There are four seasons in a year: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Many crops are planted differently according to the changes of the seasons. However, Tea is divided into spring tea, summer tea, and autumn tea. China is a major tea-producing country with a wide variety of teas, which are categorized into six types: Black Tea, green tea, dark tea (also known as black tea in some regions), Yellow Tea, and White Tea. Each region has its own specialty teas; Yunnan has the unique Pu'er tea; Hangzhou has the famous West Lake Longjing; Wuyi Mountain has the renowned Dahongpao; Anxi has the lesser-known Tieguanyin. But what are the distinguishing methods for these spring, summer, and autumn teas? How can we differentiate between them?

Distinguishing Methods for Spring, Summer, and Autumn Teas

1. Dry Observation

The main factors to judge are the color, aroma, and shape of the dry tea.
Any green tea with a lustrous green color and black tea with a lustrous black color, where the tea leaves are plump and substantial or have many white hairs, and the black tea and green tea have tightly bound strands, and the round tea particles are compact, and the aroma is rich, these are characteristic qualities of spring tea.
Any green tea with a dull color and black tea with a bright red color, where the tea leaves are light and loose, the young stems are broad and long, and the strands of black tea and green tea are loosely bound, the round tea particles are loose and puffed, and the aroma is slightly coarse and aged, these are characteristic qualities of summer tea.
Any green tea with a yellow-green color and black tea with a dark red color, where the tea leaves vary in size and are thin and small, and the aroma is relatively mild, these are signs of autumn tea.

2. Wet Observation

This involves evaluating the tea after brewing, as a further method of judgment.
Any tea that sinks quickly after brewing, with a strong and lasting aroma, and a mellow taste; green tea with a greenish-yellow broth, and black tea with a bright golden rim; tea leaves that are soft and thick, with a high proportion of normal buds and leaves, these are characteristics of spring tea.
Any tea that sinks slowly after brewing, with a slightly lower aroma; green tea with a less full taste and a slight bitterness, a greenish broth, and copper-green buds mixed in the leaf bottom; black tea with a stronger but less refreshing taste, a reddish-dark broth, and a brighter red leaf bottom; tea leaves that are thin and somewhat hard, with a high proportion of interleaf, these are characteristics of summer tea.
Any tea that, after brewing, does not have a high aroma, has a bland taste, and has copper-green buds mixed in the leaf bottom, with varying sizes of leaves and a high proportion of interleaf, these are characteristics of autumn tea.

The distinguishing methods for spring, summer, and autumn teas, it is hoped that this article will be helpful. Since the weather varies each season, the different amounts of rainfall produce teas of different quality and taste. Tea knowledge helps those who enjoy tea to better understand it, and the wide range of tea varieties also offers more options for tea lovers. Regardless of the quality of the tea, as long as you choose the right tea based on your constitution, habits, and preferences, it is a good tea.