Introduction: Recently, a tea friend asked on WeChat (dydy880) "Why does Pu'er tea have no shelf life, and black tea have?" In fact, just compare the four aspects of Pu'er tea and black tea production technology, best drinking taste, taste, and drink artistic conception, and you can get the answer. Here is a detailed explanation for tea lovers.
1. Different production processes
Pu'er production processes: picking, drying, finishing, rolling, drying, drying
black tea production processes: picking, withering, rolling, fermenting, baking
Through the comparison of the process, we can most intuitively see that the biggest difference between black tea and Pu'er tea lies in the four links of finishing, drying, fermenting, and baking (drying is a way to wither).
Let’s analyze the respective effects and differences of Pu'er and black tea production processes one by one for tea lovers. Pu'er’s finishing, drying, and fermentation and baking of black tea?
1, killing
Pu'er tea is a post-fermented tea. It is necessary to carry out the execution of the enzyme to inhibit the activity of the enzyme to prevent the rapid oxidation and fermentation of Pu'er tea under the biological oxidation of the enzyme, so that the later storage value of Pu'er tea is reduced or even lost.
black tea is a fully fermented tea, which requires the participation of active enzymes in the tea leaves to complete the full fermentation. If the fishing is completed, the activity of the enzyme will be lost, and the fermentation process will be inhibited and even difficult to proceed, so the fishing cannot be completed.
2, sun-sun
Pu'er tea in order to retain the organic matter and active substances in the tea to the greatest extent, Pu'er tea should naturally sun-sun in the sun when drying, and cannot be dried, otherwise it will reduce its later conversion space.
3, baking
black tea needs to be baked because it wants to enhance the aroma.
Pu'er tea baking will reduce its late conversion space. This is because when Pu'er tea is finished, it only inhibits the activity of the enzyme in the tea instead of destroying it. If baking is done, the activity of the enzyme will be destroyed. Moreover, some active organic matter in Pu'er tea will also lose its activity during baking, and the lack of active enzymes and active organic matter will naturally reduce the later transformation space.
4, fermentation of
black tea requires fermentation, so that its contents are fully stimulated.
If Pu'er tea is fermented, it will reduce its later aging space and reduce its storage value.
2. The best drinking period is different
1. The shelf life of black tea is its best drinking period
. Because the different production processes of black tea are fully fermented tea, the substances contained in it have been stimulated to reach a peak. Although the subsequent storage will still be oxidized, the later storage oxidation of black tea is a destruction of its tea properties . This is also the reason why black tea must be kept sealed and stored. In addition to preventing its aroma from spreading, it also reduces oxidation.
It can be said that black tea is the peak of its taste at the moment it is finished, and then it begins to go downhill. The definition of shelf life in the national standard mentions that items within the shelf life should maintain their unique quality within the shelf life. Therefore, the shelf life of black tea is not only the maximum period for which it can be stored, but also the best drinking period. Now, some vacuum, nitrogen filling and sealing packaging technologies can maintain their taste better.
2. The best drinking period for Pu'er tea needs to appear in the later stage
is different from black tea. It is not recommended to drink Pu'er tea immediately regardless of whether it is raw and ripe. Newly produced tea is relatively cold in nature, and tea polyphenols are low in oxidation and can easily cause tea to get drunk and hurt the stomach when drinking it; newly produced cooked tea is hot in nature and needs to be stored for a period of time.
It can be said that the moment Pu'er tea is finished, it is just in the middle of the taste of Pu'er tea, which is a transitional period. The peak of its taste or the best drinking period will only be revealed after years of polishing.
3. Different tastes of drinking
Black tea and Pu'er tea belong to two different types of tea. Different tea types means different tastes of drinking. For example, Dianhong and Pu'er are both made of Yunnan large-leaf tea , but the taste is completely different.From the perspective of drinking, it is actually nothing more than "taste-friendly". Some people like sweet and mellow black tea, while others like Pu'er with a strong aged fragrance.
The aging fragrance and aging flavor of Pu'er tea need to reach a certain later storage time before it appears. The taste and value of its tasting taste are improved with correct and reasonable storage; while tasting black tea is pursuing its strong fragrance and sweetness. For example, Nanming Jiaren's 2016 Yunnan Black Tea "Hongyan" is now full of delicious aroma and rich honey. Long-term storage will cause the rich aroma of black tea to dissipate, the taste is light, and the taste should be lost. Therefore, tea lovers are advised to taste black tea within 2 to 3 years.
4. Different drinking styles
In recent years, some old Pu'er teas have been auctioned at sky-high prices. For example, on May 15, 2016, at the Dongzheng Spring Auction, at the auction, a 100-year-old "Blue Biao Songpinhao Pu'er Tea" participated in the auction was sold for RMB 8.8 million, and another cake "Red Biao Songpinhao Pu'er round tea " was also sold for RMB 2.6 million. Mr. Deng Shihai's book "Pu'er Tea" says that the Forbidden City tribute tea "is colored, but the tea taste is aging and light." It can be seen that the taste of old tea is second, and it is more of the charm called time it carries, which belongs to the past and growth! The sweetness and mellowness of black tea is the grasp of the current moment. This cup of black tea at this moment is the sweetest and mellowest. If you miss it, you will lose it!
To sum up: the two are made differently, and later storage and conversion is also part of its process for Pu'er tea; the taste of black tea and Pu'er tea is different, and the taste value of black tea will decrease with the passage of time, while Pu'er tea is aged and improved as time goes by; Pu'er is suitable for commemorating the past and witnessing changes, so Pu'er tea does not clearly ensure the quality period, and black tea is suitable for tasting the present and cherishing the present, so black tea has a shelf life.
If you still encounter problems in the preservation, drinking, purchasing and collecting Pu'er tea, please add the personal micro-number of Nanming Jiaren Tea Artist Dong Yue: dydy880 (long press to copy) to communicate and learn.
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Author | Tzuyu, original article from Nan Mingjiaren, authorized to be published by Shuocha.com. Follow Dong Yue Shuocha WeChat: dyshuocha to communicate and interact at any time.
