The standards for a good cup of tea

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Many people want to buy and drink good tea, but they struggle due to a lack of professional knowledge. Moreover, the quality of different teas varies, which often confuses them. Today, we are introducing this knowledge to you; as long as you master it, you won’t get cheated when buying tea. Behind a cup of good tea lies meticulous attention to every step, from planting the tea plants, harvesting the leaves, to brewing the tea. So what are the standards for good tea? Just as the world of tea ceremony has many diverse aspects, and what each person likes and is passionate about varies, so too is the definition of what makes a cup of tea good – it differs from person to person. However, a good tea in the conventional sense should meet the following criteria: First, the color of the tea soup should be clear; this is the most straightforward way to determine whether it is a good tea. Whether the tea liquor is red, green, black, white, or yellow, what matters is that it be \"clear.\" A clear color not only looks pleasing to the eye but also indicates that: 1. The tea was processed using high-quality methods, with no broken pieces present. 2. It is stored under good conditions, free from dust and mold. 3. Tea is rich in active compounds, which are well released. 4. The brewing method is scientific. Sometimes, due to the method of brewing, good tea can become cloudy; for example, if the water temperature is too high, or if tea leaves with fine hairs are brewed using a forceful pouring method. II. The bitter taste spreads across the tongue’s surface rather than remaining concentrated. A tea that is neither bitter nor bitterish is not true tea; bitterness is an inherent characteristic of tea, but the key lies in whether this bitterness can disperse quickly. If a bitter taste remains in the mouth, the so-called \"tongue sticking\" phenomenon indicates that it is not a good tea. Some people prefer it, and that can only be considered their personal subjective standard. III. No strange odors, unusual smells, or watery taste. 1. Strange odors refer to smells that are not inherent to the tea itself; they usually arise because the tea absorbs other smells during production and storage, such as those of perfume or cosmetics, smoke, or other miscellaneous odors. Because tea has excellent adsorptive properties, it is essential to be careful during production and storage; once strange odors are absorbed, they are almost impossible to remove, and even the best-quality tea can be ruined. 2. Unpleasant taste refers to the unpleasant flavors inherent in the tea itself, such as a musty smell. There are also some tastes that cannot be expressed in words, and they make one feel uncomfortable. Some people say that this is what makes this tea special; don’t listen to their nonsense. An odd taste usually indicates that there is something wrong with the tea, that harmful substances such as Aspergillus are present, and drinking it can be harmful to health. 3. Water taste refers to the separation of the tea flavor from the water taste, resulting in a mild fishy odor. A watery taste often appears when the tea soup becomes weak; good tea does not experience separation of the tea from the water, and it remains mild without any fishy odor. For example, good Longjing tea remains sweet even when the tea soup turns as white as water. IV. Vivid tea leaves: For high-quality tea leaves, regardless of which of the six major tea categories they belong to, vividness is a common characteristic. Freshness of the tea leaves indicates: 1. The raw materials used for making the tea are of high quality. The tea leaves at the bottom represent the reduced form of the tea shoots. 2. The tea is made using good techniques, without being overly rigid in its preparation. 3. Brew properly, allowing the tea leaves to fully expand without over-extracting them and causing them to become mushy. V. Good tea should not contain harmful substances such as pesticide residues; this is the minimum standard for good tea. When drinking tea, one should not prioritize taste satisfaction at the expense of its health benefits. Resolutely reject tea that contains excessive levels of harmful substances such as pesticide residues and heavy metals. VI. Good tea brings joy. Don’t consider this a subjective standard – good tea brings joy because of the aromatic substances and certain components it contains; drinking it promotes the release of dopamine, thereby making one feel happy and alert. On the other hand, poor-quality tea can make one feel more depressed the more they drink it, and the same is true for red wine. So if you’re not sure about any of the above criteria, consider this as the only one to rely on. After all, tea is loved by almost all peoples and cultures in the world, not through education, but due to its inherent qualities: drinking tea brings a sense of comfort. Not all cheap teas are of poor quality, nor are all expensive teas flawless ； The price of tea actually depends on many factors. By constantly pursuing expensive teas, one may end up lost in the vast array of tea options available... By improving one’s skills in choosing tea, it won’t be long before one develops their own understanding of what constitutes good tea, and gains a solid insight into what makes a cup of tea excellent. For those who drink tea, no number of standards can compare to good taste. A cup of tea, a good cup of tea – what matters is the taste.