Tie Guan Yin

Can all teas be both steeped and boiled? Of course not. Some teas can become unpalatable when boiled. So, which teas are suitable for boiling, and which are best for steeping? Compared to steeping, boiling allows the full release of a tea’s contents, resulting in a sweeter and richer tasting tea. Which Teas Are Suitable for Boiling, and Which Are Best for Steeping? Green tea should not be boiled. It is an unfermented tea with delicate leaves. Boiling would destroy the vitamin C content and cause excessive caffeine to seep out, turning the tea yellow and making it taste bitter and astringent. Huang tea (yellow tea) should not be boiled. Yellow tea must never be boiled. Its appeal lies in its freshness. Boiling with high water temperatures would ruin the delicate green tea, causing too much caffeine to be released, resulting in a bitter and astringent flavor. Aged white tea can be boiled. New white tea cannot withstand boiling. The most suitable for boiling are aged Gongmei or Shoumei teas. White Peony and Silver Needle, especially those containing tender buds, are not recommended for boiling. Black tea can be steeped or boiled. Black tea is a fully fermented tea with…

Tea lovers often keep a good stock of tea at home. Some store their tea in the fridge, or even buy a small fridge specifically for this purpose. However, this is a common misconception – whether tea should be stored in the fridge depends on the type. Here are some basics about storing tea in the fridge. Green tea, yellow tea, and some oolong teas need to be refrigerated, while Pu'er, white tea, dark tea, black tea, and oolong teas with higher fermentation levels should be stored at room temperature and sealed. When storing these teas, it's important to prevent odors, dampness, ensure airtight conditions, and avoid light. If you plan to consume the tea within two months, simply store it in a cool place at room temperature. Green tea, yellow tea, and lightly fermented oolong teas need to be refrigerated. These teas have low fermentation levels or are unfermented, making them highly active and susceptible to environmental factors and oxidation, which can alter their quality. To maintain their flavor and aroma, they should be properly sealed and refrigerated. Which Teas Need Refrigeration? The main types of tea that benefit from fridge storage are green tea and lightly oxidized oolong…

After the onset of autumn, the body's physiological activities change in accordance with the natural environment. Particular attention should be paid to regulating clothing, diet, living conditions, and physical activity. Clothing refers to the principle of “spring covering and autumn cooling.” Although it gets cooler in autumn, do not rush to add more clothes; allow your body to adapt within reasonable limits. Living conditions should include a reasonable sleep schedule. During the autumn, when the air is clear and dry, it is advisable to go to bed early and rise early. It is not recommended to stay indoors all day or sleep with your head covered at night. Windows should be kept open to ensure good indoor ventilation. Physical activity means that autumn is the golden season for strengthening your body through exercise. This helps improve joint and blood circulation flexibility and enhances the body’s resistance to disease. Additionally, cold resistance training can help the body adapt to changing weather conditions. A healthy lifestyle includes one tea, two fruits, three porridges, four soups, five vegetables, six meats, seven grains, and eight medicinal foods. Let's follow this order, starting with the first chapter on drinking tea in autumn. Traditional Chinese medicine…

Traditionally processed oolong teas, such as Wuyi rock tea, Phoenix Dancong, and baked Tie Guan Yin, have good stability after roasting. They do not need to be stored in the refrigerator but can be kept in a cool, dry place instead. Oolong teas are generally safe to store at room temperature since they are fully fermented, and this has little impact on their quality. Dark teas, white teas, Pu'er teas, and aged teas, especially Pu'er, rely on aging for their drinking value. Storing these types of tea in the refrigerator could cause dampness issues and also reduce the activity of beneficial enzymes and bacteria within the tea. It is these enzymes and bacteria that contribute to the tea's flavor development over time. Refrigerating these teas would significantly affect their aging process. These types of teas are best stored at room temperature in a dark, well-ventilated, dry area away from strong odors. Storing them in the refrigerator could lead to mold growth. Should Green Tea Be Refrigerated? Green tea is unique because it is meant to be enjoyed for its fresh and crisp taste. Typically, we only drink green tea from the first flush (before the Ming festival). The tea oxidizes…

Zhu Ni teapots are suitable for brewing Taiwanese high mountain tea, Fujian Tie Guan Yin, and other lightly fermented, aroma-rich green teas. They enhance the aroma, produce a tight and smooth tea soup, and offer a strong aftertaste with a long-lasting finish! Dicao Qing teapots have broad applicability and are suitable for Pu'er, green tea, black tea, floral tea, and more. They are mild and elegant, allowing the tea's natural fragrance to shine. Over time, the pot color changes from brown to liver-like hues. Qing Shi Ni teapots are suitable for similar types of tea as Dicao Qing. They have a strong affinity for various teas.

To brew a perfect cup of tea, you need to know the "three elements" of the tea: the amount of tea leaves, water temperature, and brewing time. The brewing methods vary for each of the six major types of tea. If you don’t pay attention to these details, you may not bring out the best flavor of your tea, and it could end up tasting bitter and astringent. | Green Tea Water Temperature: 80-85°C. For high-quality green teas, use 75-80°C. Brewing Time: 10-30 seconds, with each subsequent infusion increasing slightly in duration. Amount of Tea Leaves: Method 1: Water-to-tea ratio ≈ 1:50. This means using 1 gram of tea for every 50-60 grams (or milliliters) of water. Method 2: Fill the teaware about one-third full with dry tea leaves. Green tea is typically brewed in a glass teapot; for example, a 300ml glass teapot would use 6 grams of dry tea. | Yellow Tea Water Temperature: 80-90°C. For delicate yellow bud teas, use 80°C water; other yellow teas can be brewed at temperatures above 90°C. Brewing Time: 20-30 seconds, with each subsequent infusion increasing slightly in duration. Amount of Tea Leaves: Yellow tea is similar to green tea but undergoes…

Drinking tea is beneficial to health, and the practice of drinking tea for health maintenance, a tradition that has been passed down for thousands of years. The key to using tea for health maintenance lies in mastering the best time to drink tea. Drinking the right tea at the right time can produce twice the result with half the effort. But what kind of tea should we drink, and when during the day is the best time to do so? Morning Tea After a whole night's rest, the body loses a lot of water, and the concentration of blood increases. Drinking a cup of light tea not only quickly replenishes the body's water needs but also cleanses the intestines and stomach. It can lower blood pressure, dilute the blood, and be good for health. It can also play a role in preventing and treating constipation. However, note that you should not drink strong tea in the morning. It should be lighter than usual. What Tea to Drink in the Morning It's better to drink black tea in the morning, as it can promote blood circulation in the body and remove coldness from the body, ensuring adequate blood supply to the…

Purple clay pots are jewels among tea wares, cherished for their unique breathability and ability to absorb tea aromas. However, not all teas are ideal for brewing in these pots. So, which teas are best suited for purple clay pots? Let’s find out together. (Image source: network, delete upon request) Varieties and Characteristics of Purple Clay Pots Purple clay pots come in many varieties, each with its own unique characteristics suitable for different types of tea. Commonly found purple clay pots include Zini (purple clay), Hongni (red clay), and Duan Ni (segmented clay). Zini (Purple Clay) Pots Zini pots are the most common type of purple clay pot, with a deep color and excellent breathability that can retain the aroma of tea well. They are suitable for brewing oolong tea, Pu-erh tea, and black tea, which are heavily fermented. Hongni (Red Clay) Pots Hongni pots have a brighter color and high iron content, making them ideal for brewing teas with rich aromas, such as oolong tea and Pu-erh tea. Although they have slightly less breathability than zini pots, they can enhance the aroma of the tea even better. (Image source: network, delete upon request) Duan Ni (Segmented Clay) Pots Duan…

Although tea is the second-most popular beverage in the world after water, only 2% of the tea produced and consumed is oolong tea – despite its abundance of health benefits! Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea made from Camellia sinensis leaves, the same plant used to make green tea and black tea. The characteristics of oolong tea fall between green and black tea because of its unique processing method. But what exactly is oolong tea? Why is it “between” green and black tea? Find your answers here: the history, flavor, differences with other types of tea, caffeine content, health benefits, brewing methods, and where to find the best ones. The history of oolong tea There are several stories about how oolong tea was discovered. First, the “tribute tea” theory. This theory tells us that the name “oolong tea” is a tribute to its predecessor, Dragon-Phoenix tea cakes, a tea famous during the Song Dynasty era (960-1279 CE). The name “oolong” was used to replace the old term, as loose-leaf tea became more common. Since the tea is dark, long, and curly, it is called wūlóng (literally means dark dragon) tea – now known as oolong tea. The second theory…

If you like drinking tea, there must be one thought that comes up in your mind after you finish drinking your cup of tea — can I reuse these tea leaves? Seems too good to waste! The short answer is YES, you can reuse tea leaves, especially loose leaf tea! Reuse, in tea’s context, is re-steep. Resteeping tea leaves is a common practice in China. By using the gaiwan with gong fu approach of brewing tea (the one with gaiwan!), teas can be steeped multiple times — from 6 to 8 times, or even more. This method plays a big role in resteeping tea because it combines a lot of tea leaves with small amounts of water, allowing the tea to not lose its flavor easily. Hence, it is believed that the more you can resteep your tea without losing the flavor, the better your tea! Another reason why resteeping tea is common in China is that there are some teas that may taste better after the first steep, like pu-erh and oolong tea. Some teas, like Tie Guan Yin oolong tea, are tightly curled and one steep will not be enough to uncurl the tea leaves. Other teas, like  Da…

For many people, nothing beats greeting the morning with a nice cup of tea. Its refreshing, clean taste evokes a feeling of calmness and mindfulness. For more than four millennia, tea has delighted, inspired, and satisfied countless drinkers in all corners of the world. Olivia Yang, the author of The Art of Drinking Tea, said that “the Chinese are, without any doubt, the right people to understand everything about tea.” For thousands of years, the Chinese have practiced and maintained the art of tea cultivation, preparation, and consumption. As tea is deeply ingrained in Chinese culture, it is best to learn about it from them. Keep reading to know more about the utterly rich Chinese tea culture. Traditional Chinese Tea: The Basics There are several main types of Chinese tea, each one with distinct characteristics. Though all tea came from the same plant source - Camellia sinensis - they can be easily referred to as green tea, yellow tea, white tea, oolong tea, black tea, and dark tea. Here’s a brief description of each tea. Green Tea When you hear the word "tea," green tea is probably what first comes to your mind. After all, this is not just the oldest…