For veteran tea drinkers, the most anticipated thing in spring is a sip of fresh and fragrant green tea, as if drinking the whole spring into their mouths.
Although it is still relatively cold now, spring has quietly arrived. In three or four weeks, green tea will be on the market. Some areas, such as Yibin, Sichuan, China, can already drink this year's new tea.
Before the full amount is on the market, as an veteran tea drinker, I will tell you all kinds of knowledge about green tea, so that you can say "this tea has a good amino acid content" next time you drink tea!
1. First impression of green tea
Green tea is one of the oldest teas and the only non-fermented tea. The production process is: killing green → rolling → drying.
Killing the green tea is a key step in the production of green tea. It destroys and passivates the oxidase activity in the fresh leaves at high temperature (so there is no later oxidation reaction, so it is called non-fermentation), inhibits the enzymatic oxidation of tea polyphenols in the fresh leaves, evaporates part of the water in the fresh leaves, softens the tea leaves, and is easy to roll and shape. At the same time, it emits a green smell and promotes the formation of a good aroma.
Common ways of killing green tea include frying, steaming, baking and sun drying.
Green tea is like the "ageless beauty" in the tea industry! The youthful vitality of the fresh leaves is locked by killing green tea at high temperature, and the natural substances in the fresh leaves are retained to the greatest extent. Nutrients such as tea polyphenols and caffeine are well preserved. The non-fermentation process allows it to maintain the most natural "three green" characteristics - dry tea green, tea soup green, and leaf bottom green.
2. Star members of green tea
More than half of the top ten famous teas in China are green tea. In terms of output, market share, and public awareness, green tea is one of the best.
Moreover, China has more provinces producing green tea than other teas, such as Hainan and Shandong, which you thought were not tea-producing areas, but they all have special green teas.
Among the many green teas, the common star groups on the market include: West Lake Longjing, Biluochun, Huangshan Maofeng, Anji White Tea, Xinyang Maojian, Lu'an Guapian, Taiping Houkui, Mengding Ganlu, Lushan Yunwu, Enshi Yulu, Zhuyeqing, etc.
Among them, West Lake Longjing and Biluochun are the top streamers in the green tea circle and are the leaders.
1. West Lake Longjing: Produced in the West Lake District of Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, it has a flat and smooth shape, a tender green and shiny color, a fresh and noble aroma, and a fresh and mellow taste. Make a cup of West Lake Longjing, the bean fragrance is overflowing, and take a sip, as if you are in the green mountains and waters of Hangzhou.
2. Biluochun: It comes from Dongting Mountain in Taihu Lake, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, also called "Dongting Biluochun". Its shape is curled into a spiral, covered with hairs, silver-green and emerald. After brewing, it has a rich aroma, with floral and fruity fragrance, and a fresh and mellow taste. The bright green soup is pleasing to the eye.
Two little-known facts: Anji white tea has "white" in its name, but it is actually green tea. Not all green teas are tender. Taiping Houkui can be called "vegetable leaves", with large and long strips.
3. Green tea brewing secrets
Choose water: Water is the mother of tea, and good water can make good tea. Generally speaking, it is recommended to use mountain spring water or purified water. Tap water may affect the taste of the tea soup because it contains more impurities and chlorine.
Water temperature control: Delicate (Qingqian tea, bud tea such as Longjing, Biluochun): 80℃ (open the lid and let it air dry for 2 minutes after the water boils) Rough (Lu'an Guapian, Taiping Houkui, etc.): 90℃ (brew directly after the water boils)
Three major brewing schools: Top pouring method: pour water first and then pour tea (suitable for "little fresh meat" such as Biluochun) Middle pouring method: pour 1/3 water → pour tea → then add water (universal formula) Bottom pouring method: spread tea first and then pour water (suitable for "rough men" with large leaves)
Artifact recommendation: Glass cup is the best CP for green tea! Watching the tender buds dancing ballet in the water is the correct way to open tea~
Tea amount: Generally speaking, 150 ml of water, the amount of tea is about 3 grams. Of course, you can also adjust the amount of tea according to your taste.
4. Hidden benefits of drinking green tea
The caffeine content is twice that of coffee, refreshing without hurting the stomach. Antioxidant king: tea polyphenols content beats other teas. Breath freshener: a sip of tea soup after a meal is more effective than mouthwash.
Green tea is not only delicious, but also very healthy! Compared with other teas, it is rich in tea polyphenols and amino acids, and has multiple physiological activities such as antioxidant, radiation protection, anti-aging, lowering blood lipids, lowering blood sugar, inhibiting bacteria and enzymes (of course, this is not the effect of drug treatment, but the positive effect of long-term scientific tea drinking).
5. "Preservation Guide" for Green Tea
First of all, sealing, light-proof and moisture-proof are the common points of all tea preservation, because tea has strong adsorption, will absorb water and odor, plus light, these will accelerate the deterioration of tea. So it needs to be sealed in opaque containers such as porcelain jars, iron cans, tin cans, tin foil tape, etc.
In addition, compared with other teas, there is an extra point to pay attention to for green tea, which is also very important, that is, it needs to be refrigerated. If it is not refrigerated, it will slowly turn yellow at room temperature and lose its freshness.
So it should be sealed and refrigerated, so that even if it is opened during the Mid-Autumn Festival, you can still smell the sealed spring.
There are many varieties of green tea, and its world is like a treasure house. Every time you taste it, every time you explore it, you will have some new experiences. From the graceful posture of the tea leaves stretching in the cup, to the fresh taste lingering on the tip of the tongue, to the long-standing culture behind it, it is worth our careful tasting and feeling.
