The Sun-Dried Green Maocha is crafted from fresh buds and leaves of the large-leaf tea variety in Yunnan, using a distinctive low-temperature production process. The quality of the raw material determines the upper limit of the final product's quality. The freshness of the leaves is influenced by the tea plant variety, the ecological standards of its growing environment, and the age of the tea plants, with the ecological environment being of paramount importance.
The production process of Sun-Dried Green Maocha:
1. Picking: Completed in the morning when the mist disperses around 8 to 9 AM, with a slight dew, the fresh leaves picked at this time retain their tenderness.
2. Spreading Out: This step typically lasts between 6 to 8 hours, depending on the moisture content of the fresh leaves. The leaves partially lose Water, becoming softer, and the stems lose their elasticity, preparing them for the next step and reducing damage.
3. Withering of Fresh Leaves: Spread thinly (3 to 5 cm) to naturally lose water.
4. Kill-green Step: Wok kill-green is a traditional method used in Yunnan tea regions. When the wok reaches a certain temperature, fresh leaves are added, focusing on keeping the leaf temperature below 60°C to 65°C. As the leaves are tossed, the water gradually evaporates, making the leaves softer and more pliable. The grassy scent fades, and a tea aroma emerges.
5. Rolling: After the kill-green step, the tea is spread out on a Bamboo mat. The leaves are rolled by hand in one direction, applying even pressure. The purpose of rolling is to break the cell walls of the leaves to increase the extraction rate during brewing and to shape the leaves into strands.
6. Sun Drying and Re-Rolling: This is a key step that distinguishes sun-dried green maocha from pan-fried or oven-dried teas. The leaves are thinly spread under the sun until they are about 50% dry. Once the color changes from yellow-green or green-yellow to dark green, the leaves are manually re-rolled to separate clumps and straighten the strands. They are then dried again in the sun. At this stage, an optimal cell destruction rate of 35% to 40% is ideal, significantly lower than that of green teas.
7. Drying Completely: After 3 to 5 hours of drying, when the moisture content is around 8%, the leaves can be collected. They should not be too dry to preserve the tea's vitality and minimize loss during transportation. At this point, the leaves feel slightly elastic, neither overly dry nor brittle.
8. Sorting and Picking: Manual sorting is done to remove impurities and yellowed leaves, ensuring a uniform appearance.
Qualified large-leaf sun-dried green maocha has naturally curled leaves, a moderate fluffiness, distinct buds and leaves, a dark green color with a grayish tinge, robust strands, and a harmonious Bud-to-leaf ratio.
Characteristics of Sun-Dried Green Maocha:
The Sun-Dried Green Maocha, also known as sun-dried green tea or Dianqing, is made from the fresh leaves of the large-leaf tea variety in Yunnan, processed through kill-green and rolling steps, and then sun-dried. The best quality comes from Dianqing made from the large-leaf variety in Yunnan.
Dianqing has been produced for over a thousand years and serves as high-quality raw material for Pu'er tea. The characteristics of Dianqing maocha include thick and robust strands, visible white down, a deep green and lustrous color, a rich and full-bodied aroma, a mild astringency, and a bright yellow-green liquor with a thick texture.
Raw Pu'er tea refers to various forms of Yunnan tea (such as cakes, bricks, tuos, and dragon pearls) made from large-leaf sun-dried green maocha as raw material, aged naturally without undergoing artificial Fermentation or pile-fermentation processes.