Traditional Tieguanyin Production Process

The traditional Tieguanyin production process is a complex process, divided into picking, withering, kneading, baking and so on.

Picking: Picking should be done early in the morning when the sunlight is not yet strong, before that, the tea picker will wash his hands, put on cotton overalls or gowns, and wear a cap, mask and gloves, remembering that there should be no foreign odor.

Withering: The tea leaves picked need to be withered, i.e., the plucked tea leaves are left at room temperature for a period of time, so that the water on the surface evaporates and the leaves soften. After withering, the green tea is put into the so-called breathable blue cloth basket for kneading.

Twisting: Tea leaves are slightly twisted to allow the juices in the leaves to seep out on their own, which helps to release the flavor of the tea. Kneading should be done in several passes, from light to heavy, from beginner to advanced, and each pass takes 3-5 minutes until the tea leaves have formed the proper shape, reached the desired moisture content, and are smooth, soft, and unbroken.

Baking: After twisting, the tea leaves go into the roasting process, where the temperature should be controlled at around 100 degrees to dry the tea leaves and add some aroma to them. Throughout the process, the baking time should also be well controlled, once the time is too long, the tea will become carbonized, while the time is too short, first of all, the water inside the tea is not evaporated, on the other hand, it is not sweet enough.