Everything You Need to Know about TEA!

• China is the original producer of tea and is renowned for the skills of planting and making tea. The Chinese custom of tea-drinking spread over to Europe and to many other regions through cultural exchange via the ancient "Silk Road" and other channels of trade.

• The Legend has it that tea trees were discovered in the prehistoric times and tea was said to have been first used by ancient Chinese people as medicinal herbs.

• Chinese Folklore attributes the discovery of the health benefits to their ancient hero Shennong, who sampled new plants to see if they were poisonous. If Shennong ate a poisonous plant, he would eat tea afterwards to counteract the ill effects of the poison.

• At present, tea grows on many lands spanning more than 50 countries in the 5 continents.

• Tea is the second most widely consumed beverage in the world (after water).

A brief intro of Tea History

• Terroir – soil quality, weather and climate. Tea grows best in high elevations - mountainous areas - that receive adequate rainfall and moderate temperatures.

• Region – over the years, different regions have become famous for the teas they produce. A tea produced from the same town that it was originally created from will be the most authentic. There are even some Domain Origin laws to protect certain varieties of tea.

• Tea Leaves – Young tea leaves are always best; the flavor and health properties are concentrated in the younger leaves. Some famous green tea varieties claim they are made from “one bud and two leaves”. Meaning there are young buds mixed in with the leaves to enhance the flavor.

Several Factors that Influence Quality

Camellia Sinensis

• All types of tea come from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis.

• When the tea leaves are picked, the flavor is changed by various processing techniques, transforming the teas into the well known varieties of today.

Camellia sinensis

Tea Production Process

Fresh Tea Leaves

SortingCleaning

Reprocessed Tea

SunWithering Drying White Tea

Withering StirFixation Rolling Drying Oolong TeaTossing

Yellow TeaFixation Rolling DryingYellowing

Fixation

Pan firing, Steaming, Baking or Sunning

Drying

Rolling shaping

Green Tea

WitheringRolling or C.T.C (crush, tear, curl)

Fermentation Drying Black Tea

Dark TeaFixation DryingRolling Piling/Heaping

Green Tea

• Green tea makes up approximately 10% of the world’s tea. The tea leaves are harvested and then withered, followed by pan-frying or steaming to prevent fermentation. The tea leaves are rolled to give them the desired shape.

• Tasting notes: grassy, astringent quality reminiscent of the fresh leaves; high levels of tannins.

• Health Benefits: research shows green tea helps prevent cavities, gum disease, heart disease and even cancer. High levels of antioxidants increase overall health and wellness in the body. Green tea also removes toxins, which cause many health problems.

Type: Green TeaOrigin: Wuyi County, Zhejiang Province Tea Garden: Wuyi Elevation: 1,600 feetWater Temperature: 176 ºFSteep Time: 1-3 minutesRatio: 3 grams per 6 ounces

The name Dragonwell alludes to an old legend of a dragon that was said to live in West Lake. Dragonwell is celebrated for having 4 characteristics – “Green in color, rich in fragrance, sweet in taste, and beautiful in appearance”, which can be specifically described as jade green with yellowish tint color, gentle and long-lasting orchid aroma, sweet, pure, and refreshing taste, with sharpened straight, flat, smooth, and even shape.

Dragonwell (Long Jing)

• White tea is the rarest type of tea. A specialty of the Fujian province on China's east coast, it was relatively hard to come by outside of China until recently. The name comes from the almost colorless liquor, and from the silvery hairs found on the buds of the plant.

• White tea consists of the white, young buds of the tea plants. The buds are naturally dried using either sun drying or steaming methods.

• Tasting Notes: Delicate in flavor as well as color, the tea has a subtle, slightly sweet flavor and a mellow creamy quality.

• Health Benefits: contains high concentrations of anti-oxidant polyphenols and l-theanine (amino acid) to increase overall health and wellness and relieve some arthritis pain.

White Tea

Type: White TeaOrigin:  Fu Ding County, Fujian Province Elevation: 1,600 feetWater Temperature: 212ºFSteep Time: 1 minute (first brew) Ratio: 3 grams per 6 ounces

Delicate aroma with a hint of floral notion. Taste is smooth, light and sweet at first sip, but finishes with a fleeting smoky taste.

Silver Needle

• Often referred to as “the champagne of teas,” oolong tea is considered to be among the finest – and therefore most expensive - teas in the world. The cultivation and manufacture of classic oolong teas are restricted to a small area of southeastern China’s Fujian and Guangdong provinces as well as the island of Taiwan.

• Oolong tea is “semi-fermented,” meaning that it goes through a short period of oxidation (fermentation) that turns the leaves from green to red-brown.

• Tasting Notes: floral, fruity quality, reminiscent of peaches • Health Benefits: helps reduce cholesterol build-up in the bloodstream, which

helps burn fat and contributes to weight loss as well as prevent certain heart conditions.

Oolong Tea

Type: Oolong TeaOrigin:  Anxi County, Fujian Province Tea Garden: Jin XiElevation: 1,600 feetWater Temperature: 212 ºFSteep Time: 1-3 minutesRatio: 3 grams per 6 ounces   Tie Guan Yin is named after the Chinese Buddha, Goddess of Mercy. To make this tea, the leaves must be of high raw quality and plucked at ideal time. This imparts the distinct orchid aroma and flavor.

Iron Goddess (Tie Kuan Yin)

Type: Oolong TeaOrigin: Wuyi Mountain, Fujian ProvinceTea Garden: Wuyi StarElevation: 3,200 feetWater Temperature: 212 ºFSteep Time: 1-3 minutesRatio: 3 grams per 6 ounces  

According to legend, an emperor during the Ming Dynasty had a mother who fell gravely ill. She drank this tea and immediately felt better and was soon cured. In gratitude, the emperor sent large blankets of rare red cloth to cover the trees during winter to insure that they did not die from the cold. The locals affectionately began to call the tea “Big Red Robe”. The tea imparts the lean aroma of green tea and sweet, mellow taste of black tea. The liquor is deep yellow and bright, with an osmanthus-like fragrance.

Big Red Robe (Da Hong Pao)

• Black tea is the most common type of tea worldwide. It is made by fully fermenting the harvested leaves for several hours before the heating or drying processes occur. This oxidation imparts a dark coloring and adds complexity to the flavor.

• Tasting Notes: more assertive than green or oolong teas, soft tannins, subtle honey sweetness.

• Health Benefits: speeding up metabolism to burn fat, helps prevent clogged arteries, thus improving blood pressure and preventing heart attacks and strokes.

Black Tea

Type: Black TeaOrigin: Fuliang County, Jiangxi ProvinceTea Garden: Fu LiangElevation: 1,600 feetWater Temperature: 203 ºFSteep Time: 1-3 minutesRatio: 3 grams per 6 ounces  

This tea variety was popularized only 140 years ago. At that time, black tea was not produced in this region of China. It became very popular in England, especially in the Royal Household.

This black tea is characterized by its tight slim shape, soft buds, honey sweet aroma, mellow apple taste and bright red liquor.

Fuliang Black

Type: Black TeaOrigin: Wuyishan County, Fujian ProvinceTea Garden: Wuyi StarElevation: 1,600 feetWater Temperature: 194 ºFSteep Time: 1-3 minutesRatio: 3 grams per 6 ounces  

Famous for its smoky aroma and flavor, this tea received extra drying time over a smoking pine fire. The flavor is slightly sweet, yet very smoky.

Lapsang Souchong

• Dark tea is an unique type of tea made by post fermentation. The raw tea leaves are sun-dried, and then compressed into a brick. From here, the brick is left in certain conditions that enhance the fermentation process.

• Dark tea won popularity in Yunnan, Sichuan and Guangxi provinces of China. Pu-erh is called the “edible antique” and in China people believe it will increase in value over time.

• Tasting Notes: bold tannins, dark stone fruit flavors.

• Health Benefits: anti-aging, aiding digestion and weight loss, improving the eyesight, and even curing hangovers.

Pu-erh Tea (Dark Tea)

Type: Dark TeaOrigin: Xi Shuang Ban Na, Yunnan ProvinceTea Garden: Jinuoshan Elevation: 1,600 feetWater Temperature: 203 ºFSteep Time: 30 secondsRatio: 3 grams per 6 ounces  Type: Dark Tea

The leaves have a reddish-brown appearance and it is red, dense and bright when infused. It has a special aged aroma and a sweet mellow taste. Pu-erh is famous for its feature of “longer steep time, better aroma” which is its most important feature and distinguishes it from other teas.

Pu-erh Brick

Tea Temperature

Premium Teas 176°F — 185 °F

Green Tea 176°F — 185 °F

Jasmine, Black 203°F

White, Pu-erh 212°F

Light oolong 185 °F — 194 °F

Dark oolong 194 °F — 203°F

Water Temperature

Tea Brewing time

Green, Black, Jasmine2-3 mins

Add water when there’s 1/3 left

White, Oolong

1st brew 1 min

2nd brew 1min 15 sec

3rd brew 1 min 40 sec

4th brew 2 min 15 sec

Pu-erh Depends on personal preference.

Brewing Times

• By weight, tea has more caffeine than coffee. However, per cup, coffee has more caffeine than tea.

• The caffeine content of tea mainly depends on the raw materials and varies depending on the variety, growing conditions, harvesting season, picking criteria, processing and other factors.

• No matter the type of tea – white, green, black, oolong - the caffeine content is most present in tender, young leaves than older leaves. Therefore, teas that have only buds (Silver Needle) contain high levels of caffeine.

• Generally, large leaf varieties of Camellia Sinensis have higher caffeine content. This variety is mostly produced in Yunnan or An Hui Province (Black Tea, Pu-erh Tea). The terroir in these regions and other factors contribute to the high caffeine content as well.

• Regardless, tea contains high levels of L-Theanine, which actually counteracts the jittery effects of caffeine, helping you feel relaxed and focused.

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