What is the difference between traditional Tieguanyin and modern Tieguanyin?

Because the traditional Tieguanyin and the current market is relatively fresh green Tieguanyin have a difference, which is mainly to cater to the visual and taste of consumers in the market now, the traditional Tieguanyin production process to make the corresponding improvements (or changes); and the industry on the latter's positioning and characterization has not yet reached a **** knowledge, so this article on the Guanyin different from traditional workmanship temporarily referred to as "modern Tieguanyin".

Compared with the modern Tieguanyin

One, the traditional Tieguanyin and "modern Tieguanyin" on the appearance of the difference:

The former performance: particles were half-stranded rope, more curved and tightly knotted (such as the "dragonfly head"). The former is characterized by: the particles are half-stranded, more curved and tightly knotted (such as the "dragonfly head"), the stem skin is reddish-brown; the color is black and shiny, with obvious red spots; the aroma is strong, with a distinctive sound and orchid aroma; the taste is mellow and thick, with a long-lasting sweetness; the soup color is orange-yellow, with some being darker; the bottom of the leaf is darker in color, mainly dark green, and the leaf surface is often a red edge of the green leaf with a lower requirement for uniformity.

The latter performance: round knot heavy solid, stalk skin red or green, strong sense of granularity; color green, sand green obvious; aroma high and lush long, there are divided into orchid, candy, peach, ginseng and osmanthus, earth incense, etc.; rhyme has divided into aroma type (aroma type and divided into strong aroma type and clear aroma type), acid rhyme type (acid type and divided into ripe acid type and acid type), comprehensive type (aroma and acid has), and so on; taste than the traditional Tieguanyin. Taste than the traditional Tieguanyin pay more attention to freshness and sweetness; soup color pursuit of golden yellow or yellow in the green; leaf color and lustre of bright green more uniform, no green leaves with red edges.

Two, the traditional Tieguanyin and "modern Tieguanyin" on the difference in workmanship:

The reason for the formation of the sensory differences between the two, mainly lies in the difference in workmanship, specifically in the shaking of the green, frying, kneading, baking and other processes:

The former manifestation of: shaking of the green heavy, frying the green temperature is moderate, easy to form "green leaves with red edges". The former is characterized by: heavy shaking, moderate frying temperature, easy to form "green leaves with red edges"; moderate kneading force (usually made by hand or foot manpower), the formation of a half-stripes shape; fermentation is heavier (the formation of a strong flavor).

Note: The temperature of stir-frying is limited by the productivity level, and the kneading force is limited by the manual force.

The latter manifests itself in the following ways: due to the improvement of mechanization, the productivity level has been greatly improved, such as: the frying temperature is higher than the original temperature (the high temperature frying can make the red edges fall off or wear out, so that the tea broth will not be reddish); the kneading adopts the kneading machine, the tightness has been greatly improved; and the degree of fermentation is lighter (so that the tea stays fresher and greener, and the taste is fresh and refreshing).

Three, on the traditional Tieguanyin and "modern Tieguanyin" awareness

By the above comparison: the two differences are due to the differences in workmanship, does not affect the tea lovers on the Tieguanyin appreciation and understanding. In fact, there are two kinds of Tieguanyin on the market, as long as it is good tea, as long as it is suitable for their own tastes are desirable. Both have their own advantages, can not be easily dismissed either one, both processes to make the tea are very good. To put it differently, a top quality Tieguanyin tea on the market should have all the advantages of the above two. After all, "modern Tieguanyin" production process is derived from the traditional process, it is the traditional supplement and improve, is the freshness of the taste of Tieguanyin higher pursuit. The traditional tea belongs to the positive flavor, the modern Tieguanyin according to the market needs to gradually develop a variety of practices: positive flavor, eliminate the positive, eliminate the green, deacidification, and so on, and there are also according to the aroma classification: orchid flavor, osmanthus flavor, Huangkou Xiangxing (local term), and so on.

Traditional Tieguanyin Production Process Picking

The quality of fresh leaves is best when they are picked at 3 p.m. on a sunny day at noon ---- . And the freshness of the tea leaves should be moderate. To meet these two conditions, there are actually not many days in a season. If it rains, it all goes down the drain.

If you want to make high-grade Tieguanyin, there are strict picking standards. Generally choose three leaves and one bud with moderate freshness. The branches and stalks should be short and small, so that the water content of the branches and stalks will be less, and the production will form a high-grade temperament.

Sun green

After the tea is picked, it should be thinly spread and cooled on the ground in the sun. There are a variety of forms of sunshine, some are spread in the water sieve on the shelf in the rack; some are directly spread on the ground; some on the ground on the bamboo sieve. The purpose of the sunshine is to make the turnip leaves evaporate part of the water, to promote the physical and chemical changes of the substances contained in the fresh leaves, in preparation for the shaking of the green.

Stationary

After the green leaves are sun-dried, the green leaves will be sieved and put into the green room to stand still, the green leaves will evaporate some of the water after sun-drying, and the green leaves will become sloppy and soft, and when they are standing still in the green room, the water in the leaf stalks and veins will be supplemented by the leaves, and then the leaves will be straightened up again.

Shaking

When the green leaves are left to stand, you can decide whether or not to shake them according to the water changes in the green leaves. The leaves in the water sieve are poured into the bamboo "shaking machine" to be shaken. The shaking machine is rotated by an electric motor. Fresh leaves in the shaking cylinder for collision, fall, friction movement, most of the leaf edge cell breakage and loss of cracks, water diffusion and infiltration, the cell space filled with water, the leaf hard, grass flavor volatilization.

Role: make the leaf edge cell organization by shaking the friction of the machine as well as the collision between the leaf and the leaf and destroyed, so that the tea polyphenols and other compounds and enzymes in contact with the promotion of the transformation of the material; at the same time, the water is also slowly evaporated and reduced.

Shaking the green and resting is repeated many times alternately. It is the most critical link in the formation of tea quality.

Shaking the green and static collectively known as do green, do green moderate standard is said to be "green leaves red edge", as shown in the picture above, see the red edge.

Killing also known as stir-frying

The purpose is to use high temperature to quickly destroy enzyme activity and consolidate the quality of the formed. The picture above shows a drum killing machine being used to kill the green.

Packing and kneading

The tea leaves after killing are packed in a special cloth, and the whole tea leaves are tightly packed into a ball shape by using the "speed packer". As shown in the picture above, the purpose of this process is to create the shape and color.

Twisting

The packed tea bags are placed in the "Twisting Machine" to be twisted and shaped. The ball of tea is rolled in the kneading machine in a tightly packed state, and the leaves inside are squeezed to form a "granular shape", and the magic of the transformation from leaf to granular shape is all here, of course, after many operations.

Roasting

After the tea has been twisted, it is roasted, the tea balls are unblocked and spread out on a bamboo sieve on a wire rack, and then roasted in the oven.

Packing, kneading and roasting is repeated many times. Until the shape is satisfactory. It is best to roast and dry the finished product.

The above is just a brief introduction to the production process of Tieguanyin, in fact, each link is very important. If you make a mistake in one link, you can't make a good tea. Making a good tea is really difficult. The labor of tea farmers is also really hard, often a day without a few hours of sleep.