Green tea, as one of the representatives of traditional Chinese tea, is loved by tea lovers from all over the world. Green tea has the characteristics of delicate fragrance, refreshing taste, and delicious flavor. Moreover, there are many origins, brands, and flavors to choose from. So which one is the best to drink? Today, we will delve deep into the world of green tea and conduct a comprehensive comparison from multiple dimensions such as varieties, origins, tastes, and production techniques.
1. Characteristics of Green Tea
Green tea is unfermented tea, thus retaining the natural pigments and nutrients of the tea leaves. The appearance of green tea is emerald green, the soup color is bright, the taste is refreshing and sweet aftertaste. At the same time, it has various effects such as clearing heat and detoxifying, reducing fat and losing weight, and antioxidation. Therefore, green tea is widely regarded as a healthy beverage. Currently, there are known to be hundreds of green tea varieties worldwide, among which Chinese green tea is the most abundant and famous.
2.The Origin of Green Tea
China is the main origin of green tea. Green teas from different regions in China present distinctive tastes and aromas due to differences in regions, climates, and soils. For instance, West Lake Longjing tea is renowned worldwide for its fresh and mild taste; Anhui Huangshan Maofeng tea is highly praised for its refreshing and flowery characteristics; Jiangsu Taihu Biluochun tea is favored by numerous tea lovers for its fresh, brisk and mellow taste.
3.Brands of Green Tea
There are many well-known green tea brands on the market, such as West Lake Longjing, Huangshan Maofeng, Biluochun, and Xinyang Maojian. The quality of these brands’ green tea is guaranteed, and the taste and aroma are relatively stable. Besides, there are also some niche brands that may adopt more traditional tea-making techniques, and their taste and aroma also have unique features. When choosing a brand, you can make a selection based on your own taste preferences and budget.
4.Flavors of Green Tea
The flavors of green tea vary due to differences in its origin and production techniques. Generally speaking, the taste of green tea is fresh, light, and some have floral aromas, while others have fruity aromas. Green tea with a refreshing taste is suitable for daily drinking, while those with floral or fruity aromas are more suitable for leisurely savoring. When purchasing, you can choose according to your own taste preferences.
Key Points for Purchasing Green Tea
First – Check the Moisture Content: When purchasing green tea, the first thing to look at is the dryness of the green tea. The moisture content of good-quality green tea should not exceed 5%. Such tea leaves will give a slightly stinging sensation when held in the hand, and can be crushed when squeezed hard with the hand. If the green tea does not become soft when squeezed by hand, it indicates that it has become moist and its quality has been affected.
Second – Observe the Appearance: When choosing green tea, it is essential to look at its appearance. Good-quality green tea has a tight shape, a greenish color, uniform size and thickness of the strands, few yellow leaves, little broken tea, and a small amount of tea stems. Such green tea can be purchased. If it does not meet these characteristics, it is of poor quality.
Third – Consider the Tenderness: The tenderness of green tea is closely related to its quality. Generally speaking, the higher the tenderness, the higher the grade and the better the quality of the green tea. If the green tea is complete and plump with more buds, it indicates that it is relatively tender. If the tea leaves feel withered, scattered, and broken, and there are many thick and large ones, it indicates that the quality of the green tea is relatively poor.
Fourth – Observe the Color of the Infusion: The color of the infusion made from good-quality green tea appears pale yellow or green, and is clear and bright, with a lasting aroma. If the infusion is very cloudy and there are many broken leaves in the soup, it indicates that the quality of the green tea is not good.
Fifth – Taste the Flavor: When purchasing green tea, it is necessary to taste its flavor. If the tea infusion has a fragrant, mellow, and slightly bitter taste, along with a fresh aroma, it indicates that the quality of the tea is relatively good. If the tea infusion has an extremely astringent taste, makes the tongue numb, and has a relatively weak tea aroma, it indicates that the quality of the tea is relatively poor.
Sixth – Observe the Leaves at the Bottom: That is, pour the brewed tea leaves into the leaf saucer or the cup lid, carefully observe their tenderness, color, uniformity, and other characteristics of the tea leaves that can be seen at the bottom, thereby judging the quality of the tea.
Tenderness: For famous and high-quality green teas such as West Lake Longjing, Biluochun, and Huangshan Maofeng, generally, a higher degree of tenderness is preferred. Undoubtedly, the tenderness of the entire bud is the highest, and the tenderness decreases successively from one bud with one leaf, one bud with two leaves, and one bud with three or four leaves.
Color: The best color for the leaves at the bottom of green tea is tender green, yellowish-green, or bright emerald green; dark green color is relatively poor; dark green or with green leaves and red stems is even worse.
Uniformity: It refers to whether the tea leaves are complete and whether there are any broken pieces. The more complete and uniform, the better. The more broken pieces there are, the poorer the quality.
Which type of green tea tastes the best has no absolute answer. Because everyone’s taste and preference are different. Some people may like the delicate fragrance type of green tea, such as West Lake Longjing; some people may prefer the rich type of green tea, such as Biluochun. Moreover, the quality of green tea is also affected by various factors such as the origin, production process, and storage conditions. Therefore, to find the green tea variety that suits your taste the best, the best way is to try and taste more. During the tasting process, you will gradually discover which type of green tea can touch your taste buds the most and become the best choice in your heart.