Only Pure & Authentic Quality Tea

Category: Red (Black) tea

TanYang Gongfu Black Tea

TanYang Gonfu Cha is a premier quality black tea from Fu’An region in Fujian.

FuJian province is an import tea production region where there are plenty famouse teas, such as white tea, oolong, jasmine and black tea, in China, the most important ethnic group in FuJian is She ethnic group together with another 50 ethnic groups. Fu’An region is not just famous for TanYang Gongfu Black tea, but also known for its white tea. The geographical position is between Longitude: 119.546163 Latitude: 27.222276, the altitude is not very high, around 203meters above sea level but the climate and humidity are very suitable for tea tree growing.

The following basic manufacturing requirements are critical for any tea to be classified as “Gongfu Cha”:

  1. Suitable eco-balance in environment for tea tree growing
  2. Not excessive picking per year, to ensure tea trees could have sufficient rest for the next year harvest
  3. Hand tea picking to ensure the quality of raw tea leaves
  4. Quality classification subject to the picking of tea leaves, i.e. 1 bud with 1-2 leaves
  5. Good and appropriately managed withering is the prerequisite for the formation of good quality for all Gongfu Cha and Oolong tea.
  6. Even though now they can use some machines to aid the tea production, but still traditional tea manufacturing methods are well respected
  7. Repeated drying and charcoal roasting are important for the final formation of premier quality Gongfu Cha

TanYang JinZhen was in twitted shape by using tea leaves of 1 bud with 1-2 leaves, which are picked only in the Spring season. The most suitable tea leaves are from local Fu’An vegetable tea trees, FuDing DaHao or Fu’An DaBai. Production methods are rather complex by following the traditional manufacturing techniques and standards .

There are different legends about TanYang Gonfu Black tea (TanYang JinZhen 坦洋金针) ; one is said TanYang Gongfu Cha was created by Hu FuShi from TanYang village during 1851-1874.

According to literature, Fuan Xian exported 70,000 boxes tea in 1881 which meant TanYang JinZhen was popular in Europe at that time already. Due to the anti-Japanese Invade War, export channels faced severly setback, productions were severily damaged that caused sharply drop of production output. After the New China was established, due to the change of tea demand layout, the tea production in TanYang changed from “Red“ to “Green”, not much traditional TanYang Gongfu Cha left for TanYan JinZhen until 1988. TanYang JinZhen has gone through gradual evalutions. In the last two decades since 1991, TanYang JinZhen has been through with consistent modified and improved manufacruring methods to create better quality Gongfu black tea. No matter what and how they modern the production process, they persistently follow the traditional manufacturing methods with TanYang Gongfu black tea, i.e. spreading, withering, kneading, oxidated fermentation, further refined rolling, roasting and sieving.

Fujian government established a clear GIS guidline for TanYang JinZhen:

  1. Tea leaves from tea trees grow in the Fu’An region, widely distributed and mainly produced in Fu’An region, therefore TanYang JinZhen has very firmed GIS (Geographic Indication System) quality identity
  2. The dried leaves are in twitted shape
  3. Persistently to follow the basic black tea manufacturing method (withering, rolling, fermentation, drying) and further enhanced with refined shaping, sortings, eliminating inferior different quality and roasting processes.
  4. Prhibit to use any aromatic substance and additives in the production.
  5. Strengthen the quality control to ensure no peculiar smell and no deterioration
  6. Pure and authentic quality in flavors and tastes are their fundamental belief for sustainability development for a better future.

How to distingulish the quality?

  • The color of dried leaves is in urun oily;
  • The color of tea liqour is in shining golden amber red color
  • It has pretty attractive fresh and elegant fraquence
  • mellow and yet complex dried sweetness tastes in mouth

Brwing suggestions:

  • All Gongfu Cha actually requires very heated water temperature from the boiling water
  • Suggest to use neutral pH balance mineral water, but neither too soft nor hard water.
  • Matching teaware : YiXing purple clay tea pot or white porcelain tea pot
  • Use of tea leaves: 1gm: 50-80ml (subject to personal taste preference)
  • Water temperature: 85-90°C
  • Suggest to keep the brewing time short and sexy, because longer brewing time allow more dissolvants from tea tannins and catechins in tea that will increase the bitter taste in tea. But also try to avoid ‘too sexy’ short brewing that does not allow sufficient dissolving of amino acid that weaken the sweetness in tea.

Tea has very charming and complex multiple layers in fraquence and in taste. Multiple infusions definitely are possible, about 6-8 brewings.

Perhaps the price for premier quality teas is not so cheap because of its hand picking and manual manufacture processing; when you are willing give yourself a chance to experience the fine flavors and tastes that you can enjoy from the multiple infusions, surely you will appreciate the quality and understand the cost per cup actually is very economical. It is indeed tghe better quality tea can meet with your demands for economic and ecological life style while providing you a better quality appreciation.

SongYang Black Tea

Tea is more than just a cup of beverage that can satisfies you with fine flavors and taste, it is about how to sustain a healthy lifestyle.

It is my pleasure to take part in the first ourdoor “Brew your own tea” event on 7/7/2019 in Antwerp. For this event, I particular choose the natural organic quality SongYang Black Tea. 

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Why SongYang, because it’s not so well known outside of China? First of all, in this period when we are moving towards to mid. summer, it is time not only to think about how to stimulate the Ying energy, but also should consider what and how to neurite the Yang energy and not too aggressive to stomach. A black tea made from early Spring picking does can meet this requirement.

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Secondly, the best assurance for organic tea is not just to rely on the organic stamp or certificate, but it goes back to how the tea growing regions implement the organic agricultural police. SongYang is known as the most beautiful recreation county, a small tea growing region where the local government and people are committed to the sustainable organic agricultural development  in Zhejiang province,  China. The sustainable organic agricultural development in SongYang should be known and recognized.

The altitude of the birthplace for SongYang Black Tea  is about 600-800meters above sea level.  The tea garden must follow the most restrict organic principles because the tea garden is situated above from the water reservoir.

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The early Spring hand picked SongYang Black Tea would attract you with its unique mixture sweet flavors of orchid, caramel, star anise, clove and common sage (salie).

Come to join us and listen to how this unique black tea would whisper to you, heart-to-heart.

Jin Jian Mei Is Awarded for its Remarkable Taste

Here it is my pleasure to share a good news with all tea lovers that our natural organic premium quality golden tippy black tea, Jin Jian Mei, has received ITQI 2-star Remarkable Taste Award this year.

“The Best” is only a point on the journey that we need to move forwards. An objective evaluation on Shape, Color, Flavor, Taste and After Taste help us to have a better view on what and where else to improve in the future and we are motivated for continue quality improvements.

Tea and life are alike, can’t see the end of the life-time learning journey, the only thing we can and should do is to keep moving forwards on the right path; not losing our heart and forgetting what drove us into tea path at the first place.

Here I would like to thank to all sommeliers and ITQI for their excellent efforts and objectiveness to the professional taste evaluation.

For years friends or people questioned why Belgium Chinese Tea Arts Centre, a small tea centre in Antwerp, dedicated to pure authentic quality teas, primary from China and Taiwan, since 1995. All those years, our devotion remains the same:

We truly believe tea lovers deserve the best and safe quality tea that they can enjoy not only with fine quality in flavours and tastes, most importantly is good for health.

The Birth of Jin Jian Mei

Healthy tea trees in a protected eco-environmemt

History of Blended Black Tea

Even though numbers of pure tea lover are increasing, but still blended tea and even aromatic flavored teas are still dominated in the market.

The history of blended black tea is related with the first Grand Silk Road and then the later Maritime Silk Road.

In the time when conflicts are accelerating in the world today because of differentiating of races and culture, after more than 2000 years of journey, tea still plays an important role to emerge different cultures in a simple cup.

Tea was transported from China to the Central Asia, Middle East eventually reached Europe via the first Silk Road on land. At that time, the tea drunk by Chinese was green tea. As you can imagine how that long journey has accelerated the fermentation process to tea afterwards when tea reached its various destinations through deadly deserts by camels from China. Even though it was a green tea, but it eventually turned into black tea in the life threatening long journey. The color of tea liquid changed from yellowish green to brownish red. The fine flavor of green tea transformed to somewhat musty flavor. Because tea was such pressure and expensive merchant, so in different cultures thought about blending with herbs and/or spices, such as star anise, mint or milk, etc.

海上丝绸之路Maritime Silk Road started in Ming Dynasty carried many missions, but trading with larger volume was one of the greatest achievement. In a way Maritime Silk Road can be seen as an extension of the Grant Silk Road  to transport more porcelain. Therefore it is also known as “China Porcelain Road”.  The maritime route increased the trade volume and varieties, but still it took at least a year and half to reach Europe from China. The weather challenge to tea storage changed from dried wind and sand to humid, ocean and rain. Some foreign tea traders then blended different quality tea in order to conceal the unpleasant wet musty flavour, that’s the begin the practice of blended black tea.

In the circumstances when tea consumption culture was driven by tea supply, therefore in European tea drinkers get use to the blended black tea while in China only the pure and authentic flavours and taste are considered as quality taste.

The practice of blended tea further developed from blending different quality grades, now many are using flowers, fruits, herbs, spices and even aromatic flavored substances.  In order to create a harmony flavour and taste, therefore, tea blenders won’t, actually there is no need as well, to use fine quality pure tea as tea base.

Even with the naturally blended black tea, the flavour can be gentle and mild with dried leaves; the aroma only awakened in a warmed cup.

Tea tasting is a very pleasant experience to explore 5 senses, smelling, watching, tasting, listening and sensing; so the only suggestion I can give you is not to trust or made a decision base on one or limited sense/s, it is not only for tea tasting but also for every decision you need to make in life.

 

 

Home Blending Black Tea

The fun with tea does not limited to only pure tea and it does not end with it as well, it’s fun to play with own blending. 


This is the blending of using black tea from different regions in the world, with dried orange peel and a pinch of lavender

The flavor is similar to Earl Grey except there is no trace of aromatic additives or essential oil. Can enjoy its harmony taste without sugar and/or milk.

#homeblending #naturalblending #naturalearlgrey #earlgrey #purequalityblending 

Hubei Golden Tippy Gongfu Black Tea

There is an amazing world for us to explore with tea.

Hubei is the birthplace of my biological parents, even though I haven’t have the opportunity to visit there but now I have this amazing organic quality Golden Tippy Gongfu Black Tea from the Ming Chien (明前) harvest in my collection that allow my spirit sour as if I can touch the beautiful nature every time I brew this tea.

The region is on the high mountain range above 1300 meter, fresh leaves were picked right after the cold winter, therefore not only the dried leaves look very pretty with excessive golden hair coverage, but also with amazing fine flavor and taste.

I wish I can send this fine flavor and taste to you via internet, but don’t worry,  you are in my heart when enjoyed the brewing.

Full body of flavor

Fine taste without single trace of bitterness 

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