White Tea

What's behind it?

Interesting facts about the white tea

Definition, history and production

First of all, you should definitely away from the idea that white tea is a special and very special form of green tea. White tea is something special, that. Sure, but it is produced by a manufacturing process all its own and is therefore also a unique type of tea. The peculiarity of the white tea starts with the harvest. There are basically only the youngest leaves and buds still closed, used for tea. It almost goes without saying that such a selection of leaves can be taken only if harvested exclusively by hand. Machines would simply not be able to distinguish between the darker the leaves old and still bright and tender young shoots. This effort should be highly valued even today. To one kilogram of white tea in the end, about 30,000 buds must be picked. This pure handwork required the workers in the tea gardens from some.

After harvesting the leaves for about two to three hours are spread out for airing. They also usually cool at the same time somewhat. This drying with lots of air and natural light conditions is particularly easy on the tea buds. After the tea leaves have wilted. For this they are either placed in baskets, or spread out on special Welkmatten. The ambient temperature in this production step ideally constant 25-26 ° C. A humidity of around 60% is just as essential. In this manner, a finished product later, which consists of a maximum of 2% anfermentierten tea leaves obtained.

Now following the first drying process. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes and the temperature is raised to about 100 to 130 ° C even. Before the second drying process can connect, the tea leaves are carefully sorted by hand. Inferior material, brown and become putrid leaves will be discarded. Now the tea is ready for the second drying process that takes almost exactly 12 minutes and should be performed at 130 ° C.

In order to provide a constant quality of the customer as possible, it is usual to mix the tea from the individual productions together at the end and then be packed for retail. Only as "outliers" are avoided and a consistent standard can be guaranteed.

White tea is one of the six classical Chinese tea kinds and is also still grown and produced in his home. In the meantime, however, it is produced in almost all major Teeregionen. So, in Assam and Darjeeling white teas as well as in Sri Lanka, Malawi and Kenya, he himself playing an increasingly important role.

White tea gets its name from the bright glow on his buds. Fine hairs form a silky fluff and let the finished tea so appear white from a distance. Convinced white tea taste quite quickly with an amazing gentleness, the unequaled.

Originally white tea was reserved for the Chinese emperors. At most, the nobility could cost every now and then even from him. How old is the tradition of the white tea is already, is historically not properly documented. Some sources and documents, however, indicate that white tea can already look back on a 1500 years old history. Even the emperor of the Song Dynasty 960-1279 should be liable to the magic of this mild tea.

Only towards the end of the 19th Century saw a tea trader in Paris this specialty tea and led a variety of ways including one in Europe. However, when we started to conquer the white tea only really in the 1990s. Since then, however, with strongly increasing interest in many tea lovers.

Ingredients

Contains white tea, like green tea and black tea, caffeine. However, the concentrations are significantly lower, which is why white tea indeed looks quite exciting, however, this a very pleasant and gentle way. It is not so hyped up literally by white tea, nor do you worry yourself with a sensitive stomach.

Another very important ingredient are called polyphenols. They belong to the secondary plant substances. These hot not so because they are less important, but because they have long played in the research for the vitamins just second fiddle. As scavengers phytochemicals protect but the cells of our body from harmful influences, support our immune system and affect almost all also happen to be our metabolism. It is rumored the polyphenols that they have a favorable effect on the deposits of fat cells and thus white tea, just like green tea, can support weight loss.

The flavonol glycosides contained protect our heart and affect blood clotting and its thick consistency. Thus reduced with regular consumption of white tea, the risk of heart attacks as well as of stroke. And even small bundle of nerves benefit from this tea specialty. Thanks to an amino acid called theanine, the entire organism is calmed. The daily cup of tea can help to relax twice enjoyed the afternoon so so. Firstly, because of the ritual of conscious time and enjoying company, but also because of the ingredients of the tea. As a regular tea can thus become a source of new strength and inner peace.

Preparation

The starting material for forming delicate white tea tea buds. Meanwhile, you should be absolutely aware also in preparation. Neither too hard nor too hot water to get him good. Both affect the taste, unfortunately extremely negative. Who wants to exploit the full potential of high-quality white teas, so it should invest in a water filter, which filters out most of the lime.

A kettle with built-in thermostat, in which the desired final temperature can be selected, it is worth quite. 75 ° C are considered ideal for the white tea. Probably only the most experienced among tea connoisseurs have a flair for the exact temperature.

Depending on the variety, you should use about 8 to 11 grams per liter of water for the tea infusion. The recommended infusion period ranges from one to four minutes. This depends on the variety of the desired intensity, but also on to the umpteenth infusion it is. White tea can infuse not only repeatedly, you should absolutely do it. Anything else would be a waste. Each infusion tastes different, so the only way to experience the full range of flavors and aromas. A single infusion thus you take the better part of a wonderful teas and waives indescribable impressions on the tongue.

For special types of the perfect brew time can largely differ from those few minutes. This should be taken into account also essential. Otherwise, there remains a variety of flavors in the tea leaf.

Major varieties

The connoisseurs distinguish the white tea roughly between two major varieties, or even families if you will. The Yin Zhen to German silver needle, looks back on a long tradition and is still cultivated and produced virtually unchanged. Only small plantations in the mountains of the southern Chinese province of Fujian cultivate the special tea bushes. The harvest time is very strictly limited to two days in March. Already clock at five in the morning to start the tea pickers, the morning dew still needs to be on the buds.

After harvesting, the leaf buds are laid out in the morning sun. After a few hours of drying the tea is dried in the sun, without any technical influence. This was in the history of Yin Zhen has always been so and will remain so. This is also one reason why this type of tea is produced exclusively in China.

This naturalness in the production calls for a very long infusion period. There is not even rolled the sheet and thus in no way broken or at least bent, benötig the infusion, an infusion time of as much as 15 to 20 minutes.

The second group of white tea is the Pai Mu Tan dar. ins German translates this name means "white peony". This tea also originally had its home in the province Fujjian. But also from Anhui comes good quality since time immemorial. Meanwhile, however, are also found in Nepal or Darjeeling production.

There will not be, used for the Pai Mu Tan like the Yin Zhen, only closed leaf buds, but also young tea leaves that market prices are significantly lower. Also, the brew time is much shorter. Here, the above mentioned times are perfectly adequate to get a wonderful tea.

Behind the name Da Bai, Xiao Bai Gong Shou Mei Mei and also hides the white tea. They vary in characteristics such as leaf size and color of the infusion although minimal, yet clearly different.

There is also a special White Pu Erh tea. It comes exclusively from Yunnan, also a Chinese province. The harvesting time for this tea is in the spring, the production process is particularly tedious and costly. The end result is extremely sweet and results in the cup of a dark color.

Conclusion

The White tea is with us yet, unfortunately, still in the shadow of green tea. And definitely wrong. Neither the taste nor the health benefits of white tea must put his light under a bushel, which affects the quality certainly not.

However, it would be a shame if his first impression spoils of white tea with less high quality cheap goods from the supermarket. If you want to open in the enchanting world of white tea the gate, they should not enter through the back door or a side entrance. The transition to a tea merchant and a detailed consultation should definitely be worth a this tea experience.

For too long, it will certainly not be long before this country the white tea is well known and no less popular as the green tea. He deserves it uncontested.