Have you had some cup of Oolong tea today? :) The best way to understand tea is to drink it. There must be some tea you would like to drink it again, and it could be your entrance to enjoy the world of tea. Here are the fermentation degree of some Chinese tea....
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Green tea 綠茶 0%
Bao Zhong tea 包種茶 15~20%
Oolong tea 烏龍茶 20~30%
Tie Guan Yin 鐵觀音 40~50%
Oriental Beauty 東方美人 70%
Black tea 紅茶 100%
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Do NOT write it down or try to remember it please because it was changed all the time. The fermentation degree of teas is not a rule. It is just for consultation.
In the process of making tea, there are two procedures which decide the major smells and tastes of Chinese tea. One is fermentation, and another one is baking. Fermentation degree is the main factor to influence the smell of tea. While the fermentation degree is going to be higher, the smell would change from fresh grass (0%), mildly flower smell (10~15%), flower fragrance (20~30%), mildly fruit and flower smell (50~70%), to fruit fragrance (70~100%) gradually.
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| long jing green tea |
Why is it so hard to make fascinating Oolong tea? The factor is fermentation. I don't know if there are any machines could measure the degree of fermentation, but in Taiwan seasoned tea farmers decided fermentation degrees by only their noses, feelings, and experiences. It is hard to describe smells and tastes by words, but to experience them directly.
Drinking a cup of tea is enjoyable and comfortable. Consulting to the concepts of fermentation, it is easier for you to figure out what kind of tea you may like. Next time we should get some concepts about baking, then the fundamental knowledge of tea is just enough.
Wish you a beautiful afternoon with a cup of tea!
Brian
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