Do you like ripe tea? How much do you know about the following facts related to ripe tea?
Is it unsuitable to Drink ripe tea in summer?
Not necessarily. The idea that ripe tea is unsuitable for summer is somewhat presumptive, as the hot weather and the reddish color of ripe tea may intuitively suggest warmth. However, the reality might not be so straightforward. Ripe tea is not inherently warming; tea is naturally cooling, and through Fermentation, ripe tea merely becomes neutral rather than cool, so drinking it won't make you feel hotter. Furthermore, with the widespread use of air conditioning, the environment has changed. People wear light clothing in summer, but many homes, offices, restaurants, and cars are equipped with air conditioning, making the ambient temperature quite low. In such a setting, drinking cooler teas would actually be less appropriate. Therefore, whether ripe tea is suitable for summer depends on individual constitution, lifestyle, and work environment.
Some people say they get heat rash or diarrhea from drinking ripe tea. What's going on?
This does happen sometimes. However, experiencing heat rash isn't necessarily a bad thing. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there are concepts of “manifesting” and “suppressing.” Heat rash, blisters, and small sores all count as “manifesting,” which is part of a healing and regulating process. From this perspective, it doesn't mean that you're unsuited to drinking ripe tea; in fact, you should continue drinking it. Once toxins are “manifested” and eliminated, and balance is restored, the heat rash will subside. Some people also experience mild diarrhea when they first start drinking ripe tea, but this is similar to the heat rash situation and usually resolves itself after one or two days.
What are the nourishing benefits of ripe tea?
Ripe tea offers over 20 Health benefits, including warming the stomach, aiding weight loss, reducing fat, preventing arteriosclerosis, preventing coronary heart disease, lowering Blood pressure, anti-aging, anticancer, lowering blood sugar, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, detoxifying from Smoking, reducing heavy metal toxicity, radiation protection, preventing tooth decay, improving vision, aiding digestion, detoxification, preventing constipation, and hangover relief. Among these, warming the stomach, aiding weight loss, reducing fat, preventing arteriosclerosis, preventing coronary heart disease, lowering blood pressure, anti-aging, anticancer, and lowering blood sugar stand out as particularly significant.
Why does some ripe tea taste sour? How can one deal with sour tea?
The sourness in ripe tea can be attributed to several factors:
Firstly, the choice of raw materials – tender leaves are more prone to developing a sour taste, especially full buds or one bud and one leaf from spring tea. Secondly, excessive moisture application. Thirdly, insufficient fermentation – when the degree of fermentation is below 70%, the likelihood of producing sour tea increases significantly. Fourthly, low fermentation temperature – if the pile temperature doesn't rise sufficiently, the tea doesn't ferment properly, leading to under-fermentation.
Sour ripe tea can potentially be stored for a period, during which natural post-fermentation might eliminate the sourness. The time frame is uncertain – it could be three years, five years, or even ten years, and this possibility doesn't guarantee a definite outcome.