Nowadays, more and more people enjoy Drinking Tea, and they are very particular about their choice of tea. However, some aroma-enhanced teas still appear on the market, which can be hard to guard against. Some deceptive methods can even fool experienced tea drinkers. One such method is adding aromas to tea. Aroma-enhanced teas are generally priced lower; often, they are old or inferior teas that have been refreshed with added aromas and colorants, or teas of poor quality that require aromas to enhance their fragrance. Truly good tea would never be tainted by artificial aromas that could ruin its natural aroma and taste. Here are some methods to determine if tea contains added aromas.
What is Aroma-Enhanced Tea?
Aroma-enhanced teas are generally priced lower and are typically old or inferior teas that have been refreshed with added aromas and colorants, or teas of poor quality that have been enhanced with aromas.
How to Identify If Tea Contains Added Aromas?
If you have purchased tea and want to determine whether it has added aromas, there are methods you can use. XinXin Tea Art will illustrate this using Tieguanyin as an example.
Firstly, due to the special processing technique of Tieguanyin, the dry tea does not have a high fragrance. If you hold a handful of Tieguanyin under your nose and it has a light, natural scent, then it likely doesn't contain added aromas. Conversely, if the dry tea has a strong, overpowering scent that lingers in your nostrils, then it's highly probable that aromas have been added.
Secondly, you can rub the tea leaves between your hands. If your palms adhere with powders or colors, then additives have been added.
Thirdly, after brewing with 80-degree Water, if the tea broth appears murky or has a very high fragrance, then it is likely that aromas have been added. Tieguanyin must be brewed with water at 95 degrees Celsius or higher for the aroma and taste to come out. Most aromas dissolve and release their fragrance quickly at 80-degree water temperatures.
Fourthly, after brewing, if the fragrance of each infusion drops rapidly and lacks variation, or if by the third infusion, there is no tea fragrance left, then it is possible that aromas have been added.
Fifthly, after finishing your tea and without washing the cup, the next morning you'll notice a thick layer of tea residue. If the residue is a shade of yellow, such as light yellow, deep yellow, or Orange-yellow, then the tea does not contain any additives. Conversely, if the residue is a shade of green, such as light green, dark green, or dark green, then the tea may contain additives.
Aromas can be divided into natural and synthetic varieties. Nowadays, most aromas used in food are synthetic. Synthetic aromas are usually made from chemical raw materials through chemical processing to imitate the taste of food and add fragrance. It goes without saying that long-term consumption is detrimental to health.