shape of final product: Loose tea or compressed tea
Pu-erh tea can be in the form of fermented loose tea and fermented compressed tea.
Tea that can reach the above standards is Yunnan Pu-erh tea.
3. Pu-erh tea in the tea markets
It is common knowledge that Pu-erh tea includes raw tea and processed tea, but people usually know little about which type of tea should be stored and for how long. The tea industry defines Pu-erh tea as processed tea.
Among the kinds of Pu-erh tea in the market and those favored by customers, there are Pu-erh tea acknowledged by experts (processed tea only) and the commonly known raw tea. In addition, there is the "several-year-old tea" that falls in-between the raw tea and the processed tea (those that are yet to finish their natural fermentation). Other kinds of tea are those that are preserved for some time after artificial fermentation and the 20-30-year-old tea.
Now let's discuss and learn about Pu-erh tea as a kind of tea offered on the market.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Unveiling The Mysteries Of Pu-erh Tea
Why does dark tea (and some types of Oolong tea and black tea) become more fragrant as it gets older after brew it by Chinese tea sets? Why does it endure long years of preservation, while other types of tea lose all original color, fragrance and taste?
The primary reason lies in the different raw materials. Tea trees with large leaves contain more substances in their fresh leaves. That is why the preservation of Pu-erh tea over longer periods, but also gets mellower and sweeter. After storing for a long time, its tea properties become weak and it has a unique flavor and taste. It transforms from the original astringent taste to become mellow and sweet, and then back to a light taste. While other tea are best when fresh, Pu-erh tea gets better with age. Another reason for Pu-erh's unique taste is its post-fermentation technique.
In the 1990s, the popularity of Pu-erh tea started in Hong Kong and Taiwan and then spread throughout China. The craze for Pu-erh tea is still on the increase, which may well lead to its global popularity. To understand Pu-erh tea, we should leam its production techniques first for many of its mysteries lie in its production process.
The primary reason lies in the different raw materials. Tea trees with large leaves contain more substances in their fresh leaves. That is why the preservation of Pu-erh tea over longer periods, but also gets mellower and sweeter. After storing for a long time, its tea properties become weak and it has a unique flavor and taste. It transforms from the original astringent taste to become mellow and sweet, and then back to a light taste. While other tea are best when fresh, Pu-erh tea gets better with age. Another reason for Pu-erh's unique taste is its post-fermentation technique.
In the 1990s, the popularity of Pu-erh tea started in Hong Kong and Taiwan and then spread throughout China. The craze for Pu-erh tea is still on the increase, which may well lead to its global popularity. To understand Pu-erh tea, we should leam its production techniques first for many of its mysteries lie in its production process.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Chinese Tea Classifications And Pu-erh Tea
Pu-erh tea is not just dark tea but the most famous type of dark tea today.
Classifications of Chinese Tea
China produces various kinds of tea. According to incomplete statistics, China has over 1.000 varieties of famous teas. Tea is classified according to different standards, including processing technique, place of origin, production season, quality grade, shape and sales.
Classification methods of Chinese tea:
Processing technique: Green tea, black tea, cyan tea, yellow tea, white tea, dark tea. etc.
Classifications of Chinese Tea
China produces various kinds of tea. According to incomplete statistics, China has over 1.000 varieties of famous teas. Tea is classified according to different standards, including processing technique, place of origin, production season, quality grade, shape and sales.
Classification methods of Chinese tea:
Processing technique: Green tea, black tea, cyan tea, yellow tea, white tea, dark tea. etc.
Place of origin:
|
|
Production
season:
|
Spring tea (picked before April 19-21. or April
4-5. according to the Chinese calendar). Summer tea, Shu tea (picked from August 7-9 to August 23-24
according to the Chinese calendar). Autumn tea. Winter tea. etc
|
Quality grade:
|
Superfine, first grade, second grade, third grade,
fourth grade, fifth grade, etc.
|
Shape:
|
Needle-shaped, spiral-shaped, chip-shaped, orchid-shaped, bar-shaped, etc.
|
Sales:
Processing:
|
Export, domestic sales, boundary sales, overseas,
etc Unprocessed, processed, instant black tea. etc
|
Fermentation:
|
Non-fermented, slightly fermented, halt-fermented
completely fermented, etc.
|
In modern tea studios, ton is classified into basic tea and reprocessed tea Basic tea includes green tea, black tea, cyan tea, yellow tea, white tea and dark tea Reprocessed tea includes jasmine tea, compressed tea, teabag, instant tea, tea drink, etc.
Dark Tea-Pu-erh Tea
Besides Pu-erh tea, there are other types of dark tea which are wel-known.
Dark tea is mainly produced in Yunnan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, etc.
1. Dark tea from Hunan
Hunan produces Xiangjian tea. Qianliang tea, Fu brick (Fuzhuan). Black brick (Heizhuan), Flowery brick (Huazhuan), etc. Fu brick is characterized by its growth of fungus spores, which gives it a unique fragrance.
2. Dark tea from Sichuan
Dark tea from Sichuan is classified into south-road brick tea and west- road brick tea. Samples include Kangzhuan, Jinjian, etc.
Dark Tea-Pu-erh Tea
Besides Pu-erh tea, there are other types of dark tea which are wel-known.
Dark tea is mainly produced in Yunnan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, etc.
1. Dark tea from Hunan
Hunan produces Xiangjian tea. Qianliang tea, Fu brick (Fuzhuan). Black brick (Heizhuan), Flowery brick (Huazhuan), etc. Fu brick is characterized by its growth of fungus spores, which gives it a unique fragrance.
2. Dark tea from Sichuan
Dark tea from Sichuan is classified into south-road brick tea and west- road brick tea. Samples include Kangzhuan, Jinjian, etc.
3. Dark tea from Guangxi
Originally produced in the Liubao township in Cangwu County, it is dark brown and glossy. The tea liquid is dark red and sweet with a betel nut fragrance and a sweet aftertaste when brewing in Yixing teapots. The tea is characterized by its red color, strength, mellowness and age. The best Liubao tea that is old is the one with golden fungus spores. This once commanded the largest market share of dark tea in Hong Kong and the Southeast Asian countries.
4. Dark tea from Yunnan
The representative Yunnan dark tea is Pu-erh tea. It is produced after a long period of artificial fermentation (in piles with controlled temperature and humidity, details on page 31) of loose Yunnan green tea (Yunnan sun-baked green crude tea). It is usually made into compressed tea, such as the Qizibing (Seven Cakes) tea, brick tea, bowl tea, etc.
Pu-erh tea, very popular in the tea market today, is a representative dark tea-one of the six basic types of tea. It is also the favorite among the types of dark tea. Growing in a pure environment, it is effective in improving digestion and controlling cholesterol and blood pressure. This has increased its function to meet the spiritual and physical need of the modern generation. Its tough transportation route closely associates Pu-erh tea with the ancient tea rout.
Originally produced in the Liubao township in Cangwu County, it is dark brown and glossy. The tea liquid is dark red and sweet with a betel nut fragrance and a sweet aftertaste when brewing in Yixing teapots. The tea is characterized by its red color, strength, mellowness and age. The best Liubao tea that is old is the one with golden fungus spores. This once commanded the largest market share of dark tea in Hong Kong and the Southeast Asian countries.
4. Dark tea from Yunnan
The representative Yunnan dark tea is Pu-erh tea. It is produced after a long period of artificial fermentation (in piles with controlled temperature and humidity, details on page 31) of loose Yunnan green tea (Yunnan sun-baked green crude tea). It is usually made into compressed tea, such as the Qizibing (Seven Cakes) tea, brick tea, bowl tea, etc.
Pu-erh tea, very popular in the tea market today, is a representative dark tea-one of the six basic types of tea. It is also the favorite among the types of dark tea. Growing in a pure environment, it is effective in improving digestion and controlling cholesterol and blood pressure. This has increased its function to meet the spiritual and physical need of the modern generation. Its tough transportation route closely associates Pu-erh tea with the ancient tea rout.
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