Milk tea

With the beginning of the Liqiu solar term, the hashtag “The First Cup of Milk Tea in Autumn” trended on Weibo, sparking a wave of new tea beverage consumption. This year, many new tea beverage brands have added health labels to their ordering pages. As competition in the new tea beverage industry intensifies, embracing health has become a new direction for industry development. In recent years, the number of new tea beverage enterprises in our country has steadily increased, and the overall market scale has expanded. The homogenization of competition in the new tea beverage sector has become increasingly fierce. According to the 2023 New Tea Beverage Industry Research Report, jointly released by the China Chain Store Association’s New Tea Beverage Committee and Meituan’s New Food Service Research Institute, the national new tea beverage market size is expected to reach 149.8 billion yuan in 2023, and it will further expand to 201.5 billion yuan by 2025. However, while some new tea beverage brands are rapidly expanding, they have also exposed certain issues, such as solely pursuing business performance at the expense of consumer rights protection. The China Consumer Association’s report on the top consumer rights protection concerns in the first…

The Charm of the Gaiwan A gaiwan is a traditional tea vessel with a long history, consisting of a bowl, a lid, and a saucer. Not only is it elegant in appearance, but it is also highly functional. Using a gaiwan for brewing tea allows better control over the steeping time, maximizing the release of the tea's aroma and flavor. Many people enjoy using a gaiwan because it provides a serene and relaxing experience. (Image source from the internet; please delete if infringing) Steps to Brew Tea with a Gaiwan Prepare the Tea Utensils: First, you need a clean gaiwan, a teapot, and a teacup. Ensure all the utensils are clean so as not to affect the taste of the tea with other impurities. Warm the Utensils: Before using the gaiwan to brew tea, rinse it and the teacup with hot water. This not only cleans the utensils but also raises their temperature, making the brewed tea more fragrant and rich. Place the Tea Leaves: Depending on the type of tea and personal preference, place an appropriate amount of tea leaves into the gaiwan. Generally, less tea is used when brewing with a gaiwan compared to a teapot due to…

Black tea is loved by many, and one key reason is that it belongs to the category of fully fermented teas, with a gentle nature. Black tea has a mild temperament and is generally well-received even by those who seldom drink it or are trying it for the first time. While many people enjoy drinking black tea, they often do not pay much attention to the brewing method. Below, we will explain the correct way to brew black tea. The Correct Method of Brewing Black Tea The first step is to choose suitable teaware. It's important to know that any tea requires specific utensils. For black tea, a white porcelain cup is best, as it helps to bring out its unique flavor; The second step involves using good water and ensuring the water temperature reaches around 95 degrees Celsius. High temperatures help extract polyphenols and caffeine from the black tea leaves effectively; The third step is to steep the tea. First, warm up the teaware with boiling water. Then pour hot water into the teapot or teacup and let it sit for 3-5 seconds. This allows the aroma of the tea to develop and the leaves to settle. If using…

Compared to green tea, black tea (red tea in China), and oolong tea, some people may be less familiar with dark tea, which is also one of the six major types of tea. So how do you select dark tea? And what are the ways to enjoy it? Let's take a look together, tea enthusiasts! ONE How to Select Dark Tea Appearance If it's compressed tea, high-quality dark tea typically has these features: intact brick surface, clear mold pattern, distinct edges, no cracks on the side, no old stalks, and not too many fine tea fragments mixed in. If it's loose tea, then even, lustrous strands indicate good quality. Taking premium Fu brick tea and Qianliang tea as examples, vibrant "golden flowers," large and abundant, are key characteristics of top-quality teas. Aroma High-quality dark tea carries a fragrant aroma of fungi or smells like pine smoke; aged tea has a mature fragrance. For example, both Fu brick tea and Qianliang tea have a unique fungal aroma; while wild dark tea has a faint, refreshing scent that can be invigorating. The aroma of the brewed tea can also serve as an important criterion for identification. The tea liquor of aged dark…