Rating of the best varieties of yellow tea for 2022

The unique yellow tea is the property of China, not to be confused with the common Indian counterpart, which is made from fenugreek seeds. Buds and leaves for elite yellow tea are collected on the slopes of Mount Jun Shan, near Lake Tinh in one of the provinces of the Celestial Empire. Ready-made tea is bought up by a certain circle of people so quickly that it simply does not reach the residents of large cities in China.

The drink of the nobility and emperors for a long time was forbidden to be exported from the Middle Kingdom. The recipe was kept in the strictest confidence. It was because of the violation of the export law that the son-in-law of the emperor was executed in the 16th century.

Procurement

The technology for processing yellow and green tea is similar, it goes through the following stages:

• collection of fresh leaves;
• fixation (cessation of oxidation)
• sheet twisting;
• languor (giving a characteristic color);
• drying.

Collection

It all starts with the collection of yellow tea buds or young leaves, this is evidenced by the still preserved particles of fluff on the tea leaves. Only the freshest buds are harvested.

It is forbidden to collect low-quality tea, it is considered a marriage:

• too long kidneys;
• too small sheets;
• opened kidneys;
• purple buds;
• eaten by insects;
• diseased kidneys;
• sluggish kidneys.

There are also 6 rules that assemblers and procurers strictly adhere to:

• all harvesting takes place in early spring;
• tea is not picked on rainy days;
• a batch of tea is prepared within three days;
• the work is done manually by craftsmen;
• a day before the assembly of raw materials, employees are prohibited from using perfumed cosmetics, perfumes, smoking, drinking alcohol;
• before assembly, workers bathe and put on clean clothes.

After drying, the raw materials are covered with a damp cloth, during this stage the tea acquires a beautiful mustard yellow color.

Fermentation and drying

All tea known to the world grows on a single species of plants of the Camellia genus. In the scientific literature, it is called the Chinese camellia (Camellia sinensis). And they differ only in color: green, white, black, red and yellow, the result of processing depends on the degree of fermentation.

Like an incised apple, in which the color changes due to oxidation, a broken tea leaf or bud curls, kneads, releases juice during production.And when in contact with oxygen, the process of fermentation, oxidation occurs. This stage is called fermentation.

The fermentation time determines the color of the future drink. So it can be 40 minutes or several hours.

Thearubigins and theaflovins are formed as a result of the oxidation of a mixture of enzymes and tea polyphenols. During fermentation, the room is filled with wonderful floral, berry and nutty aromas.

The characteristic color and smell indicates the completion of the process to the master, here the professional must quickly respond and stop the fermentation in time, drying and roasting the tea blank at high temperatures. Without drying, the tea will rot and become moldy.

Yellow tea has a low degree of fermentation: a minimum of 3 percent, a maximum of 12%.

How to Brew and Store Yellow Tea

Mistakes in brewing yellow tea, as well as improper storage of it, will affect the quality of the resulting drink, the taste will become bitter, and the delicate aroma will replace the sharp smell of mustiness.

Brewing

Tea drinking in China from time immemorial was considered the highest ceremony. For proper steaming of yellow tea, special dishes are used and the temperature of the water is maintained. By brewing the same portion of tea repeatedly, you can catch notes of a sweetish aftertaste.

Crockery and proportions:

• the ideal solution is a 100-150 ml glass teapot, such brewing will show an amazing waltz of tea leaves; also used: porcelain and ceramic vessels. Plastic and metal utensils are excluded;
• water temperature 75 - 80 degrees. Boiling water of 90 - 100 degrees kills the spicy delicate aroma and taste of the drink, bitterness appears;
• 2 - 3 g of yellow tea;
• thick cotton or linen fabric.

Previously, all the dishes for the ceremony are heated with water at 50 - 60 degrees.Pour the leaves into the teapot and cover with a cloth. Brewing time 7 - 10 minutes. Sometimes fruits and berries are added to tea, brewed with milk instead of water. Sugar interrupts the taste of an elite drink.

When brewed in a glass teapot, the leaves line up vertically, point down, cuttings up. After 3 minutes, they begin to fall, and then rise. Such a “dance” of tea leaves is performed up to 3 times, called “3 ascents and 3 descents”.

Storage

Yellow tea is sensitive to moisture and should only be stored in a cool place. There are a few more tips on how to store tea:

• a dry leaf absorbs odors very quickly, so it is stored separately from “odorous” products, including separately from coffee;
• the tightness of the packaging is the key to preventing oxygen from entering the tea, otherwise the drink loses its freshness, rich aroma and even taste;
• direct sunlight or constant electric light also adversely affect all of the listed qualities;
• a cool place up to 12 degrees and sealed packaging will keep the tea fresh for a long time.

Shelf life of raw materials is 10 - 12 months.

 Tea characteristics

Yellow tea can be distinguished from other types of tea by its characteristic "smoked" aroma. Subtle, but at the same time tart taste, revealing a nutty aftertaste, and a sweetish middle note are typical for the entire line of yellow drink.

The brewed drink has a hint of ripe apricot or young mustard. A pinkish halo forms on the inside of the cup.

Tea leaves of the same batch, all of the same size and covered with a fleecy "fur coat". The kidney species also has the same characteristics.

Yellow tea is made from high quality raw materials and sold in loose form. The bagged yellow tea is most likely a fake product.

The composition of tea and its effect on the body

According to the beneficial properties, the effect exerted on the human body, yellow tea has no equal. Until the 20th century, yellow tea in China was used exclusively for medicinal purposes. It has a positive effect:

• on the immune system;
• restores salt balance;
• surprisingly, along with sedative properties, it relieves fatigue;
• brings the body into a healthy tone, clears the mind;
• It is able to cool the body, therefore it is considered a summer drink, thanks to the same ability it is used to reduce body temperature in patients.

Tea is able to relieve or relieve mild headache, muscle pain, improves brain activity. Removes toxins, cleanses the blood.

The chemical composition of tea

The content of amino acids in yellow tea is 2 times more than in green tea. Chemical composition:

• essential oils;
• alkaloids;
• tannins;
• vitamins (P, PP, B, B1, B2, C);
• minerals (phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium);
• pigments;
• pectin substances;
• proteins;
• amino acids.

Extractive substances of yellow tea - 45.05 percent, and green tea - 43.81%. The unconditional plus of the yellow drink is the lowest caffeine content of 2.5%, while black tea has this figure of more than 3.1%.

Contraindications

As with any product, yellow tea has its own contraindications or indications for reducing intake to 1 cup per day. These states include:

• pregnancy;
• lactation period;
• high blood pressure;
• gastrointestinal disease (reduce consumption to a cup a day);
• acute renal failure;
• migraines (reduce).

There is no open evidence that a Chinese drink can cause obvious harm to the body. However, you should not drink a large amount of strong tea, as well as drink a drink at night.

Types of yellow tea

Compared to green and black teas, yellow is very rare and does not have many varieties in its lineup. However, each of them has its own incomparable taste and aroma. Tea is determined in one form or another according to one of three methods of collection:

• small varieties;
• kidney;
• large varieties.

The most valuable is kidney tea. For its manufacture, only buds from bushes are used. Known varieties:

• "Silver needles from Mount Jun-shan" (Jun-shan Yin Zhen);
• "Yellow Buds of Meng Ding" (Meng Ding Huang Ya).

For the "small tea leaves" variety, buds are harvested, capturing the first and (or) second leaf:

• "Huoshan Huang Ya" "Yellow Kidneys of Hawthorne"
• "Wei Shan Mao Jian";

For large varieties, collectors capture 2 - 3 leaves adjacent to the bud. Huo Shan Huang Da Cha is a favorite representative of yellow tea.

Rating of the best varieties of yellow tea for 2022

Until the 20th century, the recipe for yellow tea was kept in the strictest confidence; today, admirers of elite tea can enjoy the taste of several varieties at once. The rating describes all popular varieties of yellow tea. The advantages and disadvantages of drinks are formed from objective feedback from people. A description of the characteristics of each tea will tell you how to choose a drink according to individual taste preferences.

Small and bud yellow tea

Jun Shan Yin Zhen

This tea variety is exclusively bud. Kidneys for harvesting are collected: fully mature; dense; richly covered with down. Following the technology, first of all, the kidneys are roasted on coals, hence their "smoked" taste and smell. From one mature bush you can get only 1 kg of raw materials, this justifies the high price of the finished product.

The shade of the finished drink is amber, the aroma is tart fragrant.The taste is fresh, tart and velvety. The tea has no aftertaste, stable taste, without stratification into notes. According to customer reviews, tea invigorates and improves mood.

• high content of vitamin C;
• low% caffeine in the composition;
• exceptional taste.

• a number of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• high price: from 1000 for 10 g;
• a large number of fakes and low quality raw materials.

There is a legend: when for the first time the Emperor was served yellow tea Jun Shan Yin Zhen, brewed in a transparent glass, he was surprised by such an unusual "behavior" of tea leaves. Seeing the interest on the face of the Emperor, the adviser said: “When the tea leaves rise, they salute Your Majesty, and when they fall, they bow their heads.” The emperor liked what was said, and the tea was included in the top ten famous imperial teas.

Huo Shan Hua Yang

The history of this variety of yellow tea is also closely connected with the Chinese nobility, since the Tang Dynasty. For a long time, leaf tea was presented to the Manchus as tribute. According to legend, they used the drink, richly flavored with milk, getting incomparable energy from the cocktail. Ho Shan Hua Yang grows in Anhui Province, on the high mountain of Ho Shan.

Collection of tea: bud and leaves (1-2 pcs).

The infusion of tea is transparent, slightly yellowish. There is a long sweet aftertaste. Delicate aroma with distinct notes of baked milk, not everyone will like it. General Taste Characteristics: Woody, floral, very tart.

• the price is lower than for other varieties of yellow drink from 500 r per 50 g;
• unusual milky taste;
• good antidepressant.

• tart taste "for an amateur";
• often in the package there is an admixture of leaves;
• Residents of small towns can only order online.

Wei Shan Mao Jian

Fuzzy Blades - The second name for this highly sought-after Hunan yellow tea comes from its resemblance to a thickly haired blade. Mao Jiang is also listed among the top ten imperial teas. Tea gardens from the Eastern Zhou era are located in the mountainous region of Xinyang, at an altitude of 800 meters.

Large-leaf tea, fatty buds and 2-4 leaves are removed during assembly.

Harvested in the middle of spring, tea is considered the best and, as a rule, is more expensive. Summer raw materials are no longer so fluffy and fragrant.

Here's what you should pay attention to when buying Mao Jiang - the date of harvest.

The active color of the drink is green with a yellowish tinge. There is a subtle aroma of clover and an active aroma of dried fruits. Invigorating sweet taste. Fruity aftertaste. It is recommended to brew leaves in porcelain gaiwan, it is believed that this method fully reveals the taste and smell of the drink.

• amazing fruity taste;
• the taste is preserved for 5-6 brews;
• has a diuretic effect.

• rarity;
• high price 700 rubles. for 10 g;
• taste only for 1-2 brewing.

Meng Ding Huang Ya

Meng Ding huang Ya is grown in the mountains of Meng Ding at an altitude of 1000 m, near Sichuan. Young buds without leaves are involved in the preparation. The technology is similar to the processing of green and other varieties of yellow tea. A distinctive feature of Meng Ding Huang is its unusual taste, in which there is absolutely no taste of sluggish grass. Has a bright floral scent.

According to customer reviews: the drink is similar in aroma to white tea, reminiscent of varieties of tart green teas; tea has an unusual aroma of tomatoes. The color of the drink is pale green. Tea invigorates not immediately, but 2 hours after drinking. Fills with energy. Relieves discomfort. Many appreciated the ability of tea to influence coordination and concentration on the positive side.

• young variety with a high content of vitamins;
• opens with a bud of different flavors;
• adds energy.

• high price from 900 rubles. for 10 g;
• hard to find a real one;
• unscrupulous manufacturers are mixed with flower dust.

Big yellow tea

Huo Shan Da Cha

The younger brother of this variety is Meng Ding Huang Ya, the difference is that Huo Shan Huang Da Cha belongs to the “big varieties” of tea. When assembling, they break: half-opened buds with 3 - 4 adjacent large leaves. At the same time, the drink, like all yellow varieties, is covered with a light layer of fluff.

From the dry leaf comes the smell of dried herbs and fried cereals. The steamed leaf captures notes of pumpkin seeds and vegetables. Tea connoisseurs compare the taste to Huangshan Maofeng.

The taste is dense: grassy, ​​cucumber. Has a light aftertaste.

• tart taste;
• long unobtrusive aftertaste;
• low price 750 rubles for 50 g.

• for Huo Shan Huang Da Cha often give out ordinary green tea;
• with preservation of taste, brewed 1 time;
• purchase via the Internet - a store from a foreign manufacturer.

Conclusion

You can order yellow tea online or buy it in specialized stores in major cities. It is worth paying attention to the expiration date and harvest time, ideally it is the middle of spring or the beginning of summer.Each variety has its own taste qualities, which each person chooses for himself individually. Drink lovers give advice, buy tea visually, checking the purity of the leaf for the presence of herbal impurities, or purchase elite tea only from a trusted manufacturer. And then tea drinking will become an unforgettable pleasure.