Longjing tea, as one of the top ten famous teas in China and the best among green teas, is renowned for its “four wonders” (emerald color, rich aroma, fresh taste, and beautiful shape). Meanwhile, it has a unique aroma, the fragrance of beans, which other green teas do not possess.
It comes from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. It has a distinct flat shape, green infusion, elegant tea aroma, and refreshing taste. Therefore, everyone likes to drink Longjing tea. But in fact, many people actually brew Longjing tea wrongly.
1. Misunderstandings about Brewing Longjing Tea
When brewing tea in daily life, many people casually throw a handful of tea leaves into a cup, pour in some boiling water, and then drink it. This way is not exactly wrong, but it has significant drawbacks.
First of all, the amount of tea leaves thrown casually cannot be guaranteed. It may be too concentrated and bitter; or it may be too weak and taste bland.
Secondly, brewing directly with boiling water will destroy the nutrients in the tea leaves and make the tea infusion lose its refreshing taste. Once brewed with boiling water and left for too long without being drunk in time, the infusion will turn very yellow and the bitterness will intensify.
Finally, without going through the appropriate steps and techniques of brewing, the aroma and flavor of the tea leaves cannot be fully released.
2. How to Brew Tea Correctly
To brew a delicious cup of Longjing tea, there are several points to note. You can try doing it this way:
Tea-water ratio: Generally speaking, when the capacity of the glass is 300ml, about 4 grams of tea leaves should be added, or a thin layer covering the bottom of the glass is fine.
Brewing method: You can use the middle brewing method, which is very suitable for Longjing tea.
The specific steps are as follows:
a. Cup warming.
First, rinse the glass with hot water once. This can keep the cup clean and increase the cup temperature, which is conducive to the release of the aroma of the tea leaves.
b. Water injection.
Then inject hot water into the glass, about one-third of the cup.
c. Adding tea leaves.
Next, put the prepared Longjing tea leaves into the cup.
d. Shaking the cup.
Gently shake and rotate the cup to give the tea leaves a simple “bath” and fully soak them.
e. Fill the water to seven-tenths full.
Finally, continue to fill the water to seven-tenths full. Let it stand for about two to three minutes and then it’s ready to drink.
3.Tasting Longjing Tea
The Longjing tea brewed in this way not only has a fresh and pleasant taste but also has a relatively obvious aroma of bean flowers. It is very delicious.
Many people brew Longjing tea wrongly because they might think it’s simple and just brew it casually. But in fact, it’s not like that.Remember, good tea requires brewing with care and tasting with heart.
4.Four Major Efficacy and Functions of Longjing Tea
As one of the top ten famous teas in China, Longjing tea, in addition to its unique flavor and beautiful appearance, also has certain health benefits.
Eliminating bad breath and aiding digestion
The polyphenols and aromatic substances in Longjing tea can inhibit the enzymatic activity in the oral cavity, reduce the production of methyl mercaptan compounds, thereby playing a role in eliminating bad breath. At the same time, it can also stimulate the secretion of gastric juice and contribute to the decomposition of starch, protein and fat, aiding digestion.
Weight Loss and Beautifying
The various compounds such as caffeine, inositol, folic acid, pantothenic acid and aromatic substances in Longjing tea can regulate fat metabolism. Polyphenols and vitamin C can reduce cholesterol and blood lipids. Therefore, drinking Longjing tea is helpful for weight loss.
Besides, the antioxidant components in tea are also helpful for maintaining beauty and anti-aging.
Eliminating Fatigue
The caffeine in Longjing tea can stimulate the central nervous system, helping people to be energetic, enhance thinking, eliminate fatigue and improve work efficiency. At the same time, the amino acid components in tea are also helpful for relaxing the nerves and alleviating fatigue.
Preventing Dental Caries
Longjing tea contains fluorine. Fluoride ions have a strong affinity with the calcium in teeth and can form fluorapatite that is insoluble in acid; thereby enhancing the teeth’s ability to resist acid and prevent dental caries and helping to prevent tooth decay.
The soaking time for brewing Longjing tea should not be too long. It is advisable to extract the tea within no more than 10 seconds. When brewing high-grade green tea like Longjing tea, the water should be extracted quickly and the tea and water should be separated. Especially for the first few infusions, the soaking time must not exceed 10 seconds, and the water should be extracted quickly to separate the tea and water. For the later infusions, the time can be appropriately extended according to the color and aroma of the Longjing tea.