Since 2006, tea obsession has marked baby steps of my tea journey through the years. There are some useful info and some not. It's time to sort them out and select a few that I feel useful.
This is a rather large tasks for me, so updates will be made continuously in several categories: Phoenix Dan Cong, brewing tips, equipments, understanding of tea beyond leaves.
To start with, information relates to Phoenix - Feng Huang Dan Cong Oolong:
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2007/12/get-to-know-phoenix-dan-cong-1.html
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2007/12/get-to-know-phoenix-tea-2.html
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2008/01/get-to-know-phoenix-dan-cong-3-naming.html
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2008/02/get-to-know-phoenix-dan-cong-4-seasons.html
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2008/02/get-to-know-phoenix-dan-cong-5-old-or.html
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2008/05/get-to-know-phoenix-dan-cong-6-kung-fu.html
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query get to know phoenix tea. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query get to know phoenix tea. Sort by date Show all posts
Friday, February 03, 2012
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Get to know Phoenix Tea (1) - Bird Beak Tea
We see phoenix tea, phoenix Dan Cong tea. What are the difference? Dan Cong - Single bush as we understand from the name. However what is the true meaning of dan cong? In order to explain this, we have to travel back in time a few hundred years to get to know this fabulous tea. Why it is named Phoenix tea, why Dan cong, why shui xian (not to confuse with Wuyi shui xian)? Tea is confusing period, therefore phoenix isn't excluded. Let's travel down the corridor of history and sort this out.
A mythical story often told by the locals of Chao Zhou, the last emperor of Song Dynasty Zhao Jing ran from the Mongolians traveling west from Fu Jian to Guang Dong, stopped briefly on top of Wu Dong mountain. Young Zhao Jing sat down feeling exhausted and thirsty. He asked for tea, but his servant replied where can tea be found on this foggy mountain top with no sight of a dwelling. He cried and kept asking for tea. Dense fog drifted apart, a phoenix appeared in sight with a branch in her mouth, she then dropped the branch by ZJ and flew off above rainbow clouds. ZJ picked up the branch, pondered, he plucked a leaf and placed it in his mouth. He shouted out "It's tea! It's tea brought by a bird's beak." He passed out all the leaves on the branch, leaving 2 husks. Inside the husks are 8 seeds. ZJ planted them on the ground, immediately 8 tea trees came to live, bloomed and fruited. ZJ was ecstatic, spreading all the seeds all over Wu Dong mountain. Tea trees were then spread all over Phoenix mountain range. The locals named it bird beak tea. It's also called Song Zhong - Song varietal. The oldest tea tree alive today on Wu Dong MT is over 900 years old. It's a white leaf Song varietal. The most famous tree on Phoenix mountain, however not very tasty.
An other more convincing theory is phoenix tea leaf shaped like a beak from the side. It's up to you what you want to believe.
A mythical story often told by the locals of Chao Zhou, the last emperor of Song Dynasty Zhao Jing ran from the Mongolians traveling west from Fu Jian to Guang Dong, stopped briefly on top of Wu Dong mountain. Young Zhao Jing sat down feeling exhausted and thirsty. He asked for tea, but his servant replied where can tea be found on this foggy mountain top with no sight of a dwelling. He cried and kept asking for tea. Dense fog drifted apart, a phoenix appeared in sight with a branch in her mouth, she then dropped the branch by ZJ and flew off above rainbow clouds. ZJ picked up the branch, pondered, he plucked a leaf and placed it in his mouth. He shouted out "It's tea! It's tea brought by a bird's beak." He passed out all the leaves on the branch, leaving 2 husks. Inside the husks are 8 seeds. ZJ planted them on the ground, immediately 8 tea trees came to live, bloomed and fruited. ZJ was ecstatic, spreading all the seeds all over Wu Dong mountain. Tea trees were then spread all over Phoenix mountain range. The locals named it bird beak tea. It's also called Song Zhong - Song varietal. The oldest tea tree alive today on Wu Dong MT is over 900 years old. It's a white leaf Song varietal. The most famous tree on Phoenix mountain, however not very tasty.
An other more convincing theory is phoenix tea leaf shaped like a beak from the side. It's up to you what you want to believe.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Get to know Phoenix Dan Cong (6) - Kung Fu tea and Chao Zhou
Eastern Guang Dong province, China contains a terrain of mountains connecting one and other, among them are rivers and valleys. Phoenix Mountain has long been the home of tea plants before 0 AD. A tribal group named Lei Zu lived among Phoenix Mountain for centuries, their primary economy resource was cultivation, tea was a major part of their lives. During Sui dynasty (589 - 618 AD), a massive earthquake cause major wild fire which burnt down most of the plantations including tea trees in the area, only a couple of mountain tops escaped such tragedy, one of them is the now famous Wu Dong Mountain. Part of the Lei population migrated east into Fujian province due to lack of food source since the wild fire. Some local tea varietals followed the migration into Fujian province.
During Tang dynasty, 780 AD, Cha Jing (Tea Classic) already documented tea from Chao Zhou Phoenix mountain. Teas from this region became tribune tea to royal families since for many dynasties to come. Deng Siao Ping favored Phoenix teas during his reign.
Today, the term Song (dynasty) is often seen associated with Phoenix tea, why does it seem like Song dynasty was the beginning of Phoenix tea, when in fact tea history went much further back in time? We can say Song dynasty was the corner stone for future development and spread of Phoenix tea. The beginning of Southern Song dynasty, the entire central government migrated to the south, expanded to Hang Zhou, Wen Zhou and Fu Zhou (now Fujian). With such large populated migration, came with the central China culture, art, science and skills fueling the economy expansion in the south. Southern Song was one of the most prosperous time in Chinese history. Export business began uprising at this important time, which brought in more silver and gold that required to develop extravagant hobbies. Good tea and scholars don't stay far from each other. Tea during this time reached its high point in history. The style, tea ware, daily contest and craziness were at its max. Migration didn't stop there, many Hans moved from Fu Zhou (Fujian) into Guang Dong Chou Zhou, brought oolong tea culture into the area, including the preliminary Kung Fu tea. Kung fu refers to 2 concepts, the processing of oolong tea which takes kung fu (skills) and time, and brewing oolong tea also requires kung fu and time. Given the natural resource of Chao Zhou, kung fu tea culture was refined here for the next few centuries. Chao Zhou local dialect and Min Nan (Southern Fujian) dialect belong to the same Chinese language branch, not the Cantonese language branch even though Chao Zhou is part of Guang Dong, which proves the historical fact of such migration.
Toward late Ming dynasty, China was opened to western countries for the first time, missionaries and trading posts could be found along the southern coast, Fujian and Guang Dong sea ports. Chao Zhou was economically advance at the time, foreign money fueled the extravagant tea habit even further, it's a fashionable status. Everything entailed in Kung fu tea were then fully developed. The artistic value of kung fu tea presentation were the chase of the town. Olive Pitt charcoal was only used by the rich, famous and government officials at the time and today. Others couldn't afford it, use wood charcoal. The kung fu tea culture was widely adopted by the higher up clans and the normal civilians.
Ching dynasty, Dan Cong was developed with special skills. The quality of tea making reached new high, which became the foundation of today's DC. Single bush processing became the signature of Phoenix tea and highly sought after. With a few hundred years of plant and skill development, the maturity of such bushes were destined to be made uniquely.
Song left major foot prints all over Chao Zhou which can be seen today, bridges, temples, stone pavements, schools, particularly central China culture reflecting Song period. Chao Zhou dialect contains some of the ancient Chinese words from the central plain which modern mandarin no longer uses in such context. Cantonese women call their husbands Lao Gong (old male) regardless of age, Chao Zhou women called their husbands 安 An (safe/peaceful), what makes a husband is having a woman under his roof, which is what the Chinese character depicted.
Chao Zhou since then became birth place to many poets, (Zuang Yuen) scholars, generals, successful business men - locally and internationally. Chao Zhou business men are also called the Chinese Jews. Chao Zhou successful business men can be found in Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia for centuries, and US/Europe in recent history. Some of the Forbe's 500 richest men of the world are Chao Zhou men.
Kung Fu tea used to be more famous in South East Asian than in Beijing because of this world wide business expansion. Since the 90's, Kung fu tea is spreading fast and furious north ward in China, tapping into the traditional green tea regions. This momentum is slowly spreading outside of Asia in the last few years as well. Kung Fu tea has never been this recognizable in its history for the last 9 hundred years. It is a proud moment!
During Tang dynasty, 780 AD, Cha Jing (Tea Classic) already documented tea from Chao Zhou Phoenix mountain. Teas from this region became tribune tea to royal families since for many dynasties to come. Deng Siao Ping favored Phoenix teas during his reign.
Today, the term Song (dynasty) is often seen associated with Phoenix tea, why does it seem like Song dynasty was the beginning of Phoenix tea, when in fact tea history went much further back in time? We can say Song dynasty was the corner stone for future development and spread of Phoenix tea. The beginning of Southern Song dynasty, the entire central government migrated to the south, expanded to Hang Zhou, Wen Zhou and Fu Zhou (now Fujian). With such large populated migration, came with the central China culture, art, science and skills fueling the economy expansion in the south. Southern Song was one of the most prosperous time in Chinese history. Export business began uprising at this important time, which brought in more silver and gold that required to develop extravagant hobbies. Good tea and scholars don't stay far from each other. Tea during this time reached its high point in history. The style, tea ware, daily contest and craziness were at its max. Migration didn't stop there, many Hans moved from Fu Zhou (Fujian) into Guang Dong Chou Zhou, brought oolong tea culture into the area, including the preliminary Kung Fu tea. Kung fu refers to 2 concepts, the processing of oolong tea which takes kung fu (skills) and time, and brewing oolong tea also requires kung fu and time. Given the natural resource of Chao Zhou, kung fu tea culture was refined here for the next few centuries. Chao Zhou local dialect and Min Nan (Southern Fujian) dialect belong to the same Chinese language branch, not the Cantonese language branch even though Chao Zhou is part of Guang Dong, which proves the historical fact of such migration.
Toward late Ming dynasty, China was opened to western countries for the first time, missionaries and trading posts could be found along the southern coast, Fujian and Guang Dong sea ports. Chao Zhou was economically advance at the time, foreign money fueled the extravagant tea habit even further, it's a fashionable status. Everything entailed in Kung fu tea were then fully developed. The artistic value of kung fu tea presentation were the chase of the town. Olive Pitt charcoal was only used by the rich, famous and government officials at the time and today. Others couldn't afford it, use wood charcoal. The kung fu tea culture was widely adopted by the higher up clans and the normal civilians.
Ching dynasty, Dan Cong was developed with special skills. The quality of tea making reached new high, which became the foundation of today's DC. Single bush processing became the signature of Phoenix tea and highly sought after. With a few hundred years of plant and skill development, the maturity of such bushes were destined to be made uniquely.
Song left major foot prints all over Chao Zhou which can be seen today, bridges, temples, stone pavements, schools, particularly central China culture reflecting Song period. Chao Zhou dialect contains some of the ancient Chinese words from the central plain which modern mandarin no longer uses in such context. Cantonese women call their husbands Lao Gong (old male) regardless of age, Chao Zhou women called their husbands 安 An (safe/peaceful), what makes a husband is having a woman under his roof, which is what the Chinese character depicted.
Chao Zhou since then became birth place to many poets, (Zuang Yuen) scholars, generals, successful business men - locally and internationally. Chao Zhou business men are also called the Chinese Jews. Chao Zhou successful business men can be found in Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia for centuries, and US/Europe in recent history. Some of the Forbe's 500 richest men of the world are Chao Zhou men.
Kung Fu tea used to be more famous in South East Asian than in Beijing because of this world wide business expansion. Since the 90's, Kung fu tea is spreading fast and furious north ward in China, tapping into the traditional green tea regions. This momentum is slowly spreading outside of Asia in the last few years as well. Kung Fu tea has never been this recognizable in its history for the last 9 hundred years. It is a proud moment!
Monday, January 07, 2008
Get to know Phoenix Dan Cong (3) - Naming
Names of Phoenix Dan Cong are as complicated and unsystematic as it can be. Only in the last 50+ years, the communist party put some order to it, however it's intended to organize and expand the commercial market. Names of old trees remained lack of system. Top 10 fragrance DCs were registered then, namely:
Yu Lan Xiang - magnolia flower fragrance 玉蘭香
Huang Zhi Xiang - orange flower fragrance 黄枝香
Xing Ren Xiang - Almond flavor 杏仁香
Zhi Lan Xiang - Orchid fragrance 芝蘭香
Mi4 Lan Xiang - Honey Orchid fragrance 蜜蘭香
Gui Hua Xiang - Osmanthus fragrance 桂花香
You Hua Xiang - Pomelo/grapefruit flower fragrance 柚花香
Jiang Hua Xiang - Ginger flower fragrance 姜花香
Rou Gui Xiang - Cinnamon flavor (not the same as Wuyi Rou Gui) 肉桂香
Mi3 Lan Xiang - Milan flower fragrance 米蘭香 - tinny grain size yellow flowering plant from the southern provinces of China)
These are signature well known fragrance types of Phoenix teas, also used as commercial product names for clones. For old trees, although they have the same fragrance, most of them are named individually. Many trees have similar fragrance but not entirely the same. Clones of such trees are group together under the same fragrance type tea.
Zhi Lan Xiang for example, there are 2 mother trees, 2 out the top 4 mother trees on WU Dong Mountain. Late Ching dynasty, a tea farmer cloned some branches from the 2 trees, planted them around Phoenix mountain, 8 of the cloned survived and still living today, the 8 locations simulate 8 deities crossing the sea, hence these cloned trees are now called Ba Xian Guo Hai (short for Ba Xian).
There are 40+ varietals that can produce the flavor of Huang Zhi Xiang, Ao Fu Hou is one of the mother trees out of the 40. Each village named their own HZX or any varietal for that mater after their village names or mountain name. ie Wu Dong HZX, Shi Tou HZX. There are Qing Xiang - light fragrance varietals, also Nong Xiang - intense fragrance varietals. Huang Zhi Xiang is the largest production of the top 10 fragrance.
Names of Phoenix tea can be roughly separated into 3 concepts, commercial products, old tree names, and finishing product names of old trees.
Names of old bushes can be anything you can imagine. These names do not change much. Thief Shit, Duck Shit, Old Duck, Big Dark Leaf, Song Zhong, Song Zhong Jai (Next generation Song Zhong), Jiang Mu Xiang (Ginger Mom), Red Lady Umbrella, Dong Fang Hong (Same as Song Zhong, changed to DFH for Chairman Mao), etc.. just to name a few out of many many old trees. It can be named by shape of leaves, color of leaves, location of tree, shape of tree, mythes, historic events, etc. Just about anything you want to name it after, not logical, not scientific, not systematic.
The term Song Zhong is still confusing to me. I know an old bush is named Song Zhong, its descendants are also named beginning with Song Zhong, such as Song Zhong Jai, or Song Zhong Jiang Hua Xiang. Also it can be used as an over all varietal for Phoenix tea because it was discovered in Song dynasty. Some people say only trees still alive from Song is considered as Song Zhong.
Finished teas from old trees are name differently base on quality. When fresh leaves from the same tree were divided into 2 productions, one might be better in quality than the other, therefore there will be 2 names for the batches from the same tree. For example, Po Tou and Po Tou Hao, they are both from the same trees in separate batches, Po Tou Hao is better in quality than Po Tou, if you don't already know what Hao means in Chinese, Hao means good. Not too scientific but does the job in distinguishing the 2 batches. The reason for different productions (all spring harvest) is early and later harvest, separated only by days.
Many of the names are local Chao Zhou dialects and slangs which makes it hard to understand even for Chinese of other parts of China. This is a disadvantage for Phoenix Dan Cong. Small production, intense labor, confusing names made marketing DC difficult. True Dan Congs are hidden gems by all means, both in Chinese market and across seas.
Quality of finishing DC tea is a god willing decision. No man can control the out come, not even the best tea masters! It takes good trees, good weather and good skills to make good tea. Only 2/3 of the old trees were made well each year, mainly due to rainy weather. And not one tree can make excellent tea every year. Same tree can sell for two even three times more in different years base on the quality of that year.
In order to know Phoenix tea well, it's a lengthy challenge. The locals say it takes 3 years to learn how to drink DC as a consumer. First to learn is the seasonal flavor, then the mountain flavor, then elevation, then fragrance, then old trees, then as many old trees as you can, eventually the best production of the best tree of the year which is probably not obtainable even if you had money. The highest price DC of 2007 is $6000+ per 500 g, mao cha only - straight from the farmer. Yes, it's USD.
As a tea merchant, there are so much more to learn than how to drink a Dan Cong tea. Identifying a tea by dry leaves, color of tea, wet leaves, what gives floral aroma, what gives honey flavor, what season is it, blended or not, how well is the fermentation, etc etc... It's over whelming but extremely interesting.
Yu Lan Xiang - magnolia flower fragrance 玉蘭香
Huang Zhi Xiang - orange flower fragrance 黄枝香
Xing Ren Xiang - Almond flavor 杏仁香
Zhi Lan Xiang - Orchid fragrance 芝蘭香
Mi4 Lan Xiang - Honey Orchid fragrance 蜜蘭香
Gui Hua Xiang - Osmanthus fragrance 桂花香
You Hua Xiang - Pomelo/grapefruit flower fragrance 柚花香
Jiang Hua Xiang - Ginger flower fragrance 姜花香
Rou Gui Xiang - Cinnamon flavor (not the same as Wuyi Rou Gui) 肉桂香
Mi3 Lan Xiang - Milan flower fragrance 米蘭香 - tinny grain size yellow flowering plant from the southern provinces of China)
These are signature well known fragrance types of Phoenix teas, also used as commercial product names for clones. For old trees, although they have the same fragrance, most of them are named individually. Many trees have similar fragrance but not entirely the same. Clones of such trees are group together under the same fragrance type tea.
Zhi Lan Xiang for example, there are 2 mother trees, 2 out the top 4 mother trees on WU Dong Mountain. Late Ching dynasty, a tea farmer cloned some branches from the 2 trees, planted them around Phoenix mountain, 8 of the cloned survived and still living today, the 8 locations simulate 8 deities crossing the sea, hence these cloned trees are now called Ba Xian Guo Hai (short for Ba Xian).
There are 40+ varietals that can produce the flavor of Huang Zhi Xiang, Ao Fu Hou is one of the mother trees out of the 40. Each village named their own HZX or any varietal for that mater after their village names or mountain name. ie Wu Dong HZX, Shi Tou HZX. There are Qing Xiang - light fragrance varietals, also Nong Xiang - intense fragrance varietals. Huang Zhi Xiang is the largest production of the top 10 fragrance.
Names of Phoenix tea can be roughly separated into 3 concepts, commercial products, old tree names, and finishing product names of old trees.
Names of old bushes can be anything you can imagine. These names do not change much. Thief Shit, Duck Shit, Old Duck, Big Dark Leaf, Song Zhong, Song Zhong Jai (Next generation Song Zhong), Jiang Mu Xiang (Ginger Mom), Red Lady Umbrella, Dong Fang Hong (Same as Song Zhong, changed to DFH for Chairman Mao), etc.. just to name a few out of many many old trees. It can be named by shape of leaves, color of leaves, location of tree, shape of tree, mythes, historic events, etc. Just about anything you want to name it after, not logical, not scientific, not systematic.
The term Song Zhong is still confusing to me. I know an old bush is named Song Zhong, its descendants are also named beginning with Song Zhong, such as Song Zhong Jai, or Song Zhong Jiang Hua Xiang. Also it can be used as an over all varietal for Phoenix tea because it was discovered in Song dynasty. Some people say only trees still alive from Song is considered as Song Zhong.
Finished teas from old trees are name differently base on quality. When fresh leaves from the same tree were divided into 2 productions, one might be better in quality than the other, therefore there will be 2 names for the batches from the same tree. For example, Po Tou and Po Tou Hao, they are both from the same trees in separate batches, Po Tou Hao is better in quality than Po Tou, if you don't already know what Hao means in Chinese, Hao means good. Not too scientific but does the job in distinguishing the 2 batches. The reason for different productions (all spring harvest) is early and later harvest, separated only by days.
Many of the names are local Chao Zhou dialects and slangs which makes it hard to understand even for Chinese of other parts of China. This is a disadvantage for Phoenix Dan Cong. Small production, intense labor, confusing names made marketing DC difficult. True Dan Congs are hidden gems by all means, both in Chinese market and across seas.
Quality of finishing DC tea is a god willing decision. No man can control the out come, not even the best tea masters! It takes good trees, good weather and good skills to make good tea. Only 2/3 of the old trees were made well each year, mainly due to rainy weather. And not one tree can make excellent tea every year. Same tree can sell for two even three times more in different years base on the quality of that year.
In order to know Phoenix tea well, it's a lengthy challenge. The locals say it takes 3 years to learn how to drink DC as a consumer. First to learn is the seasonal flavor, then the mountain flavor, then elevation, then fragrance, then old trees, then as many old trees as you can, eventually the best production of the best tree of the year which is probably not obtainable even if you had money. The highest price DC of 2007 is $6000+ per 500 g, mao cha only - straight from the farmer. Yes, it's USD.
As a tea merchant, there are so much more to learn than how to drink a Dan Cong tea. Identifying a tea by dry leaves, color of tea, wet leaves, what gives floral aroma, what gives honey flavor, what season is it, blended or not, how well is the fermentation, etc etc... It's over whelming but extremely interesting.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Get to know Phoenix Tea (2) - Modern day and grading
Phoenix Shui Xian is the official name for teas grown on the Phoenix mountain ranges. 1956 was the birth year of the name Phoenix Shui Xian, grouping all varietals on the Phoenix mountain ranges. In 1985, the government certified Phoenix Shui Xian as national premium tea varietal.
Phoenix Shui Xian is not the same or related to Wuyi Shui Xian. Wuyi SX is a varietal with its own specific flavor. Phoenix Shui Xian on the other hand consist many varietals and flavors. The more appropriate comparison of the two would be Phoenix Shui Xian to Wuyi Rock, Honey Orchid to Wuyi Shui Xian.
Phoenix Shui Xian in the old days were spread out amount the ranges of Phoenix mountain between 700 to 1100 meter above sea level. In modern days, tea plantations are everywhere including lower altitude hills. Here resides some of the oldest wild tea tree varietals, Hong Yin for example. It's hearty and rough in taste, not suitable for drinking when young. Locals store them for 30 years as medicine. Believe to have cooling property.
Phoenix Shui Xian are small arbor trees, require intense and slow labor for harvesting. Phoenix Shui Xian traditionally were propagated by seeds, hence each tree is different from another due to mutation. Flavor is different, aroma is different, shapes and colors are different. Not wanting to mix the flavors together, the locals collect and process one tree at a time. Years of separation and experimentation, Dan Cong bushes are identified by its outstanding properties.
There are 3 sub divisions from the main category Phoenix Shui Xian: Dan Cong, Lang Cai and Shui Xian by grade. Within each sub division, there are 4 more grades of each. Special grade, first grade, second grade and third grade. Each grade has 3 ranks. Total of 36 grade/rankings. For example, Lang Cai 3rd grade 3rd rank is better than Shui Xian special grade 1st rank. Dan cong 3rd grade 3rd rank is better than Lang Cai special grade 1st rank.
Shui Xian being the lowest due to the low grade of fresh leaves being used and processing of Shui Xian is also less cared for. The final taste determines what grade they belong to within the sub division.
Lang Cai is better than Shui Xian by the same theory, better grade of fresh leaves were used, and processing is slightly more complicated during the fermentation step.
Dan Cong being the highest grade due to careful selection from the vest number of Phoenix Shui Xian tea trees. Most of us already know Dan Cong means single bush. In the past, these single bushes were harvested and processed one tree at a time. Today, single bush processing is still very much practicing and strong, averaging 3 lbs production per tree. They just don't get to travel out of the country across the sea much if at all. Most of them don't even get out of Chao Zhou.
You may wonder why there are so many DC out there for cheap. No, they are not fake, at least not from the ethical sellers. In modern days, cloning technology is widely used by tea plantations. The advantages of cloning is more than economical. The most important is preserving DNA of the single bushes, the aroma, the shape, the flavor of mother trees. But do not expect these new trees will taste exactly the same as the mother trees. Age of the trees also dictates the maturity and richness of the flavor. Older the wiser for human! Older the tastier for tea! Cloning does speed up propagation, and by doing so plantations can multiply its size at lightening speed, producing a lot of teas for commercial trading. Because the clones are coming from DC trees, they are marketed as DC as commercial products. It's a commercial product name, just like commercial Da Hong Pao. For defense of the name Dan Cong, there are true single processed bushes today. It's not a myth of the past. You just have to find it!
Phoenix Shui Xian is not the same or related to Wuyi Shui Xian. Wuyi SX is a varietal with its own specific flavor. Phoenix Shui Xian on the other hand consist many varietals and flavors. The more appropriate comparison of the two would be Phoenix Shui Xian to Wuyi Rock, Honey Orchid to Wuyi Shui Xian.
Phoenix Shui Xian in the old days were spread out amount the ranges of Phoenix mountain between 700 to 1100 meter above sea level. In modern days, tea plantations are everywhere including lower altitude hills. Here resides some of the oldest wild tea tree varietals, Hong Yin for example. It's hearty and rough in taste, not suitable for drinking when young. Locals store them for 30 years as medicine. Believe to have cooling property.
Phoenix Shui Xian are small arbor trees, require intense and slow labor for harvesting. Phoenix Shui Xian traditionally were propagated by seeds, hence each tree is different from another due to mutation. Flavor is different, aroma is different, shapes and colors are different. Not wanting to mix the flavors together, the locals collect and process one tree at a time. Years of separation and experimentation, Dan Cong bushes are identified by its outstanding properties.
There are 3 sub divisions from the main category Phoenix Shui Xian: Dan Cong, Lang Cai and Shui Xian by grade. Within each sub division, there are 4 more grades of each. Special grade, first grade, second grade and third grade. Each grade has 3 ranks. Total of 36 grade/rankings. For example, Lang Cai 3rd grade 3rd rank is better than Shui Xian special grade 1st rank. Dan cong 3rd grade 3rd rank is better than Lang Cai special grade 1st rank.
Shui Xian being the lowest due to the low grade of fresh leaves being used and processing of Shui Xian is also less cared for. The final taste determines what grade they belong to within the sub division.
Lang Cai is better than Shui Xian by the same theory, better grade of fresh leaves were used, and processing is slightly more complicated during the fermentation step.
Dan Cong being the highest grade due to careful selection from the vest number of Phoenix Shui Xian tea trees. Most of us already know Dan Cong means single bush. In the past, these single bushes were harvested and processed one tree at a time. Today, single bush processing is still very much practicing and strong, averaging 3 lbs production per tree. They just don't get to travel out of the country across the sea much if at all. Most of them don't even get out of Chao Zhou.
You may wonder why there are so many DC out there for cheap. No, they are not fake, at least not from the ethical sellers. In modern days, cloning technology is widely used by tea plantations. The advantages of cloning is more than economical. The most important is preserving DNA of the single bushes, the aroma, the shape, the flavor of mother trees. But do not expect these new trees will taste exactly the same as the mother trees. Age of the trees also dictates the maturity and richness of the flavor. Older the wiser for human! Older the tastier for tea! Cloning does speed up propagation, and by doing so plantations can multiply its size at lightening speed, producing a lot of teas for commercial trading. Because the clones are coming from DC trees, they are marketed as DC as commercial products. It's a commercial product name, just like commercial Da Hong Pao. For defense of the name Dan Cong, there are true single processed bushes today. It's not a myth of the past. You just have to find it!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Who's mistaking?!
I found this article online and dumbfounded! Especially coming from a reputable tea shop.
http://camelliasinensisblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/clearing-up-common-mistake-what-dan.html
Let's get to the point here.
Quote: Actually, while dan cong (单丛) literally means "single bush," it doesn't refer to how the tea was picked. It's a botanical term relating to the morphology of the tea bush. While most tea bushes emerge from the ground in a cluster of branches, the uncommon dan cong variety emerges as a single trunk that branches off higher up the stem.
From what I am reading here, the writer said Dan Cong is a single trunk tree that branches off higher up the stem, therefore Dan Cong is named as Single (trunk) tree/bush which has nothing to do with how it's processed. But most of the tea bushes (excluding DC) emerge from the ground in a cluster of branches, therefore not called single (trunk) tree/bush.
Some one found this online about Phoenix DC in Chinese:
http://www.hudong.com/wiki/%E5%87%A4%E5%87%B0%E5%8D%95%E4%B8%9B%E8%8C%B6
Quote: 凤凰单丛茶属乌龙茶类，始创于明代，以产自潮安县凤凰镇乌岽山，并经单株（丛）采收、单株（丛）加工而得名。
Translation: Phoenix Dan Cong is catagorized as Oolong tea, development began in Ming Dynasty, produced in Chao An County, Phoenix Town, Wu Dong Mountain, gained its name Dan Cong (single bush) based on harvested and processed single bush/tree/plant indivdually.
Development of Dan Cong teas in modern days: http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2007/09/phoenix-dan-cong-is-oolong-tea-has-long.html
Let's see some pictures here:
Zhi Lan Xiang - local name is Ji Long Han - Chicken Cage, 7 branches from the ground up (click on picture for larger image). 4.87 meters tall, tree crown is 5x2.1 meters, produced 4.65 kilo of tea (finished product) in 2007 Spring, 5.5 kilos in 2008.
Mi Lan Xiang - Honey orchid, 8 branches from ground up.
Rou Gui Xiang - Cinnamon Aroma, 1 main trunk, 2 split branches at 0.56 meters above ground, annual production is 5 kilos tea (finished product).
In fact, majority of the Dan Cong tea trees/bushes are branched off from the ground up, rarely a single trunk as the Rou Gui Xiang tree in above picture.
Quote: Unfortunately, tea sellers who have never visited tea farms and don't know tea all the way from the farm to the cup have misinterpreted the literal meaning of the Chinese characters and spread misinformation about dan cong tea. These inaccuracies have quickly propagated via the internet. If you've ever been to a tea farm or seen tea bushes out in the wild, you know that with a typical ratio of 8-10 kilos of fresh tea leaves required to make a kilo of tea, there's no way a single bush could generate a marketable quantity of tea, even if you killed it by stripping off virtually every leaf!
Let's say the writer has visited the farms in Phoenix Mountain. Does that mean commercial products are all there is to this tea region? If so the writer had visited region and had not seen the old bushes and tasted the teas processed single tree at a time, mostly grown amongst homes and not in a FARM, that just means he hadn't seem much of the hills. If this is all the writer learn about this tea at the mountain of Phoenix, he is the one should spend more time learning the truth before spreading inaccuracies which might quickly propagate via the internet.
A tree at height of 5.8 meters, covering 6.5x6.8 meters area produces barely 9 kilos of tea does require 35 kilos of fresh leaves. My suggestion is for the writer to find a tree (any tree) of similar size as mentioned, strip the damn tree naked and see how many kilos of fresh leaves (dried leaves on the ground does not count) can be collected. I am so darn curious to find out the out come.
Speaking of Dan Cong oolong only here: average production per single tree is 1.5 kilos, with the ratio of 35 to 9, each tree produces 6 kilos of collectible fresh leaves suitable for tea making per year, excluding older leaves. Growing up in the midwest, I had done some yard work of raking fallen leaves. I guess that will never happen to someone lives in San Francisco. Let me tell you, even fallen dried leaves of a tree in size of the above mentioned tree, that's a hell lot of work and bags of them each fall.
Marketable quantity is what? Mass production is what's available on the market, accessible to the mass population. Small 1 lb quantity is not mass production that's available in a niche market (at one store only). If large quantity is your game, that also speaks the quality of the business run by such mentality and that's find with me. The mass population have no problem with it, nor do I.
I hope the lesson we learn here, including myself, when we post something online, we are responsible for what we say, not just the self believing "truth" when it comes to the principles of facts. Especially when someone out there believe what you say. It's funny to tell a joke or stretch the truth. However when it comes to claiming the authority of the truth, please be well informed with proof then say so. Selling tea for many years makes one a businessman with some knowledge, brewing knowledge at best, definitely not the authority in production and cultivation! Learning the back ground and history of a tea is fairly important, get that straight before "My words are golden because I said so".
http://camelliasinensisblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/clearing-up-common-mistake-what-dan.html
Let's get to the point here.
Quote: Actually, while dan cong (单丛) literally means "single bush," it doesn't refer to how the tea was picked. It's a botanical term relating to the morphology of the tea bush. While most tea bushes emerge from the ground in a cluster of branches, the uncommon dan cong variety emerges as a single trunk that branches off higher up the stem.
From what I am reading here, the writer said Dan Cong is a single trunk tree that branches off higher up the stem, therefore Dan Cong is named as Single (trunk) tree/bush which has nothing to do with how it's processed. But most of the tea bushes (excluding DC) emerge from the ground in a cluster of branches, therefore not called single (trunk) tree/bush.
Some one found this online about Phoenix DC in Chinese:
http://www.hudong.com/wiki/%E5%87%A4%E5%87%B0%E5%8D%95%E4%B8%9B%E8%8C%B6
Quote: 凤凰单丛茶属乌龙茶类，始创于明代，以产自潮安县凤凰镇乌岽山，并经单株（丛）采收、单株（丛）加工而得名。
Translation: Phoenix Dan Cong is catagorized as Oolong tea, development began in Ming Dynasty, produced in Chao An County, Phoenix Town, Wu Dong Mountain, gained its name Dan Cong (single bush) based on harvested and processed single bush/tree/plant indivdually.
Development of Dan Cong teas in modern days: http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2007/09/phoenix-dan-cong-is-oolong-tea-has-long.html
Let's see some pictures here:
Zhi Lan Xiang - local name is Ji Long Han - Chicken Cage, 7 branches from the ground up (click on picture for larger image). 4.87 meters tall, tree crown is 5x2.1 meters, produced 4.65 kilo of tea (finished product) in 2007 Spring, 5.5 kilos in 2008.
Mi Lan Xiang - Honey orchid, 8 branches from ground up.
Rou Gui Xiang - Cinnamon Aroma, 1 main trunk, 2 split branches at 0.56 meters above ground, annual production is 5 kilos tea (finished product).
In fact, majority of the Dan Cong tea trees/bushes are branched off from the ground up, rarely a single trunk as the Rou Gui Xiang tree in above picture.Quote: Unfortunately, tea sellers who have never visited tea farms and don't know tea all the way from the farm to the cup have misinterpreted the literal meaning of the Chinese characters and spread misinformation about dan cong tea. These inaccuracies have quickly propagated via the internet. If you've ever been to a tea farm or seen tea bushes out in the wild, you know that with a typical ratio of 8-10 kilos of fresh tea leaves required to make a kilo of tea, there's no way a single bush could generate a marketable quantity of tea, even if you killed it by stripping off virtually every leaf!
Let's say the writer has visited the farms in Phoenix Mountain. Does that mean commercial products are all there is to this tea region? If so the writer had visited region and had not seen the old bushes and tasted the teas processed single tree at a time, mostly grown amongst homes and not in a FARM, that just means he hadn't seem much of the hills. If this is all the writer learn about this tea at the mountain of Phoenix, he is the one should spend more time learning the truth before spreading inaccuracies which might quickly propagate via the internet.
A tree at height of 5.8 meters, covering 6.5x6.8 meters area produces barely 9 kilos of tea does require 35 kilos of fresh leaves. My suggestion is for the writer to find a tree (any tree) of similar size as mentioned, strip the damn tree naked and see how many kilos of fresh leaves (dried leaves on the ground does not count) can be collected. I am so darn curious to find out the out come.
Speaking of Dan Cong oolong only here: average production per single tree is 1.5 kilos, with the ratio of 35 to 9, each tree produces 6 kilos of collectible fresh leaves suitable for tea making per year, excluding older leaves. Growing up in the midwest, I had done some yard work of raking fallen leaves. I guess that will never happen to someone lives in San Francisco. Let me tell you, even fallen dried leaves of a tree in size of the above mentioned tree, that's a hell lot of work and bags of them each fall.
Marketable quantity is what? Mass production is what's available on the market, accessible to the mass population. Small 1 lb quantity is not mass production that's available in a niche market (at one store only). If large quantity is your game, that also speaks the quality of the business run by such mentality and that's find with me. The mass population have no problem with it, nor do I.
I hope the lesson we learn here, including myself, when we post something online, we are responsible for what we say, not just the self believing "truth" when it comes to the principles of facts. Especially when someone out there believe what you say. It's funny to tell a joke or stretch the truth. However when it comes to claiming the authority of the truth, please be well informed with proof then say so. Selling tea for many years makes one a businessman with some knowledge, brewing knowledge at best, definitely not the authority in production and cultivation! Learning the back ground and history of a tea is fairly important, get that straight before "My words are golden because I said so".
Monday, July 14, 2008
Book of Phoenix Tea
My greatest teacher/mentor/tea-master who has enlighten me everything about Phoenix Dan Cong plus much much more other tea related knowledge will have his book of Phoenix Tea published in Chinese some time in October. Being his oversea disciple, I will be involved in translating the book to English. The translated version will be available online at no cost by the end of the year (wishful thinking), printed version will be available afterwards (not sure how much later).
He is the greatest in my eyes, may not be to others which isn't important to me. Encouraging, patient, knowledgeable, great writer in Chinese, humble (looks like a farmer in the boonie), a man with an old soul! National certified tea judge. Professor at a local University teaching tea agriculture. Owner of 450 acres of tea farm, speaker and member of national tea association, appeared in multiple media documentary films promoting Phoenix Oolong tea, born in a tea family and married his wife whose also born in a tea family 20+ years ago. The cutest dowry one can offer: 30 years old Hong Yin tea from the wife's family! I'd marry her if she offered me 30 years old Hong Yin. :D I believe these teas are still in possession today.
He has profound impact on my life other than tea, many philosophies derive from tea and vice versa. We human are part of nature, it is natural to find inspiration from a simple tea leaf. Tea culture is a large significant part of Chinese culture, ones aura can be mirrored through tea in life. This is how profound and deep tea (culture) can be! I am grateful my mentor has introduced me to this realm of tea sphere. Without him, my emphasize could not transcend from how to brew a cup of tea to a better person happens to know how to brew a cup of tea.
This is one of the reasons I have disappeared from the net for a while. It's wild and crazy with everything going on.
Yahoo is acting up, I don't seem to receive comment notification any more. I apologize for the lack of respond. Please forgive me!
I'll get back to my crazy work load. I'll still report tea related news when I get a chance. Until next time, you all have wonderful teas!
He is the greatest in my eyes, may not be to others which isn't important to me. Encouraging, patient, knowledgeable, great writer in Chinese, humble (looks like a farmer in the boonie), a man with an old soul! National certified tea judge. Professor at a local University teaching tea agriculture. Owner of 450 acres of tea farm, speaker and member of national tea association, appeared in multiple media documentary films promoting Phoenix Oolong tea, born in a tea family and married his wife whose also born in a tea family 20+ years ago. The cutest dowry one can offer: 30 years old Hong Yin tea from the wife's family! I'd marry her if she offered me 30 years old Hong Yin. :D I believe these teas are still in possession today.
He has profound impact on my life other than tea, many philosophies derive from tea and vice versa. We human are part of nature, it is natural to find inspiration from a simple tea leaf. Tea culture is a large significant part of Chinese culture, ones aura can be mirrored through tea in life. This is how profound and deep tea (culture) can be! I am grateful my mentor has introduced me to this realm of tea sphere. Without him, my emphasize could not transcend from how to brew a cup of tea to a better person happens to know how to brew a cup of tea.
This is one of the reasons I have disappeared from the net for a while. It's wild and crazy with everything going on.
Yahoo is acting up, I don't seem to receive comment notification any more. I apologize for the lack of respond. Please forgive me!
I'll get back to my crazy work load. I'll still report tea related news when I get a chance. Until next time, you all have wonderful teas!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Get to know Phoenix Dan Cong (5) - Old or young
Dan Cong can be rare due to its old age and limited production, but is it necessary better? Here are some of the distinctions between the old and the young.
Under normal growing condition - low altitude with dramatic seasonal temperature changes, tea tree's live cycle peeks around 60 to 75 years old, then it starts to decline and die soon after. During this live cycle, early years is growing cycle, like a baby grows to expand limps, in the case of tea tree branches and root system. However young trees are fragile and weak, hence teas produced from young trees are thin and flat in taste and texture.
As a tree grows into 20's and 30's, the tree is strong and vibrant, with sufficient fertilization, leaves are strong and meaty, production is high. At this stage, flavor starts to develop, but not complex.
At age of 40 to 50's, tree is at its prime, production is high with complex flavor.
At 60's and 70's, the flavor is most complex, however production declines.
Flavor: Tannin is significantly more than older bushes, hence it can be bitter and astringent if brewed too long. Aroma is very up front, sure to give an impression. Texture is thin with sweet honey taste. Young and wild, beautiful and temperamental. Well made teas can last 7 to 10+ brews. Well made commercial teas have an even uniformed look due to production availability. Commercial teas are further separated by size according to grades.
What preserves the longevity of a tea tree one may ask?! Slow growth in cool (not cold) climate with little direct sun ray. High altitude mountain sides facing south-east produce the best teas in the world.
Tea trees are adaptable to shaded environment. High altitude mountains are covered with dense fog for many hours each day, providing moisture and nutrients to the leaves. Dense fog also block off direct sunlight yet allow ultra violet ray to penetrate the cloud layer that photo cells need to transform nutrients into energy. Without direct sunlight, temperature remains low until later in the day when fog layers are cleared. Trees on the south east side of the hill side does not get much direct sunlight even the fog layers are cleared. The hottest sunlight is in early afternoon, which is all over the other side of the hill. Leaves and branches grow slowly in this climate, at the same time root system develops fast with all the nutrients absorbed from the leaves. Big root system and slow growth mean lots nutrients are being stored in each leaf. Older the tree slower the growth.
Flavor wise, aroma is less pronounced as younger trees, taste is complex with multiple layers. Each leaf contains 37% dissolvable substance, ranging 40 to 60+ chemicals by varietal, there is much to discover in your cup of phoenix tea! 20+ up to 35 brews is not uncommon. Its smooth, round texture and lingering after taste are signifier of old bush. Rich but introverted. Old bush teas are some what uneven in look, there are young leaves, matured (not old) leaves, rolled up or open, long whole leaves mixed with a few cut up ones. It contains everything harvested from the same tree without separation by grade. Because of this very practice, it further adds layers of complexity to the flavor of these old bush teas.
Although some may prefer the aroma over taste, old bush taste is not for everyone, definitely takes time and much drinking to learn its beauty. Comparison will reveal quality fairly. I usually advice my customers drink the young before the old, knowing the old will over power the young. However many are caught in the aroma. If you had more than enough for one session, try tasting the young right after the old. Oh well, I'll probably be stuck with all the young crops once everyone discovered the secret. :P
Under normal growing condition - low altitude with dramatic seasonal temperature changes, tea tree's live cycle peeks around 60 to 75 years old, then it starts to decline and die soon after. During this live cycle, early years is growing cycle, like a baby grows to expand limps, in the case of tea tree branches and root system. However young trees are fragile and weak, hence teas produced from young trees are thin and flat in taste and texture.
As a tree grows into 20's and 30's, the tree is strong and vibrant, with sufficient fertilization, leaves are strong and meaty, production is high. At this stage, flavor starts to develop, but not complex.
At age of 40 to 50's, tree is at its prime, production is high with complex flavor.
At 60's and 70's, the flavor is most complex, however production declines.
Flavor: Tannin is significantly more than older bushes, hence it can be bitter and astringent if brewed too long. Aroma is very up front, sure to give an impression. Texture is thin with sweet honey taste. Young and wild, beautiful and temperamental. Well made teas can last 7 to 10+ brews. Well made commercial teas have an even uniformed look due to production availability. Commercial teas are further separated by size according to grades.
What preserves the longevity of a tea tree one may ask?! Slow growth in cool (not cold) climate with little direct sun ray. High altitude mountain sides facing south-east produce the best teas in the world.
Tea trees are adaptable to shaded environment. High altitude mountains are covered with dense fog for many hours each day, providing moisture and nutrients to the leaves. Dense fog also block off direct sunlight yet allow ultra violet ray to penetrate the cloud layer that photo cells need to transform nutrients into energy. Without direct sunlight, temperature remains low until later in the day when fog layers are cleared. Trees on the south east side of the hill side does not get much direct sunlight even the fog layers are cleared. The hottest sunlight is in early afternoon, which is all over the other side of the hill. Leaves and branches grow slowly in this climate, at the same time root system develops fast with all the nutrients absorbed from the leaves. Big root system and slow growth mean lots nutrients are being stored in each leaf. Older the tree slower the growth.
Flavor wise, aroma is less pronounced as younger trees, taste is complex with multiple layers. Each leaf contains 37% dissolvable substance, ranging 40 to 60+ chemicals by varietal, there is much to discover in your cup of phoenix tea! 20+ up to 35 brews is not uncommon. Its smooth, round texture and lingering after taste are signifier of old bush. Rich but introverted. Old bush teas are some what uneven in look, there are young leaves, matured (not old) leaves, rolled up or open, long whole leaves mixed with a few cut up ones. It contains everything harvested from the same tree without separation by grade. Because of this very practice, it further adds layers of complexity to the flavor of these old bush teas.
Although some may prefer the aroma over taste, old bush taste is not for everyone, definitely takes time and much drinking to learn its beauty. Comparison will reveal quality fairly. I usually advice my customers drink the young before the old, knowing the old will over power the young. However many are caught in the aroma. If you had more than enough for one session, try tasting the young right after the old. Oh well, I'll probably be stuck with all the young crops once everyone discovered the secret. :P
Thursday, December 13, 2007
200+ yrs vs 50+ yrs Huang Zhi Xiang
Before I continue with "Get to know Phoenix Tea (3) - Naming", I did a side by side tasting of the 2 Huang Zhi Xiang flavor teas: Ao Fu Hou 200+ yrs old mother tree, Huang Zhi Xiang 50+ yrs old (early clone).
Dry leaves: Ao Fu Hou (left), Huang Zhi Xiang (right).
Left (200) is mature, not uniformed, thinner but wider leaves, green with yellow bits.
Right (50) is dark green, uniform in size and color, small strands.
Tea trees reach its prime around 50 - 60 yrs old depending on the living condition, meaning leaves are meatier, more flavorful than younger trees. At sea level, tea tree will decline at 75 yrs old. At high altitude, ideal living condition preserve tea trees longevity beyond prime years. However leaves grown slower, thinner, but ensure full flavor with silky texture, also tannin level is low, hence little to no astringency, hui gan is awesome.
Left AFH is light amber, right HZX is light yellow in color.
Spent leaves: main difference is in shape of leaves.
Taste:
200+ yrs old tea: aroma is subtle and lingering through out the session, even long after drinking. Tea soup is creamy and milky, very smooth and full, the sweetness is quite pronounce, combined with the creamy texture, it's almost like drinking milk tea. After 20+ infusions, flavor is not longer noticeable, but tea soup is still round, full and silky. My body started to respond to the qi shortly after just a couple infusions.
50+ yrs old tea: aroma is definitely more present than 200+ yrs old tea. Sweetness is more honey like, less creamy and smooth than its older counter part. It's very high in caffeine, in case you are sensitive to it. Both of these teas are powerful in qi.
What to look for in Phoenix tea:
Older trees in high altitude: subtle aroma, taste and texture
Younger trees on high altitude: aroma and taste
Young trees below 800 meters: sharp aroma, flat texture
Dry leaves: Ao Fu Hou (left), Huang Zhi Xiang (right).
Left (200) is mature, not uniformed, thinner but wider leaves, green with yellow bits.
Right (50) is dark green, uniform in size and color, small strands.
Tea trees reach its prime around 50 - 60 yrs old depending on the living condition, meaning leaves are meatier, more flavorful than younger trees. At sea level, tea tree will decline at 75 yrs old. At high altitude, ideal living condition preserve tea trees longevity beyond prime years. However leaves grown slower, thinner, but ensure full flavor with silky texture, also tannin level is low, hence little to no astringency, hui gan is awesome.
Left AFH is light amber, right HZX is light yellow in color.
Spent leaves: main difference is in shape of leaves.
Taste:
200+ yrs old tea: aroma is subtle and lingering through out the session, even long after drinking. Tea soup is creamy and milky, very smooth and full, the sweetness is quite pronounce, combined with the creamy texture, it's almost like drinking milk tea. After 20+ infusions, flavor is not longer noticeable, but tea soup is still round, full and silky. My body started to respond to the qi shortly after just a couple infusions.
50+ yrs old tea: aroma is definitely more present than 200+ yrs old tea. Sweetness is more honey like, less creamy and smooth than its older counter part. It's very high in caffeine, in case you are sensitive to it. Both of these teas are powerful in qi.
What to look for in Phoenix tea:
Older trees in high altitude: subtle aroma, taste and texture
Younger trees on high altitude: aroma and taste
Young trees below 800 meters: sharp aroma, flat texture
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Get to know Phoenix Dan Cong (4) - Seasons
Phoenix mountain is located in subtropical climate in southern China, lowest temperature does not exceed 5 degrees C. Most plants in the region are not dormant during winter. Phoenix tea trees produce tea all year round. Production begins around late march as official spring crop, April production is also spring production. May production can be either early summer production for low altitude farms, and still spring production for high altitude farms. June and July are summer productions. August can be either late summer for high altitude or early fall for low altitude. October is winter production. November to February productions is a blur, some times it's call winter-spring crop. Due to low production in fall, winter and early spring, farmers either mix everything together or skip production all together depending on the altitude and age of trees.
Commercial products (young trees averaging less than 20 yrs old) below 800 meters above sea level:
Spring (Mid to late march through early April) - aromatic, sweet and astringent
Early summer (late April to May) - Summer tea - bitter and astringent
Late summer (June through July) - Summer tea - more bitter
Early Fall (August through early September) - Fall tea, aromatic, more than spring production
Late Fall (Mid September through beginning of October) - Fall tea
Early Winter (October) - Fall snow tea, most aromatic out of all season, but lack of flavor
Later Winter (November) - Snow flake tea, mild flavor and aroma
Pre-spring (January through February) - very little production, mild flavor and aroma
Old Dan Cong bushes (50+ yrs old) above 800 meters above sea level:
Spring (April through Mid June). This is the only production of the year. Even though trees will still grow through out the year, growing rate is too slow to produce anything significant, flavor is also not good enough to command high price. Most farmers leave the trees alone to preserve nutrient. It's especially important for trees that are 200+ years old.
Commercial products (young trees averaging less than 20 yrs old) below 800 meters above sea level:
Spring (Mid to late march through early April) - aromatic, sweet and astringent
Early summer (late April to May) - Summer tea - bitter and astringent
Late summer (June through July) - Summer tea - more bitter
Early Fall (August through early September) - Fall tea, aromatic, more than spring production
Late Fall (Mid September through beginning of October) - Fall tea
Early Winter (October) - Fall snow tea, most aromatic out of all season, but lack of flavor
Later Winter (November) - Snow flake tea, mild flavor and aroma
Pre-spring (January through February) - very little production, mild flavor and aroma
Old Dan Cong bushes (50+ yrs old) above 800 meters above sea level:
Spring (April through Mid June). This is the only production of the year. Even though trees will still grow through out the year, growing rate is too slow to produce anything significant, flavor is also not good enough to command high price. Most farmers leave the trees alone to preserve nutrient. It's especially important for trees that are 200+ years old.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
How much do you understand the teas you like?
Tea is territorial. Tea drinkers are territorial to be exact. Each region is proud of their local flavor as they should be. However the tea war starts when one region claims better than others. It's not just the producers and vendors are at war, most of the fighters are consumers. What's the point of comparing an apple and an orange. Does any one truly know every tea or even had tasted every tea? Tasting a tea does not mean it's understood by the drinker, even if you liked it. One maybe married, but do they truly understand the spouse?! When you get used to a taste whether you grow up with it or adopt it later in your life, it becomes a habit that one may resist to accept others. As well as one gets used to a relationship, good or bad, you are reluctant to walk away, hopefully good and don't walk away. Some American hamburger eaters find French cuisine repulsive, others might travel to Paris just to indulge a $500 bloody meal literally and a $3000 bottle of wine. Is there a value to the price tag? hmm both meals can fill you up right? There has to be a value to it. Can I afford it? Not once a week. Am I willing to try it once in a long while? Absolutely, maybe with tea instead of wine.
Green teas are not my favorite because I don't understand it as much as I understand oolong. Green tea is an alien while oolong is part of me, I know how it feels in my body, I know when it will make me happy, I know when it can be temperamental, if it throws a tantrum, I can fix it easily. Of course I am fortunate enough to have ranges of oolong teas to play with, and the quantity which allows me to mess up and learn. I do love the challenge of a temperamental tea. What's all the fuss about tea? Well, the fuss improves skill, only if that's what you strive for. Other wise, no fuss, no muss.
I like to think I understand my Phoenix Dan Cong oolong, it's a diamond that sparkles in my eyes. Is it better than other teas? The question should be do you prefer DC over other teas? Well, only to those whom built up a palate for it. IE my sister in law, she's been drinking old bush DCs consistently for more than half a year now, everyday for the last 3 months. I asked her what'd she like to refill her stash with this morning, she replied DC. She asked how come your DC makes other teas bland? It didn't used to be like that before. Oh well, I gladly take the blame for programming her palate. :D She even quit her 15 yrs old coffee drinking habit.
Green teas are not my favorite because I don't understand it as much as I understand oolong. Green tea is an alien while oolong is part of me, I know how it feels in my body, I know when it will make me happy, I know when it can be temperamental, if it throws a tantrum, I can fix it easily. Of course I am fortunate enough to have ranges of oolong teas to play with, and the quantity which allows me to mess up and learn. I do love the challenge of a temperamental tea. What's all the fuss about tea? Well, the fuss improves skill, only if that's what you strive for. Other wise, no fuss, no muss.
I like to think I understand my Phoenix Dan Cong oolong, it's a diamond that sparkles in my eyes. Is it better than other teas? The question should be do you prefer DC over other teas? Well, only to those whom built up a palate for it. IE my sister in law, she's been drinking old bush DCs consistently for more than half a year now, everyday for the last 3 months. I asked her what'd she like to refill her stash with this morning, she replied DC. She asked how come your DC makes other teas bland? It didn't used to be like that before. Oh well, I gladly take the blame for programming her palate. :D She even quit her 15 yrs old coffee drinking habit.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
How organic is organic?
One of the best things of owning a tea shop is you get to meet all kinds people, each but not every one is an inspiration in some way. Today I met one whom brought up the organic subject which you may not see it through his scope, nevertheless it's alarming and true to the core.
The old saying you can run but you can't hide is very much true when it comes to organic agriculture. The concept of organic is that no intended fertilizer and pesticide are used on the soil which a plant is growing in. Sounds simple enough right? But what about air pollution, rain that's polluted, the soil near by which is polluted, and the polluted water source which forms rain as the water vaporize, in turn we human and animals inhale, plants absorb.
How many people know that prescription drugs or even over the counter drugs are toxins? Toxins that relieve symptoms, prolong lives, and cause MANY more problems. One of the problems most of us don't think of is when toxins were eliminated from a person, where did they go? It went though the sewage, got treated with more chemicals which are also toxins, then went into the ocean and soil. Then as the water evaporates, we suck it in through our lungs, plants suck it in through roots, then we eat them. This cycle goes on and on. Yes, even if you don't have heart disease, you are realistically inhaling small trace of drugs for heart disease consistently, also combined with a million other drugs.
There are times I thought I could live in a remote mountain with good tea like Phoenix mountain, eat local grown veggies, local free range chickens and drink old bush Dan Congs, life would be PERFECT! I might live till 120 even though I don't want to live that long. But can one really hide from all the prescription drug highly concentrated pee evaporated water fed food and tea?!
Please do share your thoughts on this.
The old saying you can run but you can't hide is very much true when it comes to organic agriculture. The concept of organic is that no intended fertilizer and pesticide are used on the soil which a plant is growing in. Sounds simple enough right? But what about air pollution, rain that's polluted, the soil near by which is polluted, and the polluted water source which forms rain as the water vaporize, in turn we human and animals inhale, plants absorb.
How many people know that prescription drugs or even over the counter drugs are toxins? Toxins that relieve symptoms, prolong lives, and cause MANY more problems. One of the problems most of us don't think of is when toxins were eliminated from a person, where did they go? It went though the sewage, got treated with more chemicals which are also toxins, then went into the ocean and soil. Then as the water evaporates, we suck it in through our lungs, plants suck it in through roots, then we eat them. This cycle goes on and on. Yes, even if you don't have heart disease, you are realistically inhaling small trace of drugs for heart disease consistently, also combined with a million other drugs.
There are times I thought I could live in a remote mountain with good tea like Phoenix mountain, eat local grown veggies, local free range chickens and drink old bush Dan Congs, life would be PERFECT! I might live till 120 even though I don't want to live that long. But can one really hide from all the prescription drug highly concentrated pee evaporated water fed food and tea?!
Please do share your thoughts on this.
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