Several types of green tea
China, as the hometown of tea, green tea has always occupied the core position in tea drinking culture. Different production processes give green tea a variety of aromas and flavors, forming various unique tea categories. From tea mountains to tea cups, let's explore the unique charm of the four classic processes in the green tea family.
Wisdom crystallization of traditional tea making process
The gentle beauty of dried green tea
Using the slow baking process of bamboo drying笼, the tea leaves gradually take shape at a temperature of 60-80°C. Huangshan Maofeng and Lu'an Melon Seed are typical representatives, with leaves that stretch like orchids and a clear apricot-colored tea soup. This process retains the amino acids in the tea leaves to the greatest extent, creating a unique refreshing and sweet taste, especially suitable for pairing with Jiangnan tea snacks.
The ingenuity of stir-fried green tea
Hand-stirring in an iron pot is a tea making technique, and the four techniques of "shaking, placing, spreading, and throwing" of Longjing tea have been passed down for thousands of years. When the pot temperature rises to 200°C, the tea leaves flutter and dance in the hands of the tea master, forming a flat and upright leaf shape. This high-temperature and fast-frying process can stimulate a rich chestnut aroma, and the Mingqian Longjing from the core area of West Lake is known as the "Queen of Green Tea" due to the golden ratio of amino acids and tea polyphenols.
The blending evolution of nature and technology
The mountainous flavor of sun-dried green tea
Yunnan large-leaf sun-dried green tea naturally withers in the sunlight, and the 8-hour sun-drying process gives the tea a unique sun flavor. The raw material for Pu'er tea made by this process has huge potential for later conversion, and sun-dried tea stored for more than three years will gradually develop a charming honey aroma. Hubei Laoqing Brick is formed by steaming and pressing, becoming an essential "life drink" for grassland herdsmen.
The modern inheritance of steamed green tea
The steaming technique from the Tang Dynasty developed into matcha culture in Japan, while Yueshi Yulu in China has completely preserved the essence of the ancient method. Steam fixing can lock in chlorophyll within 30 seconds, creating a jade-green tea soup color. Modern research shows that this low-temperature treatment method increases the retention of tea amino acids by 15%, especially suitable for cold brewing, presenting a clear and sweet mountain spring flavor.
From the fragrance of stir-fried green tea in Jiangnan gardens to the mellow sun-dried green tea in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, the four tea making processes are like a quartet, performing the myriad charms of green tea. Understanding the characteristics of different processes can not only enhance tasting abilities but also experience the essence of Chinese tea culture, "harmony but not the same." Next time you brew tea, you might as well observe the shape of the tea leaves and interpret the工艺 code behind them from the degree of curling of the tea leaves.