Blog
What is GABA tea?
GABA is gamma-aminobutyric acid. It is a chemical that occurs naturally in the brain. Many scientific studies say that when taken as a supplement, GABA can help lower high blood pressure and promote an overall sense of well-being. GABA tea is specifically processed with the aim that the naturally occurring GABA acid can be available in a higher amount than when a traditional processing of tea is used. Drinking GABA tea is one of the healthiest ways to increase your intake of gamma-aminobutyric acid.
Earl Grey Tea History
Earl Gray tea stands out for its distinctive taste, which comes from the addition of bergamot oil. Bergamot is a citrus fruit that is grown mainly in Italy. The oil extracted from its bark has a bright, fragrant and slightly floral aroma that complements the full flavor of black tea. This unique combination creates an instantly recognizable balanced and refreshing taste.
Lao Ban Zhang 老班章 - history and present
Laobanzhang Ancient Tea Mountains is located under the administration of Banzhang Village in Bulangshan County 布朗山乡 about 70 km from Menghai County City. It is a place full of history and cultural heritage rich in quality Pu-erh tea known as the "King of Pu-erh Tea". The word "Banzhang" comes from the Dai language: "Ba Zha" which means "fish." The Chinese transliteration is “Banzhang.” In the late 1990s, Pu-erh tea was still a hard-selling tea in Yunnan, and Laobanzhang was hidden in the deep mountains and ancient forests of Menghai County. Tea from Laobanzhang was completely unknown to the world.
Archive Tea Evening in the Tea Atelier tea house
On Thursday, September 19, 2024, we co-organized an interesting social event in the teahouse Čajový ateliér in České Budějovice under the name Archive Tea Evening. Regular visitors, club members and people from the street had the opportunity to taste an abundance of aged Puer, Heicha, white teas and Oolongs from China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam and other locations. Both fresh and archive teas from the 1980s to the present were available.
Chinese cultivar Bai Ya Qi Lan 白芽奇兰
There are many tea cultivars for processing Oolong tea in southern Fujian, such as Tie Guan Yin, Jin Guan Yin, Huang Dan, Mao Xie, Ben Shan and many others. One of the famous tea cultivars from this area is Bai Ya Qi Lan 白芽奇兰, which is widely planted in the tea gardens of the Daqinshan area of Pinghe County. It is one of the four famous teas of Fujian, the other three being Tie Guan Yin, Wuyi Rock Tea and Zhangping Shui Xian. Bai Ya Qi Lan is a tea of unique quality. Although its processing is similar to that of Tie Guan Yin, it has its own very distinctive character. Bai Ya Qi Lan is the second most successful export Oolong from southern Fujian, sitting just next to Tie Guan Yin. We can freely translate the name of this Oolong as "the scent of a rare orchid".
Collection and processing of Keemun black tea
The Qimen 祁门 area is located in the so-called "Tea Golden Belt", a strip of tea-producing locations at 30 degrees north latitude. The local natural conditions meet the rule of "four times more and one less", which means many mountains, many clouds, much fog, much rain and little direct sunlight, which defines the perfect environment for the growth of tea trees. This is where the famous Chinese black tea Keemun Black Tea (Qi Men Hong Cha 祁门红茶) comes from. It is one of the three most famous black teas in the world, along with Darjeeling black tea and Ceylon Uva black tea. Unlike the mentioned two black teas based on large-leaf cultivars that come from the tropical zone, Keemun black tea comes from the subtropical zone and its cultivar is the typical Chinese small-leaved Zhu Ye Zhong 槠叶种.
Black Keemun is a Legend Among Black Teas
Keemun Black Tea (Qi Men Hong Cha 祁门红茶) is a famous Chinese Black Tea. It is produced in the Keemun County (Qi Men Xian 祁门县) of Anhui. It is one of the Three Most Famous Black Teas in the world, with the other two Darjeeling Black Tea and Ceylon Uva Black tea. Unlike the other two big leaf cultivar black teas which come from a tropical zone, the Keemun Black Tea originates in a subtropical zone and the cultivar is typical Chinese small leaf - Zhu Ye Zhong. It features a kind of natural gentle creamy flavor which made this tea famous. Its taste is very mild and sweet. The extraordinary terroir of Keemun District creates unique conditions for growing tea of unprecedented quality.
Eurotium cristatum (Golden Flower)
Eurotium cristatum (E. cristatum), commonly known as “golden flower”, is the dominant strain in the microbial fermentation process of Fu brick tea. E. cristatum has favorable biological characteristics, including enzyme production, antimicrobial properties, immune regulation, antitumor properties, fat reduction capabilities, and weight loss benefits. With its probiotic characteristics, E. cristatum can be combined with different varieties of tea substrates to make a variety of fermented teas. More importantly, in the process of tea fermentation, E. cristatum can secrete a variety of extracellular enzymes, including some hydrolytic enzymes and oxidoreductases. They metabolize and transform various chemical components in tea through a series of reactions such as oxidation, degradation, and condensation, which significantly affect the quality of tea.
Fu Zhuan Cha 茯磚茶 - Tea Brick from Hunan
Dark tea has a long history in China, with different types produced in several provinces. The most important types include dark tea from Hunan, and its most distinctive variant is Fuzhuan Cha. The origin of Fuzhuan Cha dark tea is closely related to the nomadic peoples of northern and western China, such as the Mongols, Tibetans and Uighurs. Their diet, rich in meat, milk and bread, lacks fiber and vitamins, making tea essential for digestion and nutritional balance. They consider tea indispensable, even more so than food for a short time.
Post-fermented Teas Hei Cha 黑茶
Dark tea (Hei Cha 黑茶) is post-fermented tea, which means that after the tea leaves are oxidized after harvesting, they undergo accelerated controlled fermentation. For accelerated fermentation, the wet layering process ((Wo Dui 渥堆) is most often used, when biochemical reactions occur under the influence of microorganisms. In oxidation, biochemical reactions occur when interacting with atmospheric oxygen and typically last for several hours. The fermentation process can take several hours to several months, but can then continue without limitation for decades.
Advisor
How to properly brew Japanese green tea?
In principle, the steeping procedure is always the same, but the amount of tea, water temperature, steeping time, etc. can be different for each individual type of tea. There is no manual that teaches us one ideal way to make the perfect cup of tea. Although certain types of tea should be prepared in specific ways, it is most important to use a correct water temperature and adjust the steeping time to your personal taste preferences. Brewing parameters can also change with respect to differences in the content of mineral substances in the water.
How to make Hong Kong style Milk Tea?
Hong Kong milk tea is second to none. If you are a tea lover, this is one thing you must experience in your life. It has a creamy texture with a sweet and rich flavor and is great both hot and iced. It probably goes without saying that you will enjoy Gang Shi Nai Cha 港式奶茶 most in Hong Kong, not only because of the authentic environment, but also because of the local original recipes, which are often strictly guarded. Authentic Hong Kong milk tea has its own viscosity, texture, taste and aroma as well as color. After a certain time spent in Hong Kong, it will become indispensable and irreplaceable for you.
Tsuyucha つゆ茶 or how to fully enjoy Asahina Gyokuro
Tsuyucha つゆ茶 is a way of drinking Asahina Gyokuro that allows you to fully enjoy it. The name is a combination of the words "Tsuyu" (dew) and "to you" and is currently a registered trademark of the Fujieda City Tea Promotion Council. Using special tea utensils and lukewarm water, this method of drinking gyokuro, which is known as a high-quality tea, brings out the sweetness and umami of the tea to the fullest. Drinking the first brew at a low temperature allows you to enjoy the characteristics of gyokuro to the fullest. Also, by changing the amount of water, temperature, and brewing time, you can enjoy different flavors with the same leaves.
