About Chinese Teas

There are more than 150 cultivars of Camellia seniensis, which can be used to produce Chinese teas. A generic classification, in order of increasing oxidation, include white, green, yellow, pouchong, oolong to red (black) teas. Including the various factors of climate, terrain, soils, processing, and secrets of tea chefs, the choice of available teas becomes very large. In fact the Zhongguo Chajing (1997) lists more than 130 kinds of famous teas. Add to the observation that tea chefs can choose to use a cultivar, move it to and farm it at a new location, and use less than the formal or a slightly different processing --- and you have a new kind of tea!

White teas are really green teas, which are usually the earliest of the first spring growth. Their whitish appearance is owing to the abundance of leaf hairs, and when brewed these hairs are found floating on the surface of the tea. Usually, it is best to use a very limited washing rinse with white teas before proceeding to the first steeping for drinking. A lower temperature with extended steeping may help to bring out the complex and very subtle flavors and aroma. To the beginner and unexperienced, drinking a cup of white tea has been likened to drinking lightly-colored hot water. The majority of white teas come from the earliest spring harvest and processing.

Green teas are plucked and immediately processed to not allow for any or limited oxidation. This group of teas have been documented to have the highest levels of antioxidants, which are claimed to be good for health reasons. Many green teas are presented as naturally wilted and roasted, but with the advent of rolling machinery, some greens have appeared on the market in an oolong style, as tightly rolled pellets. Their taste and aroma is as variable as the varietal tea plants, locations and processing methods. The largest consumption of green teas occurs within the People's Republic of China and Japan. The higher quality greens are smooth and sweet without a "bite."

Yellow teas have been classified as being a distinct group owing to their yellow colored leaf and tea liquor. Some tea experts consider these teas to belong among the green teas, and not a distinct group of themselves. Chen Zhongxin has identified these teas as a separate group including Jin Shan Yinzhen; Mengding Haung Ya; Hau Shan Haung Ya; Beigang Maojian; Luyuan Maojian; Wenzhou Haung Tang; Wanxi Huang Da Cha; and Haioo Gwang Cha.

Pouchongs may appear to be like green teas, but are really an intermediary of green and oolong teas. Their level of oxidation is between 5 to 20%. The oxidating process is used to help develop and bring out the taste locked in the leaves. Please note that some very high-end pouchongs may drink and taste very much like floral oolongs.

Oolongs are variable in oxidation. The higher-end of the grades are grown at higher elevations. There appears to be a distinct difference between preferences for greener oolongs in Taiwan versus the more oxidized oolongs found preferred in the PRC. These are two distinct differences that can be debated very emotionally and for a long time. Hence the Tit Kwan Yin or Iron Goddess of Mercy and its various forms found in the PRC are distinctly different from the Taiwanese versions.

Among the Taiwanese oolongs, please note that some oolong are more centered about its aroma as with the Tung Ting and Ali Shan oolongs, whereas other oolongs are more focused for its taste with the aroma arriving at the bottom of the nearly cool or dry cup. In addition, there is a liquorice dry taste, gumm, at the back of the throat and at times, a difference of whether the nasal passage are dry or weepy. Better oolongs have an oily and heavier body that coats one's mouth and tongue. . . and, at times numbing. Deriving the best cup is experiential for time of steeping, water temperature, stage of brewing, etc.

The various more deeply oxidized teas express a relationship between time to process by its tea chef and the complexity of aroma and taste. Keemun is an example of Chinese red tea that is highly regarded. Red teas are more often considered the "grocery store" grade of teas. Don't be taken in by this ruse, explore for yourself and determine what you like. For example, the dry puerh tea is very smelly of ammonia, decay and complex forest humus, but when brewed, is remarkably smooth and distinct tasting... almost like French burgundy wine. Curiously, puerh teas come in green, black/red and flower scented varieties of teas. The distinctive characteristics of puerh teas are the molding of the leaves into bricks and its long-term aging in caves or warehouses. In the case of puerh teas, there is no requirement to drink the tea within a season or one year. Some valued puerhs can be more than 25 years old before going to market, and very expensive. On a personal note, puerhs properly stored get only better with time.

How does one go about find good teas? If you are here, you are probably information literate. Go to one of the portals and locate an online teashop to purchase samples from, if there are no retail tea stores in your area. Or, you can join and read one of the various tea discussion groups for ideas of which online vendor to consider.

The conservative way is to locate a local retail tea store within driving distance and visit it. Get to know the products and see if you can taste the tea of interest to you. Be sensitive to the fact that a retailer in a small shop even if he or she has staff can serve one person at a time. Tying up time to taste samples when there are many customers is not being considerate. Finding a consistent tea vendor or tea supply is not an easy task. Oh yes, there is variation in teas from a given tea chef and farm, from year to year. Count your blessings, if your vendor can offer to you a consistent high-end and good tasting product with aroma. Good luck in your search!

TDust: Premium Tea
To begin, let us state there is no one absolutely premium tea that is always consistent from year to year or season to season. Tea is a complex drink dependent upon location, weather, season, the tea chef, processing, storage, etc. and most important, your personal experience and palate sensitivity. The experiential aspect is one of continual seeking, drinking, and learning from others. Emphases are on locating teas and drinking teas, many kinds of teas. Possible forum points for discussion are tea-disc and teamail at http://www.egroups.com, or the Usenet discussion group at rec.food.drink.tea. TDust: Drink More Tea
Instead of the simplistic tea names found in Japan or India, and elsewhere, Chinese tea names may nothing to do with where the tea comes from, nor the process used in manufacturing a tea. It gets a bit confusing with the use of a name for a tea from a different region using the same tea plant and manufacturing process of the original tea, location and processing method. It is unfortunate that places of origin, plant varietal, and processing are not attached to Chinese tea names. But it is good for the farmer, processor and distributor that we as tea drinkers need to experience more tea in pursuit of a "good cup" of tea.
Wilting of tea leaves, Ping Lin, Taiwan.

TDust: Flowers
Flower teas are made from green teas, pouchongs or red teas to which dried fragrant flowers are added. A fine flower tea has fresh flower blossoms mixed in layers for the initial wilting process and then are removed prior to the oxidation and firing process. The appearance of dried flowers strewn among the tea leaves that we buy in the West is really an export decision. The higher quality of flower teas usually have no flowers as a part of the tea, but their presence as an aroma component is very intensely floral. TDust: Hot Water
In brewing, water temperature and source of water are important factors. One may use a water temperature where the water is allowed to come to a boil and then rested for 10 minutes before use. If one wants to avoid the wait, use a tempered glass carafe to boil the water and stop the heating of the water then one begins to count five air bubble rising from the bottom of the pot in a regular succession. If the water is not watched, a rapid vigorous boil is observed -- then a wait of ten minutes is required. Be flexible, your wait period may be more or less than ten minutes. Even if you use an automated thermostat water pot to heat water, you will need to spend some time in learning what is the right temperature of water to use to brew teas with. In general, less oxidized teas require lower water temperatures.
You will know that your water is too hot for brewing tea, when the liquor comes out cloudy. Another noticeable signpost is the rapid opening and extraction of flavors resulting in fewer than normal numbers of brewing before the tea is exhausted. Also, the tea when served is too hot to sip.
TDust: Procedure & Informality
A long time ago, the Chinese imperial court may have drunk teas in the manner of the present day Japanese tea ceremony of chanoyu. Like all activities, tea drinking has evolved and adapted to present times. The transition to adding leaves into a pot to steep probably was adapted and lead to the development of the Japanese sencha procedure, which is also informal. Present day gongfu (old men drinking tea, Teochow) styles of drinking tea are also evolving. In Teochow, drinking of tea occurs from small cups and teapots for strongly brewed liquors. The post World War II movement to Taiwan and its economic rise lead to further evolvement of the tea drinking customs with elaborate bowls, trays, utensils, cup sets and teapots. Concurrent was the change in methods for processing.

Tea plant flower.

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Page last updated 08/31/2001.

TDust: Premium Tea To begin, let us state there is no one absolutely premium tea that is always consistent from year to year or season to season. Tea is a complex drink dependent upon location, weather, season, the tea chef, processing, storage, etc. and most important, your personal experience and palate sensitivity. The experiential aspect is one of continual seeking, drinking, and learning from others. Emphases are on locating teas and drinking teas, many kinds of teas. Possible forum points for discussion are tea-disc and teamail at http://www.egroups.com, or the Usenet discussion group at rec.food.drink.tea.	TDust: Drink More Tea Instead of the simplistic tea names found in Japan or India, and elsewhere, Chinese tea names may nothing to do with where the tea comes from, nor the process used in manufacturing a tea. It gets a bit confusing with the use of a name for a tea from a different region using the same tea plant and manufacturing process of the original tea, location and processing method. It is unfortunate that places of origin, plant varietal, and processing are not attached to Chinese tea names. But it is good for the farmer, processor and distributor that we as tea drinkers need to experience more tea in pursuit of a "good cup" of tea.	Wilting of tea leaves, Ping Lin, Taiwan.
TDust: Flowers Flower teas are made from green teas, pouchongs or red teas to which dried fragrant flowers are added. A fine flower tea has fresh flower blossoms mixed in layers for the initial wilting process and then are removed prior to the oxidation and firing process. The appearance of dried flowers strewn among the tea leaves that we buy in the West is really an export decision. The higher quality of flower teas usually have no flowers as a part of the tea, but their presence as an aroma component is very intensely floral.	TDust: Hot Water In brewing, water temperature and source of water are important factors. One may use a water temperature where the water is allowed to come to a boil and then rested for 10 minutes before use. If one wants to avoid the wait, use a tempered glass carafe to boil the water and stop the heating of the water then one begins to count five air bubble rising from the bottom of the pot in a regular succession. If the water is not watched, a rapid vigorous boil is observed -- then a wait of ten minutes is required. Be flexible, your wait period may be more or less than ten minutes. Even if you use an automated thermostat water pot to heat water, you will need to spend some time in learning what is the right temperature of water to use to brew teas with. In general, less oxidized teas require lower water temperatures. You will know that your water is too hot for brewing tea, when the liquor comes out cloudy. Another noticeable signpost is the rapid opening and extraction of flavors resulting in fewer than normal numbers of brewing before the tea is exhausted. Also, the tea when served is too hot to sip.	TDust: Procedure & Informality A long time ago, the Chinese imperial court may have drunk teas in the manner of the present day Japanese tea ceremony of chanoyu. Like all activities, tea drinking has evolved and adapted to present times. The transition to adding leaves into a pot to steep probably was adapted and lead to the development of the Japanese sencha procedure, which is also informal. Present day gongfu (old men drinking tea, Teochow) styles of drinking tea are also evolving. In Teochow, drinking of tea occurs from small cups and teapots for strongly brewed liquors. The post World War II movement to Taiwan and its economic rise lead to further evolvement of the tea drinking customs with elaborate bowls, trays, utensils, cup sets and teapots. Concurrent was the change in methods for processing. Tea plant flower.