What is spring tea? Spring tea types and origins

The new teas we are familiar with generally refer to the Mingqian tea before the Qingming Festival and the Yuqian tea before the Guyu solar term. During this period, the quality of teas such as Longjing tea and Biluochun tea is the best. This makes some consumers think that the teas during this period are the best. In fact, this is not the case. You will know after reading the following article in detail!

Contents of this article

1. What is spring tea?

2. Spring tea types and origins

3. Precautions for drinking spring tea

What is Spring Tea?

From Qingming to Summer Solstice (mid-March to early May), the temperature is moderate, the rainfall is abundant, and the tea trees rest in autumn and winter, making the tea leaves green and fragrant. Therefore, the tea harvested in spring is called spring tea, which symbolizes the beginning of the year and exudes a fresh, green, spring flavor. April to May is the best time to taste spring tea.

Spring tea types and origins

Oolong tea: lightly fermented and lightly roasted, retaining more of the original tea aroma and taste, with the characteristics of the tea's own light floral fragrance. The main tea variety is the Dongding tea from Lugu, Nantou.

High mountain tea: The characteristic of high mountain tea is that the tea trees absorb nutrients from the soil to develop the flavor of the tea soup. The soil composition in each region is different, so the flavor of the tea soup is also different. The tea produced at medium altitudes below 1000m has a milder flavor; the tea produced above 1000m has a stronger flavor. The main tea varieties are Alishan high mountain tea and Lishan high mountain tea.

Baozhong tea: It is the most popular specialty. It is strip-shaped, green in color, mellow in taste and has a subtle aroma. The most important thing is the aroma. The stronger the aroma, the higher the quality. The main production area is Wenshan Baozhong tea in the north.

Sijichun: The most common tea variety, with high cold resistance, distinct aroma, and extremely short winter dormancy, it can produce 7 to 8 times a year, hence the name. The main production areas are Muzha and Mingjian Township, Nantou.

Tieguanyin: The production process is complicated, the appearance is curled, tight and heavy, the color is fresh and moist with white frost, the aroma is strong and lasting, and the tea soup is golden and thick. The main production area is Shimen Tieguanyin in Taipei.

Oriental Beauty Tea: A special tea variety, also known as Baihao Oolong Tea and Pengfeng Tea. When growing, small green leafhoppers eat the nutrients in the tea leaves, giving the tea leaves a special aroma. The main production areas are Hsinchu Beipu, Emei, and Taipei's Shiding and Pinglin.

Precautions for drinking spring tea

1. Spring is not the best time to drink spring tea:

As the saying goes, it is best to drink scented tea in spring. Drinking too fresh tea, such as fresh green tea, is not good for the human body and can easily hurt the stomach. Scented tea helps to remove the coldness accumulated in the human body in winter and promotes the yang energy in the human body. At the same time, drinking scented tea can help people refresh their minds, relieve fatigue and relieve sleep.

2. Newer spring tea is not necessarily better:

The new teas we are familiar with generally refer to the Mingqian tea before the Qingming Festival and the Yuqian tea before the Guyu solar term. During this period, the quality of teas such as Longjing tea and Biluochun tea is the best. This makes some consumers think that the teas during this period are the best. In fact, it is not the case. Teas such as Pu'er tea and black tea will get better the longer they are stored. Even green tea that pursues freshness needs to be stored for a period of time before it can be drunk healthily.