Most of the friends who like Wuyi rock tea have heard a saying: "Every family shows off the next year Chen". This verse is derived from Zhou Lianggong's seven-word "Min Cha Qu" in the early Qing Dynasty, and the full text of the original poem is "Although it is good before the rain, it is too new, and the fire gas has not been removed from the lips." Hidden in crimson for three times the price, the family shows off the next year. Tracing its roots is that the poet has a feeling for the iron luohan who is one of the "four famous firs" of Wuyi rock tea. This poem shows that Wuyi rock tea has a roasting process in the key tea making process, so the finished tea that has just been finely roasted is not the best time to drink because the fire in the tea has not receded. The traditional rock tea above the medium fire needs to be stored and aged for a certain period of time, the fire gas fades, the tea aroma is revealed, and the charm is full, in order to achieve the best state of tasting. Generally speaking, the rock tea of that year will gradually become more delicious until the second year, which is the "alternate year aging" of traditional rock tea.
First, the history of the proper name of aged rock tea
In addition, the high-quality rock tea in the core production area, especially in the Zhengyan production area, after careful storage for many years, timely and moderate re-roasting, the tea of aging tea is gradually peaceful, showing the chen fragrance and ginseng aroma brought by the years, transforming the new tea without Chen Yun and mellow, deeply sought after by old tea customers, high prices, good tea is difficult to find.
Although high-quality aged old rock tea has long been regarded as a good product in the circle of senior tea friends, it has not been officially recognized for aged rock tea. In 2002, the national standard "GB 18745-2002 Wuyi Rock Tea" stipulated that "the shelf life of the product shall not exceed 18 months from the date of production". That is to say, the 2002 version of the rock tea national standard does not recognize the old tea and old tea of rock tea. In 2006, the national standard of old rock tea was abolished, and the current national recommendation standard "Geographical Indication Product Wuyi Rock Tea GBT18745-2006" was promulgated, which has no hard provisions on the shelf life of rock tea, which leaves room for the existence of old tea and old tea of rock tea, but old rock tea and old rock tea have not officially obtained the official name.
The awkward status of aged rock tea and old rock tea will not be officially recognized until 2021. In 2021, the two group standards compiled by the Wuyishan Food Hygiene Supervision and Inspection Center and issued by the Seafood Cross-Strait Tea Industry Exchange Association for the first time justified the name of aged rock tea from an official point of view. The two standards are "T/CSTEA 00015-2021 Aged Wuyi Rock Tea" and "T/CSTEA 00016-2021 Aged Wuyi Rock Tea Storage Technical Specification".
On January 30, 2022, the Wuyishan Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau officially issued the "Interpretation of the Wuyishan Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau on the Shelf Life of GBT18745-2006 "Geographical Indication Products Wuyi Rock Tea"", which cites academician Liu Zhonghua's research results "Aged Wuyi Rock Tea does not produce harmful substances to the human body", confirming that according to the traditional processing and production technology of Wuyi Rock Tea, rock tea suitable for roasting can be stored for a long time under suitable storage conditions. From another aspect, the name of aged rock tea is justified. At this point, aged rock tea has an official identity of "official".
Second, the actual role and personal interpretation of the aged rock tea group standard
The group standard of aged rock tea is a summary of the current experience of Wuyi rock tea storage and aging in the tea industry. For tea friends to choose tea, Tibetan tea can play a good role in guiding and learning. The contents that have guidance and reference significance for tea lovers are as follows:
(1) The group standards for aged rock tea first justify the name of aged rock tea.
(2) The group standard clarifies the concept of aged rock tea: with Wuyi rock tea as raw material, under suitable storage conditions, storage time of 4 years or more, with the characteristics of "Chen alcohol run live" products. Chen Yan tea is an aged Wuyi rock tea that has been stored for more than 4 years and less than 20 years.
Lao Yang interpretation: Lao Yan tea is an aged Wuyi rock tea suitable for drinking with a storage time of more than 21 years. The definition of aged rock tea in the industry, tea circle recognition of many people, but whether aged rock tea is necessary to be divided into aged rock tea and old rock tea, in the industry and tea friends circle, there is still controversy, opinions in a short period of time can not be unified, tea friends can combine their own experience to judge.
(3) The quality characteristics of aged rock tea are well summarized and worth learning from tea friends. In the group logo, it is proposed that the aroma of Chen Yan tea is revealed and long-lasting, and the taste is mellow and chen yunxian. The aroma of old rock tea is rich in aroma with ginseng medicinal aroma, and the taste is mellow and lubricated chen yunxian.
Lao Yang's interpretation: Rock tea aged for more than three years with personal experience generally has Chen Xiang and Chen Yun, and the old rock tea aged for more than 20 years has a significant Chen Yun, some have ginseng medicinal incense, but not all old rock teas have ginseng medicinal fragrance, and some old rock teas also have woody aroma. Some of the old rock tea of the big year will gradually converge with the aroma, taste and charm of the old Pu'er and the old Liubao, showing the common point of the old tea of the big year - the taste of nature.
(4) The basic requirements come to the point. The group standard proposes: the basic requirements of aged rock tea are no peculiar smell, no mildew, no inferiority, no additives, suitable for drinking.
Lao Yang interpretation: Tea is a beverage, must meet the standards of food safety, must be non-toxic and harmless and healthy tea. Moldy and toxic, bad old tea is rare and hyped, and it has no meaning for real tea lovers. Good tea must be healthy, good-tasting tea.
(5) When the raw materials of aged Wuyi rock tea are put into storage, the water content should be ≤5%.
Lao Yang interpretation: The moisture content standard of aged rock tea into the warehouse is very important, which is a professional basic problem, which is easy to be ignored by tea friends, and tea friends must pay attention to it.
(6) Storage conditions. For the storage conditions of aged rock tea, Lao Yang Jian answered the important factors that tea friends need to pay attention to and operability: 1. Temperature: Ventilation and heat dissipation measures should be taken in the warehouse, and the temperature should be ≤ 30 °C when storing. 2. Humidity: There should be dehumidification measures in the warehouse, and the relative humidity should be ≤ 50%. 3. Light: should be kept away from light, avoid direct sunlight. 4. Packaging materials: made of non-toxic, odorless and pollution-free materials. When packaging, exhaust air should be exhausted to achieve tightness and sealing. 5. Warehouse: natural ventilation and moisture-proof, in the sunny day, fog-free, fresh and dry air can be ventilated and breathable.
Lao Yang interpretation: The group standard "T/CSTEA 00016-2021 Aged Wuyi Rock Tea Storage Technical Specifications" for the storage of aged rock tea is very much, but it is also very practical and easy to use, but for ordinary tea friends family storage standards are somewhat high, it is difficult to fully achieve. Ordinary tea friends can grasp the above key references to adopt; for strong and interested tea friends, they can carefully read the group logo and refer to the implementation. God does not pay off, save tea with heart, and the old tea will surprise tea friends in return.