Process: From Leaf to Green Tea

1. Tea is first plucked from the stem, two leaves and a bud.

2. Tea is then cleaned and dried and sometimes it is steamed for less than one minute in large vats. This is to kill the enzymes that cause oxidation.

3. Next it is kneaded by hand, stacked in small piles, and dried for about ten hours, during which time it is constantly turned.

4. Tea is then pan fired, and sometimes steamed to stop the oxidation process which is going on since the removal from the stem.

5. The tea is then rolled according to the desired grade.

6. Finally, the tea is sorted.

General Types of Chinese Green Teas (We will use the actual Chinese names and not the western names given by the factories who sell to the West): Remember there are too many Chinese Green Teas to discuss them all here. Dr. Tea has included some rare greens here to discuss and many are found on our TG menu.

GUNPOWDER

A. Gunpowder is known by their districts: e.g., Tienkai Gunpowders, Moyune Gunpowders, Hunan Gunpowders, Fukien Gunpowders, and comes from an area in the Province south of Shanghai and north of Fujian.

B. Gunpowder is made from young to medium leaf and is subdivided into Extra First Pinhead, Pinhead, Pea leaf, First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Common. The smaller the balls, the more expensive the tea. The Chinese name for Gunpowder is Siaou Chu (Small Leaf) because it opens into a full leaf during infusion.

C. Gunpowder tea is so-called because it is rolled into small balls, reminding someone of old-time gunpowder. Is all gunpowder hand rolled? It depends on the gunpowder.

i. The higher quality grades are hand rolled. Other, lower end gunpowder’s are machine rolled. However, a caveat: where labor is cheaper than machinery, it is hand rolled. How to tell the difference? The difference in flavor is remarkable. Since hand rolled generally represents a higher quality, the flavor is much more subtle, not at all harsh; very smooth foretaste and long, long delightful aftertaste. Hand rolled has a more grayish appearance and is of a smaller (pinhead) size, since it is usually composed of only the first three leaves. The higher the quality (and price), the smaller the pinhead size.

ii. Imperial Gunpowder is the largest, often 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter. Pinhead is actually a grading and is 3/16 to as small as 1/6 inch in diameter. The larger the size, the looser the roll. The looser the roll, the larger the leaf. The larger the leaf, the lower the leaf position on the branch.

iii. The lower the leaf position, the older the leaf. The older the leaf, the harsher the flavor. The harsher the flavor, the less expensive the tea. The less expensive the tea, the more common the tea is.

D. Gunpowder was one of the first Chinese green teas to be exported, beginning in the early seventeenth century. It enjoyed tremendous approval in Europe under the names of Hyson and Green Pearl. The USA enjoyed gunpowder comprising nearly two-thirds of all of the tea imported to the states during the Civil War.

Lung Ching (Dragon Well):

Mentioned by Lu Yu himself in his book, this is one of China’s most celebrated teas. It is known for 4 distinct characteristics: green color, mellow taste, aroma, and shape. It is considered to have a cooling effect upon the body and is often served during very hot days in China

A. The finest grade is Qiqiang that has a bud and only one leaf, thus being very young and superior to the bud and two leaves. Dr. Tea was able to procure this fine and rare green tea for the TG.

B. A pound of Lung Ching contains 25,000 bud and leaf sets, each snipped off individually by well trained hands.

C. Unlike other green teas, these leaves are not hand rolled to shape the leaves and are left to their own for a more flat shape.

D. Pan firing requires a gentle touch as not to over heat the leaves in their unrolled form.

Lu’an Guapian

One of China’s five best known green teas due to its unusual shape. The processed leaves are hand rolled into melon seeds and then pan fired.

E. It is of note that this tea is harvested by plucking the two leaves and bud along with the branch and then separating the tea leaves from the stem at the plantation.

F. The pan firing is done with first low, and then high heat, alternating until the desired color is obtained.

Pi Lo Chun: Green Snail Spring

Known all over the world as one of Chinas most aromatic teas. This is due to the fact that between the tea bushes they plant peach, plum, and apricot trees. These fruit trees are in full bloom as the unfolding tea leaves are at their tenderest.

G. Plucking takes place only by hand and a bud and single curled half leaf is known as the Sparrow’s Tongue. The leaf is still full of the white hairs.

H. A pound of the Pi Lo Chun contains 60,000 – 70,000 leaf bud sets.

I. Dr. Tea is in the process of obtaining some of this Chinese wonderful tea.

J. Pi Lo comes from an area north of Shanghai in the JIangsu province.

Qiangang Huibai

This is a very rare tea. Originally this tea was only drank by the plantation’s owner and special friends. Now, this tea is prized by only a few and is presented at the TG by Dr. Tea.

K. This tea is made in Qianggang, a small village on Mt. Fuzhi in Zhenjiang near Pingshui home of Gunpowder.

L. The leaves are frosted with white hair on their backs and the buds are covered also with the white hairs, so fine you cannot see them.

M. The tea leaves are hand rolled into a curled shape.

N. The pan firing is done at a high temperature and covered which is very unusual and is called smothering.

O. The process is pan firing, rolling, second pan firing, and second heating in a pan which comes aglow in orange and then curing in a wooden chest after cooling and then sorting.

Tai Ping Houkui

This tea is known as the best of Anhui Province’s pointed green teas. Dr. Tea was able to procure a fine example of this prized tea for the TG. The tea smells of orchids which grow naturally in the area and blossom at the same time as the buds are beginning to open.

P. The leaves are processed thru pan firing and the processed leaves are known for their straight, taut, and heavy character.

Kooloo or Ancient Tea

This tea is said to have been consumed for 1500 years. Its name means very old, and comes from the Guangzhou and Guangdong province.

Q. Its brew is unusual as it is brownish red in color. It has a slight burnt palate and a sweet aftertaste.

R. Pan firing after sun drying and then rolled. They are then pan fired ten times in a rolling drum carefully, to obtain the burnt flavor and color.

YOUNG HYSON

Young Hyson is made from young to medium leaves in a long, twisted style. It is thinly rolled and looks very much like twisted thread. It is subdivided into Chun Mee, Foong Mee, Saw Mee and Siftings, and sometimes into First, Second, and Third Young Hyson.

S. Chun Mee Young Hyson has a small, hard, twisted leaf.

T. Foong Mee has a large long leaf and forms a curly roll.

U. Saw Mee has a small, twisted leaf, that is not hard.

V. The Chinese name for Young Hyson is Yu Chin Ch’a and is graded into the following: Mi Yu, O Yu, I Yu, Ya Yu and Si Yu.

IMPERIAL TEA

Imperial Tea is made from older leaf left after Gunpowder is sorted. It is made in the Gunpowder style, but looser. It is sub-divided into First, Second and Third Imperial. First Imperial is a closely rolled, regular leaf. Second is a more loosely-rolled leaf and third is very large and very loose.

In Chinese, Imperial is known as Ta Chu -- "Large Leaf." The three grades are Tsang Chu, Tan Chu and Hsi Chu.

HYSON

Hyson is made from older leaves. Young Hyson - Imperial style. It is called in Chinese, Si Chuen Ch'a, meaning "Flowery Spring Tea." It is graded into Mi Si, Cheng Si and Fu Si.

TWANKEY

Twankey is an old, ragged, open leaf of inferior quality similar in nature to fannings.

HYSON SKIN

This is an even power grade.

DUST

This is what settles at the end of all sorting and used for bags.

by Dr. Tea, Tea Expert

Much Love and Light

Mark Dr. Tea, Ukra,
Tea Expert & proprietor of the Tea Garden & Herbal Emporium.