When I was chatting with customers recently, I discovered that many tea drinkers who are just starting out are actually hesitant to go to tea shops to try tea. I couldn't help but be curious and asked why they said that, so one customer said, "Sometimes the store clerk's words are too complicated. We who have just learned tea don't really understand what you are saying."
In this case, let’s be a little translator today and find out what the tea master’s terms mean when testing tea!
The editor has collected many terms and descriptions that customers don't know the meaning of or are confused about. Today I will introduce these three more common words, which are also called commonly encountered words.
#1
Is "green tea" just green tea?
Many guests who are new to tea tasting and have not yet recognized the six major tea categories will confuse "green tea" with green tea. In fact, the two are completely different! Green tea is unfermented tea, such as the well-known Longjing, Biluochun, etc. "Green tea" is semi-fermented tea, including Tieguanyin, Dongding Oolong, Wuyi Rock Tea, etc. Because it is semi-fermented, the flavors of green tea of different tea species can be very diverse, including floral, or Fruity, honeyy aroma.
Beginner tea lovers can memorize the formulas of the six major tea categories: "green, white, yellow, green, red, and black", and then they will understand that green tea and green tea are actually different.
#2
What is "baking"?
Fermentation and roasting are the most important steps in making green tea. "Roasting" actually refers to the degree of roasting. The lighter the roasting, the aroma of the tea will be more floral and the soup color will be lighter; the heavier the roasting, the tea will be dominated by fruity, honey or even strong aroma, and the caffeine or polyphenols in the tea will The lower the substance content, the less irritating it is. This is why people with cold body want to try green tea. Tea experts will recommend drinking heavily roasted tea.
#3
What does the "shantou" of Pu'er tea mean?
If a customer wants to try Pu'er tea, the tea master will usually ask the customer if there is any "mountain" they like. Many tea drinkers who have tasted Pu'er tea for the first time and have not systematically gotten to know the Pu'er tea area will secretly say in their hearts: "I don't know either!"
In recent years, more and more tea drinkers like and join the ranks of drinking ancient tree tea. "Shantou" generally refers to the place where Pu'er ancient tree tea is produced. Tea drinkers who like to drink pure ancient tree tea are generally more particular about it. The flavor of tea products in different hills and geographical locations can be completely different. For example, the tea in Menghai area is characterized by its sweetness and stimulating fluid production; the Lincang tea area is characterized by its soft and sweet tea flavor.
By understanding what customers like, tea sommeliers can initially know their taste preferences, making it easier to recommend suitable tea products to them. If you are trying Pu'er tea for the first time and don't know much about the characteristics of the major tea regions, you can directly describe the taste you like, and the tea artist will also recommend tea products from the tea regions that suit your taste.
The above are the common terms used by tea masters when testing tea. Beginners can have an idea. However, every tea master has a different way of speaking. If you don’t understand something or something is unclear, you might as well ask questions and communicate with each other. In fact, the tea masters are happy to explain and hope that guests can understand more about tea. knowledge and tea culture!
Suggested reading:
Why is it sometimes bitter and astringent when brewing tea, and sometimes bland and tasteless?Things to do before buying tea! Things you don’t know about tea tasting
