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Saturday, October 2, 2021

Why Does Lu’an Gua Pian Tea look Like Melon Seeds?

You may hear about a tea with a strange name – Lu’an Melon Seed tea. Does anyone really make tea with melon seeds? Of course not. Actually, its real name is Lu’an Gua Pian tea, which is a famous green tea. And its appearance and processing are indeed unique.

What Is Lu’an Gua Pian Tea

Lu’an Gua Pian tea is originated in Lu’an, Anhui, also called Lu’an Melon Seed tea or Pian Cha. Among all teas, it is regarded as the most complex one because of the short harvest time and the elaborate processing. Its source leaves only pick the particular second leaf, and it’s the only loose tea without stems and buds.

Looks like the dried tobacco leaf, Lu’an Gua Pian tea shows a dark-green color. When it was still fresh, leaves are flat, complete, and almost at the same size, look like the melon seed (a Chinese and Russian traditional snack,) so it got the name.

History

Anhui is a well-known tea-producing region of China; Huoshan Huangya(yellow tea) and Taiping Houkui(green tea) are both originated there. It’s hard to confirm when Lu’an Gua Pian’s birth in history. According to the record in The Classic of Tea, teas produced here were called Lu’an Tea initially. Still, it’s not only referring to the Gua Pian. About the origin stories, there are two versions:

One story is, probably in 1905, a local tea merchant had a whim. He elected all the leaves at the same size from the tea he purchased, removed all the stems, then sold them as a new high-grade green tea, and he made succeed.

One competitor heard this news, then he hired workers, duplicated this idea, and named the product “Feng Chi.” Another competitor did more; he direct screened the leaves started at the picking process and optimized the processing methods, making out a more high-quality product. Thus, all the local tea masters began to study this way, and Lu’an Gua Pian tea birthed.

The other story is that in the early Republic of China, a squire wanted to please Yuan Shikai, the big warlord. He asked the Lu’an tea masters to produce a kind of green tea, which only uses the best source leaves. So the Lu’an Gua Pian was invented.

Some history experts surmise that Lu’an Gua Pian tea’s birth maybe earlier. It comes from a top-grade of Lu’an tea – Qishan Yunwu Gua Pian tea. It was a tribute of the Qing royal; it must be provided about 0.5kg to the Empress Dowager Cixi every month. At that time, it was a tea that only the one who has a high social status can consume.

After the new China founding, Lu’an Gua Pian tea became many government leader’s favorites. In 1959, Lu’an Gua Pian was listed as one of the Chinese 10 famous teas. When the U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger visited China in 1971, Lu’an Gua Pian tea was presented as a national gift. That made its social status and value increase significantly.

Producing Regions

Lu’an Gua Pian tea plantations are primarily distributed in Lu’an, Jinzhai, Huoshan around the Dabie Mountain. They’re at a low altitude(100-300m). Still, the climate here is cold, rainy, and long-time sunshine, which is suitable for the growing and nutrient accumulation of the tea trees.

It was said, Lu’an Gua Pian was the earliest came from the Qiyun Mountain in Jinzhai country, so it is also called Qiyun Gua Pian. There is a bat cave at the south hillside; several tea trees grow at the entrance. Many bats living in the cave, the poo provides great and enough nutrients to the tea trees, make them growing strong. Those several tea trees are regarded as the Lu’an Gua Pian’s mother trees, and their products are honored as the best.

Camellia Sinensis Varieties

There are 3 main types of Camellia Sinensis growing in the plantations, provides source leaves for producing Lu’an Gua Pian tea.

The Native Species Old Tea Trees. The authentic Lu’an Gua Pian tea is made from the native species Camellia Sinensis; they are small or middle-leaf type, the local people called them “Ben Cha,” and many of them have been 100 years old. These old tea trees are rare, and their budding late, hard to satisfy the market need. So tea plantations introduced other types of tea trees.

Wuniu Zao Species. This type of tea tree is cultivated out in recent years. It is budding early and can be said that it provides leaves for the Mingqian Cha production in a specialty.

Salix-leaf type. It was introduced to Anhui in the 1980s, a purpose for increasing the yield. This tea tree is named because of the salix-leaf-like leaves.

The Complicated Processing

Why the Lu’an Gua Pian tea looks so strange? It’s because of its unique and complicated processing. The processing of Lu’an Gua Pian tea is much complex than other green teas, and some steps can be said are full of theatricality.

Picking

Shortly after the Chinese New Year Festival, tea farmers begin to prepare tea leaves picking. Lu’an Gua Pian’s picking standard is different from other teas; it is sorted by the leaf growth sequence.

The new buds will shoot at the end of March and grow into the first leaf at the beginning of April. The second leaf comes in early April, and the third comes in the midmonth. The fourth leaf shoots in at about 20th, which the day called Guyu. At this time, the tea farmers will pick up the second leaf.

They think that this second leaf, also the third on the branch, is rich in nutrition and has an excellent fresh degree. 1-2 days after picking it, the leaf comes third, also growing into the second position; tea farmers will start a new round of picking.

The best harvest time of Lu’an melon seed tea is ten days before or after Guyu. Once May comes, the temperature getting high and the leaves growing old, and the quality gets worse.

Screening

After the fresh leaves picking, tea farmers will screen them first, pick out the second leaves, which up to standard. The left tea stems and other leaves will be made into the by-products.

Fixation

As a green tea, Lu’an Gua Pian hadn’t been fermented during processing; the natural fermenting must be stopped by a step called Fixation. And this processing is also called “Flame Work,” it’s very complex and essential. Just like the Xinyang Maojian tea, it will take two parts.

The first frying is called “Raw Pan.” Tea masters will put the leaves in an 80cm diameter pan, frying them at a temperature of 100-120℃. Unlike other teas frying with hands or machines, when tea masters frying Lu’an Gua Pian tea, they will use a small thin bamboo sticks-made broom. Leaves keep rotating and tossing, which looks like when frying rice.

After 1-2 minutes, leaves will be transferred to another pan for the second frying, at a temperature of 70-80℃. This time, except frying, tea masters will also flap the leaves with the broom, making them flat. It also replaces the rolling step in common tea-processing. And this step is also called “Cooked Pan.”

After the fixation, the leaves’ water content will reduce to under 35%.

Drying

The following is the most important roast-drying job, and it’s also with a great character; it determines the mouthfeel and flavor of Lu’an Gua Pian tea. The drying process has 3 steps: first roast, re-roast, and final roast.

The first roast is also called “Pull the Rough Fire.” Leaves will be put in a bamboo cage for roasting, and the fuel must be the best, and smokeless chestnut tree carbon makes no smoky smell on the leaves. After this process, the leaves’ water content will reduce to about 20%.

The leaves after the first roast is the rough tea. Tea masters will finish the processing of it on the same day of picking. So when the harvest season comes, you can see many people selling the Lu’an Gua Pian rough tea in the bazaar in the evening. And the tea factories will perform two additional dryings after purchasing them.

Re-roast is also called “Small Fire.” It makes the leaves’ water content reduced to 10% under the same operation. After re-roast, leaves will be placed 3-5 days to let the left water in the vein equally full the leaf again, or the following roasting will burn the leaves.

The following is the final roast, which is also called “Pull the Old Fire.” This is the most important step, and it’s very ornamental. Setting a carbon furnace on the ground, burning a great flame; two tea masters for a team, carry the bamboo cage with leaves in, roasting on the fire for 1-2 seconds, then move away. This process will repeat over 100 times till the leaves’ water content is reduced to 6%. Hereto, Lu’an Gua Pian tea’s processing is finished.

Lu’an Gua Pian Tea Grades

Just like most Chinese teas, Lu’an Gua Pian tea will be graded according to the leaves’ position on the branch. Every grade got its own name.

Ti Pian

The specification of Lu’an Gua Pian tea is without any stems and buds. So the top-leaf on the branch, which is just bloom, is the tenderest. The tea made from this first leaf is called “Ti Pian,” which is in accord with most consumers’ demand for the tender tea.

Gua Pian

After the fourth leaf shoots on the branch, the tea masters pick up the second-old leaf and make it into tea. This leaf is not the tenderest, but tea masters thought it contains the richest nutrition and flavor, and it’s the best. The Lu’an Gua Pian tea made from this leaf is the most authentic.

Besides, according to the producing regions, Gua Pian tea is also classified into Neishan(inner mountain) Gua Pian and Waishan(outer mountain) Gua Pian.

The Neishan Gua Pian refers to the tea that originated in the Lu’an Gua Pian’s birthplace – Qiyun Mountain. It got a rare yield and hard to buy on the market. And the Waishan Gua Pian refers to the tea that originated in the other plantations in Lu’an; the quality is regarded not as good as the Neishan ones.

Mei Pian

After Guyu, the hot and rainy summer comes. Leaves are mature enough now, even a little rough and old. The tea made from the leaves picked during this period is called “Mei Pian.” It typically with a reasonable price, but the quality just so-so.

Lu’an Gua Pian Flavor

Lu’an Gua Pian’s dried leaves are integrity; both side edges are lightly curled into a strip, shows a dark-green color. If you scrutinize it, you will find that there is some white frost on the surface. It is said that these frosts are formed because of the unique “Pull the Old Fire” processing, which makes the tea polyphenols and caffeine in tea separate out and crystallized.

After brewing, leaves got moist and back to the origin melon seed shape. The infusion is yellow-green, sending a full aroma, a little like the orchid fragrance of Tieguanyin tea. Even though Lu’an Gua Pian has been roasted many times, it won’t get any smoky flavor due to the smokeless carbon but a delicate roasted-chestnut aroma.

Due to the source leaves are a little older and contain more tea polyphenols and caffeine, Lu’an Gua Pian tastes robust, brisk, and without any typical bitterness of green tea. After the infusion slip down your throat, the sweetness aftertaste will come soon, and the full fresh aroma will last in your mouth a long time. In past China, the nobles love having a cup of Lu’an Gua Pian tea after a noon break, helping refresh the brain and digest the lunch.

How To Make Lu’an Gua Pian Tea

Traditional Way

Prepare and preheat a 200ml white ceramic Gaiwan;
Put 3-5g Lu’an Gua Pian leaves in;
Add 90℃ water in, cover, and steep for about 40 seconds;
Pour the infusion in a fair cup to equal the concentration;
Serve to each cup and enjoy;

Typically, the Lu’an Gua Pian leaves are integrity without fewer broken pieces; you can decide whether to wash the tea at the first brew. Besides, the source leaves are comparative maturity to make more brews than ordinary green tea. Some high-quality Lu’an Gua Pian can brew over ten rounds.

Simple Brewing with a Glass Cup

Prepare and preheat a usual glass cup;
Put 3-5g leaves in;
Add 90℃ water, just to cover the leaves;
Shake the cup gently, let the leaves moist enough;
Keep fill in hot water, then steep for about 10 seconds;
Enjoy;

Store Way

Prepare an iron or a tin can, which with great airtightness;
Make sure that the container and leaves are dry enough;
Put the tea into the can and cover it tight;
Wrap a kraft well outside the container to get a better airtightness;
To store it at a dry enough place, where also under 20℃;

As a green tea, Lu’an Gua Pian is not suitable for long-time storage; it is recommended to finish consumed in 1-2 years.

Xinyang Maojian – Strong Flavor Green Tea Brewing On 50:50 Ratio

Henan is the most important birthplace of Chinese culture. As a politics and culture center of ancient China, Henan also has a long history of tea-producing. Nowadays, a famous green tea – Xinyang Maojian tea, is still produced there.

Xinyang Maojian is a famous green tea that originated in Henan

What Is Xinyang Maojian

History

Xinyang Maojian tea is originated in Xinyang city, Henan, which belongs to green tea. People commonly call it “Yu Maofeng;” Yu is Henan for short, and Maofeng is to describe the leaves are covered with much tiny white fuzz.

We know that green tea was prevalent in ancient China, and it reached the top in Tang Dynasty. At that time, Xinyang has already been an essential tea-producing region; the leaves from there were called “Benshan Maofeng.” Due to the excellent quality, it was listed as a royal tribute. But the local tea industry declined a period because of the high tax in Yuan and Ming dynasties.

The story took a turn at the end of the Qing Dynasty.

Some people raised funds and set up eight tea shops. They reclaimed tea plantations and improved the processing methods to boost production. All these made the local tea industry recovered.

In 1915, one of the tea shops won the gold medal in Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Since that, the leaves that originated here were named Xinyang Maojian tea formally.

Producing Regions

There are eight primary tea-producing regions in Xinyang; people call them “five Yun, two Tan, and one Zhai.” (Yun means cloud, Tan means pond, and Zhai means stockade) They are:

Cheyun Shan
Jiyun Shan
Yunwu Shan
Tianyun Shan
Lianyun Shan
Heilong Tan
Bailong Tan
Hejia Zhai

Xinyang is located at a high altitude area, with a low annual average temperature, about 15℃. The rainfall is rich, and the sunshine duration is short. That makes the tea trees growing slow, and stay at the tender buds state longer, helps the nutrient accumulate of the leaves.

Camellia Sinensis Types

When we see the name Xinyang Maojian, we may think that the leaves are all made from tender buds. But it is not. Xinyang Maojian refers to green teas that originated in Xinyang, not all of them from the same type of Camellia Sinensis. They are also graded differently by many standards.

The Camellia Sinensis types of Xinyang Maojian is rich; they are mainly classified into 4:

Xinyang Native Species

Xinyang has an over thousands history of tea cultivation. The native species is also called Han Cha. They are retained after a long time screen by nature and artificial, growing in most of the old tea plantations. The native species got a cold-resistant, small leaf, full-fragrance, and robust taste characteristics.

Wuniu Zao Species

The Wuniu Zao species is a Camellia Sinensis type newly introduced in Xinyang in recent years. Some Longjing green tea is also made from this tea tree. Its characteristic is the tender buds are shoot early, typically can be harvested in early March. But due to the plantation time is still short, the products are hard to see on the market.

Fuding Da Bai Cha

Xinyang introduced Fuding Da Bai Cha tea trees in the 1920s. Yes, some Xinyang Maojian got the same source as the Fuding White Tea, so they got more “Hao” on the leaves. This Camellia Sinensis has a poor cold resistance than the native species and suits to be cultivated at the lower altitude. It got a high-yield characteristic, more fuzz on the leaves, a pure aroma, light taste, which is suitable to process into bud tea.

Wild Tea Trees

Some tea masters will find the ancient tea trees in the Xinyang forest to produce tea. The Xinyang Maojian made from these wild leaves is small and thin, with a full aroma. They are appreciated by natural organic food lovers.

Varieties

Xinyang Maojian tea primary classified according to the picking standard:

Special Grade Maojian: One bud and the early-born first-leaf take over 85%;
First Grade Maojian: One bud and the first-leaf take over 80%;
Second and Third Grade Maojian: One bud and to the second-leaf take over 70%;
Fourth and Fifth Grade Maojian: One bud and to the third-leaf, and the early-born fourth-leaf take over 35%;

Likewise, just like the other teas, Xinyang Maojian is also classified according to the harvest seasons:

Spring Tea

The leaves harvested in spring typically regarded with the highest quality. After a long winter recuperates, tea trees accumulated enough nutrients, plus the comfortable temperature and rainy in spring, the newborn leaves got better flavor and can bring more benefits.

In China, farmers cultivating basic on ancient solar terms theory. So the spring teas are also classified into:

Mingqian Cha: Leaves harvested before Qingming(typically on 5th, April;)
Yuqian Cha: Leaves harvested before Guyu(typically on 20th, April;)
Late Spring Tea: Leaves harvested before the end of May;

Summer Tea

When summer comes, the temperature getting high and the sunshine duration getting longer, the tea trees growing faster. The leaves are mature enough, bigger, and thicker. The tea polyphenols and caffeine content increase, so the summer tea tastes more bitter and can be brewed more rounds.

Autumn Tea

Autumnal is the last harvest season of Xinyang Maojian tea of the year. The left leaves contain lesser nutrition and flavor substances, the fragrance and taste are insipid, with less bitterness and astringency.

Processing

Xinyang Maojian is green tea, so there is no fermentation during the processing; fresh leaves will be finish process in the day. Traditionally, the leaves will be processed into Xinyang Maojian through the following steps:

Placing. Fresh leaves after picking will be placed on a bamboo sieve for 1-2 hours to remove most of the grassy smell.

Fixation. Tea masters will put the leaves in an iron pot, frying them at 140 – 160℃ quickly, cost about 7-10 mins. That makes the leaves stop from natural fermentation and let the water content reduce to about 55%.

Rolling. Reduce the iron pot temperature to 80-100℃, rolling the leaves curled into strips with hands, and make the water content reduce to about 35%. It typically cost 7-10 mins;

First Drying. Leaves will be sent to drying after rolling. The first roast will be at 80-90℃, cost 20-25 mins, the water content reduced to about 15%;

Cooling. Placing the leaves for about 1 hour for cooling;

Re-roasting. Drying the leaves at 60-65℃ again for about 30 mins, reduce the water content to 6-7%. So far, the rough tea is finished;

Sorting. Remove the tea stems, impurity, and low-quality leaves;

Re-roast again. Drying the leaves at 60℃ again for 25-30 mins to get a much lower water content, and leaves can be smashed into powder by finger pinching. The tea will get a more robust aroma at the same time and more suitable for storage;

With the help from the machines, the Xinyang Maojian processing gets simplified now. Most tea factories will skip the last drying step, and the tea also gets a less roast flavor.

Xinyang Maojian Flavor

Due to the different picking standards and tea tree varieties, Xinyang Maojian tea got many flavor types. Typically, the special grade spring Xinyang Maojian is regarded with the highest quality, but the others also have a worth trying; it depends on your taste.

Mingqian Cha. It tastes without or less bitter and an intense sweetness aftertaste, but the price is high. Sometimes, you may meet some leaves frozen in winter; they taste light and even with an obvious astringent.

Yuqian Cha. It tastes a little bitter, the mouthfeel is not as smooth and soft as the Mingqian Cha, but the aftertaste is also sweet.

Late Spring Tea. It is typically made and consumed by the local folks themselves, with a robust roast flavor and astringent, a slightly sweet aftertaste.

Summer Tea. It tastes the strongest, also the astringency is.

Autumn Tea. It is also called Bailu Cha, tastes light, with a soft mouthfeel.

Native Species Xinyang Maojian. It tastes a strong astringent, with a full aroma, resistant to brew, and great aftertaste.

Da Bai Cha Xinyang Maojian. It tastes delicate, with litter sweet and astringent, fresh and brisk.

How To Make Xinyang Maojian Tea

There are many ways to make Xinyang Maojian tea, and they are interesting.

To the high-quality Xinyang Maojian, tea lovers typically will brew it in a normal way. Put 3-5g leaves into a glass cup, add 85℃ water at a ratio of 1:50, steep for about 30 seconds, then enjoy.

But every harvest season comes, many tourists and tea merchants visit Xinyang. The local folks also hospitable, they serve the new teas for the visitors for free.

The most usual scene is that many people with a glass cup on the street and steeping the Xinying Maojian. The leaves and the water ratio is high to 50:50. Gradually, it turns to a popular brewing way, which is regarded as the most authentic. But the infusion made in this way tastes too strong and shows an apparent yellow color, the vast fuzz also makes it look muddy, not fit one who has a light taste.

Making Xinyang Maojian in the 50:50 way, there are 3 sub-methods:

Put the leaves first, add 1/4 water, steeping for 10 seconds, then go on filling;
Add 1/4 water first, put the leaves after, then go on filling;
Adding water first, put the leaves after;

In method 1, the leaves will be pre-heat and moist enough, so the infusion with a higher concentration and a more robust flavor. Method 3 makes the lightest one. You can try it with your taste.

How To Store

Just the same as most green teas, several points should be taken care of during Xinyang Maojian tea storage:

Avoid High Temperature. A high temperature may let the microorganisms left during the processing and the enzyme inside the leaves activate again, leading to ferment and flavor change.

Avoid Damp and Smell. The Xinyang Maojian leaves are relatively dry, especially the ones which re-roast in the traditional processing way. They easily absorb the water and smell in the air, getting damp, and the flavor turns worse. Although a fridge can provide a low-temperature environment, the high humidity inside and the scent from other food seem horrible to the tea; it’s not recommended.

Avoid Sunshine. Green teas are easy to take photochemical reaction, the leaves turn yellow and brown slowly, and the flavor lost. Under direct sunlight long time also brings the high-temperature problem.

Keep Sealed. Typically, the Xinyang Maojian teas sold on the market provided a sealed individual package. If there isn’t, or you had already unwrapped it, you should seal it well again after drinking. Green tea doesn’t been fermenting, and it’s easy to be oxidated.

It’s hard to see people aging the Xinyang Maojian. Except for the aging job is challenging, one characteristic of green tea is the freshness, so the spring tea, especially the Mingqian Cha always at a high price. The Xinyang Maojian dry enough may have a longer storage time, but the best is to finish consuming it ASAP.

How Does Huoshan Huangya Tea Taste Like?

Many famous teas you heard are from Anhui, China, such as Huangshan Maofeng and Keemun Black Tea. If you have enough tea understanding, you should know a subtype called Yellow Tea, which is rare. Without surprise, Anhui also producing it – the Huoshan Huangya tea.

What Is Huoshan Huangya Tea

Huoshan Huangya, just as its name implies, it is a kind of Yellow Bud Tea that originated in the Huoshan country, Anhui. Huoshan is located in Liuan city, here also is the producing region of famous green tea Lu’an Gua Pian. It has produced high-quality teas since Tang Dynasty, and most of the harvest will be taken as tributes for the royal.

As we know, true teas are classified by their fermenting ways. Although yellow tea processing was invented in Ming Dynasty, the Huoshan Huangya name has been recorded since Tang; Because its tea trees’ buds are yellow. Due to historical changes, the tea tree types cultivated in the local plantations are different now, and they used the real yellow tea processing method. So, saying strictly from the definition, now the Huoshan Huangya tea is different from the record in ancient books.

After the founding of New China, Huoshan Huangya tea ever out of production for a long time. At that time, the government decided to process most of the source leaves into black tea for export trade and increase the foreign exchange earnings. Keemun Black Tea was birth under this situation. Later, green tea re-popular, the Huoshan tea plantations started to produce green tea again. The minority and hard-produced yellow tea has never been in the plan.

But Huoshan Huangya hasn’t been forgotten by people. After 20 years of development, the tea planting scale and yield in Huoshan keep increasing, and it satisfied the green and black tea requirement of both home and abroad. The local tea masters suggested producing Huoshan Huangya tea again, for taking the past glory back. After a small-scale trial planting and get the recognition of the government, Huoshan Huangya returned in 1973.

Huoshan Huangya tea plantations are primary in Jinji Mountain, Jinzhu Ping, and Wumijian; among them, Jinji Mountain produces the most high-quality and famous teas. Even though the altitude here is low(500-800m,) the climate is mild and abundant in rains. Many tall bamboos growing here, shielding the sun for the tea trees; it is essential for the Huoshan Huangya tea, which is made from tender buds.

Tall bamboos protect the tea trees from strong sunshine

The source leaves of Huoshan Huangya are mainly from the Jinji type Camellia Sinensis, which belongs to the shrub, large-leaf type. It got a high reproductive capacity feature, and the buds are fat and full of fuzz. The ancient mother tree is called the Jinji God Tea Tree; it still alive and protected by the fences. The ones which are taking part in the production are its clones.

The Huoshan Huangya tea yield has reached over 1000 tons pre-year so far. Except for domestic consumption also export abroad like Germany and America. It is regarded as the main force of yellow tea company with Junshan Yinzhen and Mengding Huangya. But face the narrow market, Huoshan Huangya is turning to green tea inevitably, just like the Weishan Maojian.

Processing

Just like the other yellow teas, the challenging processing of Huoshan Huangya always impedes its development. Source leaves will be though 7 steps into the final product:

Picking. The picking standard of Huoshan Huangya tea is relatively loose. According to the different harvest times and standards, Huoshan Huangya can cover Yellow Bud Tea, Yellow Small Tea, and Yellow Large Tea at the same time. And according to the leaves’ quality, it will be classified into 4 grades, from the top to the fourth. Just like the other teas, the spring-flush always the best. After picking, leaves will be placed hours for removing the vegetal smell and water on the surface, and then they will be start processed in a day.

Fixation. During the Huoshan Huangya processing, fixating and shaping are carried on together, so there is no rolling step. Tea masters put the leaves in a 120-130℃ pan for apace frying. It’s a freehand way operation. Tea masters got their own unique technique, making leaves into a bird tongue shape by hold, grab, and shake.

First Roasting. After fixation, tea masters low down the pan temperature a bit, stir the leaves gently for a primary drying purpose.

Sealing Yellow. Sealing yellow is the most particular and essential step in yellow tea processing. Huoshan Huangya sealing yellow different from the others. It doesn’t need to be wrapped, and it’s similar to the piling of dark tea. Leaves will be piling on a sieve and fermenting naturally. Typically, Huoshan Huangya will be sealing yellow last 24-48 hours. Leaves will turn yellow slowly by the heat and dampness and form a unique flavor.

Re-roasting. After sealing yellow successfully, tea masters will take the second roasting to the leaves. Making them 90% dry and can be break by a finger pinch.

Screening. Screening the Huoshan Huangya rough tea, remove the low-quality leaves and stems. Grading according to the quality and make the appearance uniform.

Drying. Take the final drying to the leaves until they can be pinch into powder by fingers.

Huoshan Huangya Tea Flavor

The dried Huoshan Huangya leaves look yellow-green, flat, long, and thin, just like the bird’s tongue, which got a light orchid floral. Due to the low-degree processing, many white fuzzes(Hao) are still retained on the leaves.

Brewing it with a glass cup simply, the closed leaf will extend slowly, and the water turns yellow. Get close and have a smell; there is a roasted chestnuts-like aroma, with a slight orchid scent. The sealing yellow (braise) degree decides which fragrance takes the more significant part.

Have a sip, a robust roasted chestnut aroma will fill your oral. Huoshan Huangya tastes similar to green tea, but due to it has been though sealing yellow, it will be more mellow and smooth. It still with a bit of astringency, but the “return-sweet” effect will come soon and bring a slight sweetness. Feeling it deeper, there is also a bit of sweet corn taste.

Store Ways

To the Huoshan Huangya made from tender buds, typically, I recommend finishing consuming it ASAP. It’s better not be stored more than 1 year. During the storage, 3 points should be paid attention to:

Dryness. We’ve mentioned that Huoshan Huangya will be roasted too dry during processing, and it means it is very easy to damp. Before the storage, you should check its dryness first, pick a good airtightness container, and then put it in a dry enough place. And it would be best if you made sure that there is no other smell around; the leaves may absorb it and affect the flavor.

Keep in the dark. Huoshan Huangya tea has only been a slight fermentation, and long time sunshine will lead to a photochemical reaction, makes it lose the color and flavor. Please do not choose a glass container, and make sure to store it in a dark place.

Low temperature. Yellow tea still keeps fermenting slowly during storage, and a high temperature will speed up the process. It needs to avoid, but for the first point reason, never put it in a fridge.

How To Make Huoshan Huangya Tea

A 300ml glass cup may be the best choice for brewing Huoshan Huangya tea.

Pre-heat the cup;
Add 95℃ water in till the 2/5, then put 5-8g leaves in;
Steep for 5 seconds, waiting for the leaves to extend completely;
Continue to fill water in till to the 7/10, then steep for about 30 seconds;
Enjoy;
When only 1/5 infusion left in the cup, refill it and extend the steeping time according to the concentration;
Huoshan Huangya tea is not resistant to brew. Typically, it will lose all the flavor after 3 brews;