丨 This article was originally produced by Xiao Chen Tea
丨 First published in the headline number: Xiao Chen Tea Affair
丨Author: Village Gu Chen
《1》
Tea, tea also.
Looking at it, there are many ways to classify tea leaves.
According to the seasons, it is divided into spring tea and autumn tea, like Tieguanyin, which has the saying of spring water and autumn fragrance.
According to the place of origin, there are Fujian tea, Zhejiang tea, Dian tea and so on.
According to the form, there are loose tea, there are tight pressure tea and so on.
According to the sales area, there are domestic sales, export sales, border sales (Mongolian and Tibetan and other ethnic minorities love to drink tea. ）
There is an old saying, throw it in the wood peach, and repay it with Qiong Yao.
The news is that mongolian sheep are thrown in, and green brick tea is reported.
In the diet of the nomads, meat and milk account for more, and vegetables eat less.
For this reason, "sheep come to tea" is indeed a thoughtful gift.
Tea elements can be seen everywhere in daily life.
Whether it is chai rice oil salt sauce vinegar tea, or Qinqi calligraphy and painting poetry wine tea.
A day without tea is a real portrayal of the lives of many friends.
However, the mention of the classification between many tea leaves still makes many people confused.
Is green tea black tea divided into different colors?
Or is it green tea made with green tea trees, and black tea trees are black tea?
Why does white tea not look too white, and why is it still called white tea?
What exactly is oolong tea?
The above basic classification knowledge about the six major types of tea, the following will be a good detail.
《2》
Basic Q&A, quick questions and quick answers
1. Are green tea and black tea divided by color?
Not precise.
The variety of green tea is very varied and dazzling.
Between different green teas, the appearance color is from yellow-green to emerald green, dark green, not the same.
As for black tea, it cannot be simply considered as "tea with red color." ”
Taking the Zhengshan small species as an example, its dried tea strips are mucuna black and chestnut color.
And not like the "red leaves" of Xiangshan Red Leaves.
2. What is made by green tea trees is green tea, and what is made by black tea trees is black tea?
not necessarily.
In the history of the tea circle, there was a special stage of "green to red".
Most of the green tea and black tea, there is no specific tea plant variety requirements.
For example, Hangzhou's West Lake Longjing (green tea) and Jiuqu Red Plum (black tea), their raw materials can be described as a mother's compatriots.
Their tea green fresh leaf raw materials are derived from the same tea plant variety.
It's just that the fresh leaves of tea before the valley rain are often used to fry into the West Lake Longjing, and the raw materials used in the nine-curved red plum are not as tender as the green tea.
However, considering the adaptability of tea plants, many well-known green tea and black tea products have specific tea variety regulations.
For example, Zhejiang's Anji white tea (green tea), its tree species is specific, tea tree variety named "white leaf No. 1".
According to the provisions of the relevant standards, the tree species should use the vegetable tea buds in the Wuyishan Nature Reserve as raw materials.
Otherwise, it is separated from a specific tree species and cannot achieve unique flavor quality.
3. From the perspective of tea names, can you recognize the six major types of tea?
Not reliable.
For example, Anji white tea has the word "white tea" in its name, but it is actually Zhejiang green tea of the Eight Classics of Zheng'er.
The white silver needle is white tea, and as for the Junshan silver needle, it is the representative of yellow tea.
Da Hong Pao, the name has the word "red", but it is actually Northern Fujian Oolong Tea.
The English name black tea translates from "black tea" literally, but black tea.
It can be seen that the probability of recognizing tea from the name is very large.
4. Green, yellow, white, green, red and black, what is the distinction between the six major tea types?
The answer is that according to different processing techniques, different degrees of oxidation (fermentation) of tea leaves have been formed.
Non-oxidizing (fermented) tea, green tea.
Lightly oxidized (fermented) tea, yellow tea.
Micro-oxidized (fermented) tea, white tea.
Semi-oxidized (fermented) tea, green tea (oolong tea).
Fully oxidized (fermented) tea, black tea.
Post-fermented tea, black tea.
The distinction between the six major types of tea, the processing technology is the cause, and the degree of oxidative fermentation is the fruit.
Understanding the cause and effect is the key to distinguishing the six major types of tea.
《3》
The distinction between the six major types of tea, a detailed introduction
1. Green tea
The basic process steps of making green tea are roughly divided into spreading, killing, modeling, drying and so on.
Among them, the green shoot is a key step.
The so-called greening process is to take advantage of the fact that the fresh leaves of the tea are just picked from the tea tree, and the high temperature is used in time to inhibit the oxidation of tea polyphenols inside the tea leaves by endogenous enzymes.
Thus, green tea can retain the color and flavor closest to that of fresh tea leaves.
For example, the green leafy vegetables that are quickly fried and stir-fried in the restaurant can maintain a verdant and moving color after being served.
Yes, green tea is non-oxidizing tea. (Tea polyphenols are not oxidized and are left untouched)
Among the six major types of tea, green tea has a wide distribution range and a wide variety.
For example, Longjing, Biluochun, Mao Feng, Mao Jian and so on.
The aforementioned Anji white tea, called white tea, is actually green tea.
The reason is that its tea plant variety is more special, which is a low-temperature discoloration tree species.
In the early spring, the newly sprouted buds of tea plants appear jade white, hence the name.
But according to its processing method, it is a typical green tea process!
2. Yellow tea
Among the six major tea categories, the presence of yellow tea is relatively small.
The processing of yellow tea is similar to that of green tea, and the main steps are killing green, kneading, smouldering yellowing, drying and so on.
In daily life, if a plate of fried green vegetables continues to be stuffy in the pot, it is easy to turn yellow-green.
The unique "stuffy yellow" step of yellow tea is essentially the chlorophyll transformation inside the tea leaves.
At the same time, accompanied by the oxidation of tea polyphenols, more stable lutein and carotene are formed.
So that the finished product has a unique color and fragrance.
The classification of yellow tea can be further divided into yellow bud tea, yellow small tea, and yellow tea.
Among them, the Junshan silver needle and the mengding yellow bud in the yellow bud tea are more famous.
Junshan silver needles from Dongting Lake, and white silver needles from white tea.
In addition to the raw materials are mainly bud heads, all called "silver needles", they are completely different teas.
3. White tea
The "white" of white tea comes from the silver-white tea densely packed on the bud leaves.
According to the national standard of white tea, not all tea plant varieties are suitable for making white tea.
The bud head and the back of the leaves are more pekoe large milli tea, large white tea, is the mainstream of white tea plant varieties.
As for the so-called moonlight white, Meizhan white tea, Tieguanyin white tea, etc., they have not been recognized by national standards at all.
In addition to the uniqueness of the tree species, the process of white tea is also very special.
The processing method of white tea is mainly withering and drying.
There is no greening, no kneading, no stir-frying, no stuffy yellow, no smoky roasting, etc., so that the original taste of a tea can be better preserved.
In the process of making white tea, a long period of withering is the key to forming the unique flavor of white tea.
From the examples in life, it is a bit like making wine.
Wait for the grapes to be partially dehydrated before processing.
Or similar to making sauerkraut and pickles, you should dry the fresh vegetables to a semi-dry state, and then start further production.
After the green and fresh leaves of white tea are picked, they should be spread out in time and thinly dried.
With the gradual loss of water from fresh leaves, the continuous chemical changes inside the tea leaves lay the foundation for the formation of the unique fresh and sweet flavor of white tea.
According to different picking standards, white tea can be mainly divided into white silver needles, white peonies, shoumei and so on.
White silver needles are fragrant and fresh.
White peony flowers are fragrant, fragrant and sweet.
Shoumei's floral herbs are fragrant and mellow, suitable for the public.
4. Green tea
When it comes to green tea, many people will be relatively unfamiliar.
But if you mention its alias - oolong tea, many tea lovers can react instantly.
The family of oolong tea is huge and can be divided into northern Fujian oolong, southern Fujian oolong, Taiwan oolong, Guangdong oolong and so on.
Representatives of Northern Fujian Oolong include Wuyi Rock Tea (Wuyi Daffodil, Wuyi Cinnamon, Da Hong Pao, etc.).
Minnan oolong tea, most famous for Anxi Tieguanyin. (Yes, Tieguanyin is not green tea, so don't make a mistake.) ）
Taiwan oolong tea, there are Wenshan Baozhong tea, Oriental beauty tea and so on.
Guangdong Oolong is typical of phoenix single bushes and phoenix daffodils.
In the general division of the six major types of tea, oolong tea (green tea) is defined as semi-fermented tea.
In fact, this classification is too one-size-fits-all.
Objective understanding of oolong tea can not be understood as black tea fermented to half of the tea.
In fact, the light degree of oxidative fermentation in green tea, such as Baozhong tea and fragrant Tieguanyin, are close to green tea.
The oriental beauty tea with a high degree of oxidation is close to black tea.
The basic process of oolong tea is: withering - making green - killing green - kneading - drying, etc.
Rich in taste, wide variety, and complex craftsmanship, it is the commonality of oolong tea.
It cannot be distinguished by color in general, and the color of green tea is cyan.
For example, Wuyi Rock Tea, from light fire, medium light fire, medium fire, medium foot fire, foot fire, can deduce a variety of styles.
With the intensification of the degree of roasting, the "blue" colored parts visible in the rock tea leaves are less and less.
Most of the naming methods of oolong tea on the market are place names + tea plant varieties.
Such as, Anxi Tieguanyin, Yongchun Bergamot, Niulan Pit Cinnamon (Wuyi Mountain) and so on.
But if only one tea plant variety name is given, it is not easy to determine its classification.
For example, Mezan.
It may be both oolong tea and kung fu black tea, which cannot be generalized.
5. Black tea
The processing of black tea, and the production of green tea, is the opposite.
When making black tea, there is no rush to kill the green.
Instead, after a period of withering, the tea cell wall is crushed like kneading dough.
Yes, in a specific temperature and humidity environment, tea polyphenols can be fully oxidized by polyphenol oxidase.
When it reaches the same state of oxidation, it is dried and can be formed.
The kneading/kneading process of black tea is similar to that of apple puree.
After the plant cells break the wall, they oxidize to brown in a short time.
Therefore, combined with the process characteristics of black tea, its oxidation degree is higher.
Along with the oxidation process of black tea, tea polyphenols are further converted into theaflavins, thearubicins, and even theaflavins.
However, between different black teas, the degree of oxidation is very different.
This can be seen from the golden soup color of Jin Junmei and the orange and red soup color of Keemun black tea. (The higher the degree of oxidation, the more thearubi is converted into thearubin, and the darker the soup color.) ）
When traditional black tea is processed, the fresh leaves are kneaded into a cord shape before being further dried.
During the drying process, the tea leaves undergo a Merlard and caramelization reaction, resulting in a black appearance of traditional black tea.
For example, Zhengshan small species, Tanyang Gongfu, Jiuqu Red Plum, Jin Junmei and so on.
The Dianhong, created in the 1930s and 1940s, uses a unique variety of Assamese tea trees.
The buds of this type of tea variety are fat and hairy, and the bud heads of the finished tea are easily dyed golden by the oxidation products of tea polyphenols (theaflavins, etc.).
The representative of high-end black tea created in 2005, Jin Junmei, further innovated the process while only picking bud heads as raw materials.
The finished product, yellow, black, brown, seven points black brown, three points yellowish, those buds are all golden, not the original jin junmei.
Judging from the appearance color of black tea, from the traditional black and brown color, to golden yellow, etc., it can be seen that the classification of black tea is not as simple as "red leaf red soup"!
6. Black tea
Black tea is also fully oxidized.
When making black tea, it is necessary to first kill the green and then carry out microbial fermentation. (Wodui)
When stacking, the tea leaves are thickly stacked in one place, and under the influence of a specific humid and hot environment and microorganisms, the endoplasm of the tea leaves is continuously transformed.
This step is somewhat similar to the fermentation of koji that is used in the south to make sweet wine.
After processing, it originates from the unique process characteristics of black tea.
In the process of later preservation, black tea can be stored for a long time, and the endoplasm is constantly transformed.
Many of the common black teas on the market are in the form of brick tea, tuo tea, qianliang tea and other tightly pressed teas.
This is related to its development history, historically, the sale of black tea is often sold to border pastoral areas.
After being pressed, it is more convenient for long-distance carriage and horse transportation, which is convenient for storage.
There are many classifications of black tea.
Such as, ripe Pu, brick tea, Liupao tea, Anhua black tea, Tibetan tea and so on.
This time Hubei Province gave back the green brick tea of Mongolia, which belongs to the ranks of black tea!
《4》
The classification of tea leaves does not make a one-size-fits-all approach.
Yellow tea, not the green tea smouldering yellow, so simple.
And black tea is not the so-called "red leaf red soup".
After understanding the classification of the six major types of tea, it can be seen that the classification of tea leaves is closely linked to tea varieties, processing technology, etc.
It is not that the same kind of tea plant raw materials are made in different processing methods.
You can make green tea, black tea, yellow tea, white tea, and black tea as you want.
Behind this, we must take into account the suitability of tea plants.
In addition, tea is used as a crop product.
Quite a few good teas, they are geographically protected products.
Such as West Lake Longjing, Niulan Pit Cinnamon, Tongmuguan Jin Junmei, Taimushan White Tea and so on.
Orange is orange in huainan, and orange is orange in huaibei.
Like the Longjing in Guizhou, it certainly does not have the charm of the authentic West Lake Longjing.
It can be seen that when choosing a good tea, it is necessary to identify the origin + good quality.
No, just recognizing a tea name is so simple!
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Xiao chen tea village gu Chen, columnist, tea industry original new media "Xiao Chen tea matter" chief writer, has published a white tea monograph "White Tea Tasting Notes", 2016-2020 has written more than 4,000 original articles.