For the same tea, being stored in different places means facing different storage environments, which leads to differences in Puer tea collection between the north and south. When discussing with experienced tea enthusiasts, Kunlun found that sending the same tea to over 20 cities across the north and south resulted in variations in taste due to differences in storage conditions, humidity, temperature, and other factors. The difference in regional environments determines the methods for preserving Puer tea. So what are the characteristics of Puer tea storage in different regions? Storage can be divided into pure dry storage and natural storage. Natural storage involves keeping the tea in a natural environment on floors below the second level, without artificial processing. The tea undergoes natural transformation. The surface of the tea has a dull luster, and there is no dry aroma. The taste is not significantly different from pure dry storage. Pure dry storage involves keeping the tea in a professional tea warehouse above the second floor, where it naturally ferments under constant temperature and humidity. The surface of the tea has an oily sheen, and the tea has a fragrant aroma. The taste is rich and smooth, with a noticeable aftertaste.…

Pu'er tea is a fairly common type of tea that we often drink in our daily lives because of its sweet and clear taste, which suits the palates of younger drinkers; it isn't bitter. However, it's important to know that after several infusions, the color of the Pu'er tea will fade and lose much of its flavor. Therefore, Pu'er tea can be continuously infused about 15 times before needing to be replaced. It's also important to note that the water temperature for brewing should be between 95 to 100 degrees Celsius. How Many Times Is Best to Infuse Pu'er Ripened Tea? Pu'er tea is more durable than most other types of tea and can typically be continuously infused over 10 times until the infusion becomes very light. Pu'er tea is usually brewed with boiling water at 95-100°C. High temperatures help release the aroma and facilitate the quick extraction of the tea's flavors. When boiling pure or mountain spring water, avoid excessive boiling to prevent a lack of oxygen in the water, which could affect the tea's activity. To ensure a purer aroma, a preliminary rinse, known as "water washing the face," may be necessary where the first infusion of boiling…

1. Gaiwan Ceramic Tea Set A gaiwan tea set is a type of tea ware that consists of a lid, a saucer, and a bowl. It is also known as the "Three Talents Bowl," with the lid representing heaven, the saucer representing earth, and the bowl representing humanity. Drinking gaiwan tea is full of flavor. If you want a stronger tea infusion, gently scrape the surface of the water with the lid, causing the tea to swirl around in the bowl. Light scraping results in a lighter infusion, while heavier scraping makes it stronger — this is its charm. 2. Aroma Cup The aroma cup is used for smelling the fragrance and is longer and thinner than a tasting cup. It is a unique piece of tea ware for oolong tea, often used when brewing highly fragrant Taiwanese oolongs. It is usually paired with a tasting cup of the same material, and adding a saucer creates a complete aroma cup set. Benefits include: one, good insulation which allows the heat to last longer, giving drinkers a chance to warm their hands by holding the cup's neck; two, slower release of aromas, allowing drinkers to fully appreciate and savor the scent.…

The Song Dynasty was a time of abundant brick tea (also known as "tuán chá" or "piàn chá"). Regarding the production techniques of this period's brick teas, apart from the main processes recorded in "Beiyuan Bielu" for tribute teas (picking, sorting, steaming, pressing, grinding, shaping, drying), there was also the "gao you shou mian" technique, which involved adding a paste-like substance to the surface of the brick tea. Although this technique has been widely discussed by Song literati, detailed records of its specific operations are scarce, leading to a lack of systematic research on it within academia. Academic interpretations of "gao you shou mian" have largely focused on Su Shi's poem, "To know the purity of heart is good, not new with paste on the surface," interpreting it primarily as the act of applying paste to the surface of brick tea, with some suggesting it was a method of tea fraud. There are few discussions in academia about the formation of "gao you shou mian," though some trace it back to the Tang Dynasty, but their arguments are not particularly persuasive. The selection of materials for the paste is widely mentioned to include fragrant pastes, rice paste, and occasionally tea…

Intelligence is a gift, kindness is a choice, and drinking tea is an investment. Some might argue that buying and storing tea is the real investment. To many, tea only holds investment value when it's traded as a commodity, and drinking tea is just a consumption process. In fact, storing tea can be an investment, but drinking tea is an even higher-level investment! Life is short, and the best investment you can make is in yourself. Drinking tea is one such investment that can increase your worth. Once you've been drinking tea for years and tasted its benefits, you'll truly understand. 1. Drinking tea increases our health value. Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs, encountering seventy-two poisons in a day, which were cured by tea. Tea, a miraculous leaf gifted to humanity by nature, has always been beneficial to human health. From its earliest use as medicine by Shennong to today’s various health supplements made from tea's unique components, the connection between tea and health is increasingly recognized. Tea provides undeniable health benefits. Regular tea drinking keeps us looking younger. The active ingredients in tea, such as polyphenols and theanine, have anti-aging and antioxidant properties. Regular tea drinking reduces illness. The…

The best way to store white tea for short-term: Prepare a kraft paper bag, then put the white tea in the kraft paper bag, squeeze out the air in the bag, seal it well, and store it in a dry and odorless place. For long-term storage of white tea, use an aluminum foil bag to pack the white tea and seal it, then put another layer of plastic bag on the outside, squeeze out the air in the bag, finally place it in a cardboard box, and store it in a cool place. The Method of Storing White Tea Since loose white tea is too light and takes up a lot of space, pressing it into cakes is more convenient; secondly, pressing it into cakes can greatly reduce the loss of tea (crumbs) from long-term storage and occasional handling. Thirdly, compared with Pu'er tea, small to medium-leafed white tea is less resistant to oxidation (small to medium leaves have naturally less effective internal substances than large leaves and cannot withstand much handling), pressing it into white tea cakes reduces the amount of oxygen that comes into contact with the white tea in the space, allowing the white tea to be…

Pu'er tea cake is a traditional type of tea with a long history. Its unique flavor and health benefits have attracted many tea enthusiasts. The correct brewing method not only enhances the taste of the tea but also fully releases the distinctive aroma and nutritional components of Pu'er tea. This article will provide you with a detailed guide on how to correctly brew Pu'er tea cake, allowing you to enjoy a rich cup of Pu'er tea at home. (Image source: network, delete upon request) Preparation Before starting to brew Pu'er tea, you need to prepare the following tools and materials: Pu'er tea cake Tea knife or tea needle Teapot (Yixing clay pot or gaiwan recommended) Teacup Sieve (optional) Kettle for boiling water Water (mountain spring water or purified water recommended) Step One: Loosening the Tea First, use a tea knife or tea needle to gently loosen the tea cake. When loosening the tea, be mindful of the force applied to avoid breaking the tea leaves. Start from the edge of the tea cake and slowly loosen it along the texture of the leaves, removing an appropriate amount of tea. Typically, 5-8 grams of tea per brewing is sufficient. Step Two:…

When buying tea, the variety can be overwhelming, often making it difficult for people to know where to start. Selecting tea has become a real challenge for tea enthusiasts. To buy suitable tea, in addition to following the steps of "Observation, Smelling, Inquiry, and Brewing," it's also important to avoid common pitfalls when purchasing tea. ObservationObservation means looking at the shape of the tea: whether it is uniform, and how shiny its color is. Evaluate the quality of various teas based on their uniformity, luster, and the amount of broken leaves and twigs they contain. For example, green tea should have a fresh green color with visible white downy hairs (better if it does), while yellow or even reddish, dull colors indicate lower quality. A clear tea infusion is better. Some famous teas have unique shapes: West Lake Longjing is usually smooth, flat, and straight with a rice-like yellow hue and no visible downy hairs; Huangshan Maofeng has many downy hairs and a peak-like appearance; Xinyang Maojian is fine, straight, and round with many downy hairs; Biluochun has slender, tightly curled leaves resembling snails. If the tea doesn't look good visually, trust your instincts and don't be swayed by the…

Basic Introduction to Wuyi Black TeaWuyi Black Tea is a specialty of Wuyishan City, Fujian Province, and is a product marked by China's national geographical indication. Wuyi Black Tea is a fully fermented tea that has a unique flavor, floral and fruity scents, or the aroma of dried longan. Throughout the year, Tongmu Pass in Wuyi is shrouded in mist and clouds, with abundant rainfall and a warm climate. During spring tea season, it often rains continuously, with very little sunshine, so most of the fresh leaves picked from this area need to be withered using artificial heating. Additionally, there are many pine trees in the area, and pine wood is used for fuel, so the fresh leaves absorb the scent of pine resin while withering. During the drying process, the fermented tea leaves are spread on bamboo trays and placed on racks to air-dry or bake, with pine wood still being used below for baking, allowing the tea leaves to absorb even more of the pine resin scent. The finished Zhengshan Xiaozhong tea has the characteristic appearance of thick, tightly bound, straight strands with a lustrous black color. The tea soup is reddish-brown and has a rich, mellow taste…

In recent years, Pu'er tea has gradually come into the public's view and gained the affection of tea drinkers. There are many reasons why tea enthusiasts enjoy drinking raw Pu'er tea: some appreciate its distinct changes in flavor, others its characteristic of improving with age, and some simply love its natural, original taste. Different people may have different reasons for enjoying raw tea. However, the criteria for judging a good tea should be relatively consistent. Do you know how to choose a good-tasting Pu'er tea? How to Choose a Good-Tasting Pu'er Tea 1. Look at the brand When choosing Pu'er tea, it is important to focus on reputable brands. Branded teas provide strong assurances in terms of production safety, quality, and after-sales service. 2. Examine the appearance of the Pu'er tea When selecting Pu'er tea, judge it by its appearance. Pu'er tea comes in two forms: loose tea and compressed tea. 3. Smell the aroma of the Pu'er tea Raw Pu'er teas often have a fresh scent, while aged Pu'er teas have a mature aroma. If there is a musty smell or other unusual odors when smelling the tea, this indicates questionable quality. 4. Observe the color of the tea…

For tea trees of different ages, the methods of mechanical pruning vary. For young tea trees, the primary focus is on shaping pruning; for mature tea trees, light and deep pruning are predominant; and for old tea trees, rejuvenation pruning and stump cutting are mainly conducted. Generally, pruning around the time of Jingzhe (Awakening of Insects) yields good results. However, from an economic perspective, young tea trees should be pruned at the beginning of Lichun (Start of Spring), while other tea trees should be pruned after tea picking. Light Pruning Light pruning effectively promotes the sprouting and growth of tea buds. It also increases the density of productive branches, widens the tree canopy, and creates a favorable picking surface. For mature tea trees, light pruning should be conducted every two years, timed when the upper part of the tea tree stops growing. In regions prone to frost damage, pruning can be done half a month to one month before the spring sprouting of tea buds. For famous tea gardens, light pruning can be conducted after spring tea picking. During light pruning, hedging shears or pruning machines are primarily used to trim off about 4 cm of foliage and branches from…

Pu'er tea is unique among teas in that it improves with age, becoming richer and more fragrant over time. When stored properly within a reasonable timeframe, the flavor of Pu'er tea deepens and matures. There are two types of Pu'er: raw (sheng) and ripe (shou). Each has its own distinct taste, with some preferring the pure sweetness of raw Pu'er and others the rich depth of ripe Pu'er. Without considering taste differences, which type is better for long-term storage? Let's explore this question. Long-Term Storage of Pu'er: Raw Teas Have Greater Potential for Transformation The most significant difference between raw and ripe Pu'er lies in their production processes. Compared to raw Pu'er, ripe Pu'er undergoes an additional step known as wet-piling fermentation. Although this step involves simply adding water and allowing the tea to ferment, it triggers complex biochemical changes through enzymatic reactions, microbial fermentation, and moist heat effects. During these three processes, the chemical composition of the tea changes rapidly, transforming the internal substances of the Pu'er. The higher the degree of fermentation, the greater the transformation of internal substances during the wet-piling process. This means there is less material available for further transformation later on, significantly limiting the…

Aged Pu'er tea is best brewed with water at 100 degrees Celsius. This type of tea, made through a process of pile fermentation, has a mild character, rich flavor, and an intense aroma. Its substantial internal quality and high durability in brewing necessitate a water temperature that isn't too low, to ensure the full release of its taste. What is the Best Water Temperature for Brewing Aged Pu'er Tea? Generally, aged Pu'er tea should be brewed with boiling water, but it's advisable not to use water that is too hot as it can make the tea taste bitter and destroy its health-promoting components. Here are some temperature recommendations for brewing aged Pu'er tea: 1. Commonly, water between 95°C and 100°C is recommended for brewing aged Pu'er tea to enhance its aroma and flavor. 2. For aged tea heads or well-aged Pu'er tea, you may reduce the water temperature slightly, typically between 85°C and 95°C, to avoid bitterness. 3. If you find the aged Pu'er tea too bitter, you can lower the water temperature (usually between 90°C and 95°C) and decrease the brewing time (recommended 1-2 minutes). It is important to note that the specific temperature and brewing time for aged…

When the purple clay teapot body has been formed and still has a certain degree of moisture, finely ground, raw or fired, differently colored purple clay particles are laid or scattered on the wet body surface. Then, using tools, these particles are pressed into the surface layer of the body. This process is called the "laying sand decoration" of a purple clay teapot. Laying sand only affects the surface of the teapot and primarily serves as an embellishment to create a striking contrast between the sand points and the color of the body after firing. It does not increase the strength of the body, alter its shrinkage rate, reduce deformation, or improve the success rate of finished products. The quality of the purple clay used for laying sand is generally higher than or equal to that of the clay used for the body. If it is too soft, it can cause "dragging tails" during production and, due to greater shrinkage upon firing, may not integrate well with the body material.

Raw Pu'er tea is more potent and stimulating than ripe Pu'er tea. Freshly made or recently aged raw Pu'er teas can have a bitter taste, with lighter, yellowish-green infusions. Raw Pu'er tea is suitable for consumption and offers benefits such as weight loss, cholesterol reduction, and blood pressure regulation. However, people who suffer from insomnia, those prone to allergies, and patients with gastric ulcers are generally advised against drinking raw Pu'er tea. Benefits of Raw Pu'er Tea Raw Pu'er tea has cooling properties that help with weight loss, cholesterol reduction, and blood pressure regulation. 1. Cooling and Heat Relief: Raw Pu'er tea has a strong, astringent flavor and a cooling nature, making it effective in providing relief from summer heat. Drinking it during hot summer months helps alleviate heatiness, quench thirst, and maintain body balance. 2. Weight Loss: Raw Pu'er tea refers to fresh leaves that are naturally aged without undergoing the pile-fermentation process. The polyphenols present in raw Pu'er tea aid in fat metabolism and promote the excretion of lipids through the digestive system, contributing to weight loss. 3. Cholesterol and Blood Pressure Reduction: Raw Pu'er tea can help lower cholesterol levels. Its leaf green pigment inhibits the digestion…

Along with the rise and fall of Liubao tea industry, the ancient tea ship route has gone through phases of formation, prosperity, dormancy, revival, and decline, leaving a splendid chapter in China's tea transportation history. The ancient route is vast and time has passed slowly. The development of the Liubao tea industry has undergone changes over several hundred years, and the tea ship route has also gone through a long journey from its formation to prosperity, dormancy, revival, and decline. Today, the Liubao tea industry is experiencing a comprehensive revival, but the ancient tea ship route mostly remains as traces of the past. However, there is no doubt that in the course of history, this ancient route, which coexisted with Liubao tea, has written a unique and splendid chapter in China's tea transportation history. The name "Tea Pavilion" can be seen on a map of Cangwu from the 32nd year of the Kangxi era (1693) of the Qing dynasty. 1. The "Annals of Cangwu County" compiled during the Tongzhi era of the Qing dynasty contains records about Liubao tea. 2. On the attached map of Cangwu County in the "Annals of Cangwu County" compiled during the Tongzhi era of the…

The low temperature and high humidity environment of the spring tea season in Guizhou, along with the performance differences in processing equipment, affect the quality of spring tea processing. To improve the quality of spring tea products and highlight the regional characteristics of Guizhou green tea, mastering key techniques such as withering, fixation, shaping, and drying is essential. The following provides an explanation based on the critical common technologies in green tea processing: Program-controlled withered leaves in the withering room I. Withering Withering is the first process in green tea processing. Good withering can improve the efficiency of fixation and better address issues with bitterness and astringency in the tea liquor. 1. Issues (1) Thicker layers of withering leaves often require turning to ensure uniform withering, which can cause mechanical damage to the leaves. (2) Withering equipment lacks auxiliary heating devices, making it difficult to control the progress of withering. (3) During withering, the digital display temperature of the auxiliary heating device is used as a reference, while ignoring the temperature of the withering leaves. (4) The degree of withering is typically judged by the softness of the leaves and their color, neglecting the presence of stems. Program-controlled unit for…

Pu'er tea has the effects of warming the stomach, aiding in weight loss, quenching thirst, and promoting digestion. Moderate consumption is beneficial to health. However, many people prefer strong Pu'er tea, which can be harmful to health due to the excessive amounts of caffeine and polyphenols it contains. Below, we will discuss the disadvantages of drinking strong Pu'er tea. What Are the Disadvantages of Drinking Too Strong Pu'er Tea? 1. Strong tea has a high fluoride content. Drinking excessively strong tea over a long period can increase the risk of tooth decay and cause a dark enamel-like coating on the teeth's surface. 2. Strong tea contains relatively high levels of caffeine. Regular consumption can lead to a significant accumulation of caffeine, stimulating the central nervous system and causing an overexcited state, particularly affecting sleep when consumed in the evening. 3. Excessive intake of caffeine from strong tea can stimulate the body to produce insulin, potentially leading to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). 4. Regular consumption of strong tea can harm bones. This is because strong tea contains high levels of caffeine, which inhibits calcium absorption in the duodenum and accelerates calcium excretion through urine. The dual effect of reduced absorption and…

Puer tea is a type of Chinese tea and a fermented tea. When boiling the tea, some people prefer a rich and thick Puer tea, but for beginners, brewing good Puer tea isn’t easy. Here are some suggestions on how to prepare a rich and thick Puer tea: If you want to boil a rich and thick Puer tea, choosing high-quality Puer tea is very important. How do you select good Puer tea? Firstly, choose well-known brands and avoid purchasing overly cheap Puer tea. Secondly, observe the appearance of the Puer tea; generally, high-quality Puer tea has a neat shape, even color, and a glossy surface; low-quality Puer tea may have withered leaves or stains, an uneven surface, and uneven coloring. Lastly, opt for new or young tea, which will result in a richer and thicker brew. To prepare good Puer tea, selecting suitable teaware is also essential. Porcelain and purple clay teapots are generally suitable for boiling Puer tea. Additionally, the spout of the teapot should be relatively thin, allowing for a slow pour along the edge of the cup, which makes the tea liquor richer and thicker. The water temperature when boiling Puer tea is also crucial. Generally,…

In the vast river of Chinese tea culture, Shoumei tea stands out with its unique qualities and profound cultural significance, becoming a treasured gem among tea enthusiasts. Today, let's delve into the world of Shoumei tea to explore its origins, production techniques, tasting methods, and health benefits, and experience the charm of this rare tea. I. Origins and History of Shoumei Shoumei is a type of white tea primarily produced in Fuding City and Zhenghe County of Fujian Province. The character "Shou" in its name symbolizes longevity and health, while "Mei" refers to the tea leaves' shape, which resembles an eyebrow. The history of Shoumei can be traced back to the Tang and Song dynasties, when it was already a tribute tea cherished by royalty. Over time, Shoumei has become part of everyday life for ordinary people. II. Production Techniques of Shoumei The production techniques of Shoumei are unique and meticulous, using traditional white tea processing methods including picking, withering, and drying. First, picking is the initial step in making Shoumei. The timing of picking is very important, usually taking place around Qingming Festival in spring. At this time, the tea leaves are tender and rich in natural compounds, making…