Some say that Anhua Black Tea is one that breathes.
When we open a box of preserved old tea,
it's like opening a “door to time,”
telling the story of “aging brings fragrance.”
Airing the tea provides Anhua black tea with oxygen and moisture,
endowing it with new life,
like the key to the door of time, the prelude to a moving story~
It's crucial yet easily overlooked.
Tea lovers who master the small technique of airing the tea will enjoy better black tea.
I. What is Airing the Tea?
Airing the tea involves letting stored tea ventilate for a period of time, awakening its aroma and flavor fully.
The process of airing the tea commonly involves two stages: contact with air (dry airing) and contact with water (wet airing). Generally, the time from when black tea is removed from storage until brewing is called “dry airing.” The process of quickly moistening the tea with boiling water during brewing, allowing the leaves to hydrate and expand, is known as “wet airing.”
II. How Long Should Airing Last?
The duration of airing Anhua black tea is primarily determined by the degree of compression and the condition of the tea leaves. Generally, the more tightly compressed and coarser the tea leaves, the longer they need to be aired.
The dry airing period can range from half a month to three months; the wet airing period is typically 3-5 seconds per cycle, with different teas being wet aired 1-3 times.
Dry Airing
1. The first step is to break up the tea, which means breaking down the tea brick or column into smaller pieces weighing a few grams (the amount for one serving), using tools such as a professional tea saw or tea knife if necessary.
2. The second step is ventilation, where the broken-up tea is spread out in a dry, cool place to ventilate, allowing it to breathe freely. To avoid the tea absorbing unwanted odors, the ventilation environment should be odorless and not exposed to prolonged light, so a sheet of paper can be placed over the black tea to shield it from direct sunlight.
3. The third step is re-packaging, where the awakened black tea is placed in a dedicated Yixing clay jar or earthenware jar, creating a suitable micro-environment for temperature and Humidity, allowing the tea to continue breathing and ready for consumption at any time.
Warm Tips
The Yixing clay jars or earthenware jars used for re-packaging should be odorless and dry, otherwise, the tea may absorb unwanted flavors or become damp.
Wet Airing
1. After adding the tea, slowly pour 100°C boiling water along the edge of the Gaiwan or Teapot, cover it, and then filter out after 3-5 seconds.
2. Looser black teas like Tianshan or hand-made Fu tea are recommended to be wet aired once, while tightly compressed teas like flower rolls, machine-made Fu bricks, Hei bricks, and flower bricks should be wet aired 2-3 times to fully release their aroma and flavor.