Can you tell the difference between spring, summer, and autumn teas? While Tea can be harvested throughout the year from a technical standpoint, the quality of the final product varies greatly depending on the season. Spring Tea is considered the best, followed by Autumn Tea, with summer tea ranking last.
Spring Tea
The first harvest of the year occurs during spring, typically between March and May. The moderate temperatures and ample rainfall during this season are ideal for the growth and nutrient accumulation in tea plants, resulting in high-quality tea. Spring tea is known for its fresh, sweet aroma and bright green liquor.
Summer Tea:
In the summer, higher temperatures accelerate the growth of tea plants, increasing their yield, but the quality is somewhat lower compared to spring. Summer tea tends to have a more bitter taste and a lighter flavor, although it still retains some fragrance and palatability.
Autumn Tea:
As the weather cools down in autumn, tea plants enter a dormant phase. The lower moisture content in the leaves contributes to a richer flavor and a stronger aftertaste with a heightened sweetness and aroma.
Spring Tea vs. Autumn Tea
Spring is the season of renewal. As temperatures rise gradually from the cold, there is an increase in rainfall, encouraging the sprouting and growth of tea leaves. The nutrients accumulated over winter begin to transform, making spring tea leaves tender, thick, and rich in aroma that lasts. The tea is full-bodied with reduced bitterness, marking the peak of tea quality throughout the year. Additionally, the lower temperatures in spring minimize the occurrence of pests and diseases, which positively impacts the overall quality of the tea.
During summer, as temperatures soar and sunlight intensifies, the growth rate of tea leaves accelerates, leading to longer stems. The accumulation of polyphenols and other compounds increases, but the production of aromatic substances decreases, causing summer tea to be more Astringent and lacking in fragrance. Thus, summer is generally the period when tea quality is at its lowest.
The climate in autumn falls between that of spring and summer, with drier conditions and less rain. This enables the tea to retain its fragrance to the fullest extent during growth, harvest, and processing. After the growth spurts of spring and summer and before entering dormancy, the accumulation of internal substances in the tea gradually decreases, causing the leaves to become thinner and weaker in taste.
Winter sees virtually no tea production, except for certain single-origin teas and Taiwanese oolongs. Even if winter tea is harvested, it is usually only during early winter, as it's important to allow the tea plants to rest and conserve energy for the following year, ensuring they will thrive once again.