Muzha Tieguanyin Tea
Muzha Tieguanyin Tea Attributes
Leaf Shape
The particles are tightly packed and curled into balls
Liquor Color
Green brown frosting
Fragrance
High and lasting fragrance, with floral and fruity aroma
Taste
Rich and refreshing, slightly astringent with sweetness
Brewed Tea Leaves
Leaves are complete, light green with red edges
Table of Contents
Learn More about Muzha Tieguanyin Tea
Muzha Tieguanyin Tea Introduction
Muzha Tieguanyin is a famous historical tea, a semi-fermented oolong tea, and the best of the oolong teas. During the production process, Muzha Tieguanyin is roasted over a long period of time over charcoal fire, and the combination of the aroma of fire and tea creates a unique flavor, known as “Guanyin charm” or “official charm”.
Muzha Tieguanyin Tea History
Muzha Tieguanyin tea is an oolong tea created by tea master Zhang Naimiao during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1875-1908) after he introduced purebred Tieguanyin tea from Anxi, Fujian to the Zhanghu Mountain area of Muzha, Taipei (now Zhinanli). Today, the Muzha Tea Garden in Zhinanli is not only a professional Tieguanyin tea garden in Taiwan, but also the first tourist tea garden in Taipei.
Muzha Tieguanyin Tea Origin
Muzha Tea Garden in Wenshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan. Tea gardens are distributed in Shijiao, Neiwaizhanghu, Dailaokeng and Aquankeng.
Muzha Tieguanyin Tea Production Process
It can be harvested 4 to 5 times a year, with spring tea and winter tea being the best quality. Instead of picking young buds and leaves, pick the second or third leaves of mature new shoots, commonly known as “open face picking”, that is, pick when the leaves have fully unfolded and formed buds. Picking Muzha Tieguanyin tea also needs to consider weather factors. Sunny days are best, and the best picking time is from 10 am to 2 pm. After the fresh leaves are harvested according to the standard and brought into the factory, they are cooled, sun-dried, and made into green leaves (shaking and spreading alternately), then fried, rolled, and baked. Finally, the slowly roasted tea leaves are winnowed and sorted to remove stems and impurities to become the finished product.
Muzha Tieguanyin Tea Purchase Guide
The spring tea and winter tea of Muzha Tieguanyin tea are of better quality, especially the spring tea, which is of the best quality and relatively expensive. Common brands include “Zhonghe Brand” and so on.
Muzha Tieguanyin Tea Quality Identification
◎ Charcoal roasting is the biggest feature of Muzha Tieguanyin. After three kneading and three roasting, the skin is soft and shiny, and each grain is as big as a bean. When thrown into the cup, it will make a clinking sound like glassware colliding. ◎ High-quality Muzha Tieguanyin dry tea smells strong, and after brewing, it is fragrant and mellow, with a pure and weak fruit acidity, and endless aftertaste. After brewing, the edge of the leaf bottom has a small red, the center of the leaf is light green, the leaves are uniform and soft, and the stems and leaves are connected. ◎ The soup color of the top-grade Muzha Tieguanyin tea after brewing is bright golden orange, and the bottom of the cup is clear and bright. The soup color of the inferior product is dark yellow or slightly red.
Muzha Tieguanyin Tea Brewing Method
To brew Muzha Tieguanyin, it is best to use a round purple clay teapot with a large bottom space. The amount of tea should be less rather than more. The first brew should be brewed with boiling water, and the remaining tea soup from the first brew must be poured out to avoid the release of caffeine affecting the sweetness of the tea. After the second brew, the water temperature can be gradually reduced to 80 to 90℃.
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