Baiya Qilan is an excellent variety suitable for the production of Oolong Tea, discovered by personnel from the Agriculture Bureau of Pinghe County, Fujian Province, the Qiling Township, and villagers from Pengxi Village. Development, selection, regional trials, and promotion were conducted from 1981 to 1995, with formal approval in April 1996 by the Fujian Province Crop Variety Approval Committee. The name “Baiya Qilan” was given because the raw tea leaves carry an Orchid fragrance, and the young buds are prominently covered with white down.

The unique “orchid” fragrance and rich, refreshing taste of Baiya Qilan tea have made it a favorite among consumers. After years of promotion and brand building, it has strong market competitiveness and significant development potential. Currently, Baiya Qilan tea has become one of the main industries in Pinghe County.

Requirements for Roasting Baiya Qilan Tea

After the fresh leaves of Baiya Qilan tea are initially processed into raw tea, they must undergo further processing before entering the market as a commercial product. The key steps in the finishing process include blending, picking out stalks, air sorting, trimming, roasting, cooling, and packaging. Roasting is a critical technique that shapes the quality of Baiya Qilan tea. Its purpose is to reduce the moisture content of the raw tea, eliminate off-flavors and impurities, retain the aroma, and impart a “fire fragrance” through absorption of heat, resulting in a richer, more refreshing taste and longer storage life.

Workers at a Baiya Qilan tea company in Pinghe County are sorting tea leaves (Photographed by Huang Shuicheng)

The roasting of Baiya Qilan tea can be done using two methods: charcoal-fired basket roasting and electric roasting ovens. Charcoal-fired basket roasting is the traditional method, which is costly and requires skilled labor but produces high-quality tea favored by consumers, thus having great market potential. Electric roasting ovens reduce labor intensity, save time, and are easier to operate, making them competitive in the market.

Charcoal-Fired Basket Roasting Technique

1. Tools and Materials for Roasting

The roasting basket is made of bamboo, typically a hollow cylinder with a diameter of 70 cm and height of 50 cm. A bamboo sieve is placed inside the basket about 2/5 from the bottom for holding the tea leaves during roasting, with a mesh size of 0.3-0.5 cm. A bamboo tray is used to hold the tea basket during shaking and loosening. An iron shovel is used to crush and press the fully burned charcoal in the roasting pit to maintain even heat and prolong roasting time.

The materials used for roasting include iron bracken, wood ash, and charcoal. Dried iron bracken is used to ignite the charcoal and should be sufficient to light it. High-quality wood ash is formed from completely burned iron bracken. If partially burned wood ash is used, it should be sieved with a bamboo sieve with a mesh size less than 3 mm to remove impurities. Charcoal, about 1 kg of which can roast 3-5 kg of Baiya Qilan tea, is best when made from hardwood and in whole stick form, known as “hard charcoal.” Hard charcoal provides even temperature, long burning time, and minimal temperature fluctuation, ideal for constant temperature roasting and producing high-quality tea.

2. Roasting Room and Pit

A roasting room suitable for 12 baskets is approximately 40 square meters. It should be clean, bright, well-ventilated, and free from direct sunlight. Doors and windows should face north-south. The floor can be cemented or paved with red bricks. The roasting pit can be built using bricks into a cylindrical shape with an inner diameter of 60 cm and a height of 30 cm, or it can be made from an iron drum or pan for easy mobility.

3. Procedures for Charcoal-Fired Basket Roasting

(1) Burning Charcoal

Before lighting the fire, open the doors and windows to ventilate the room and clean the roasting basket and other tools. Place about 2/3 of the wood ash at the bottom of the roasting pit, flattening it evenly, leaving 10-12 cm from the top. Bundle dried iron bracken in the middle of the pit and place charcoal sticks on top in a triangular formation, leaving gaps for ignition. Add charcoal according to the amount of tea to be roasted, then light the iron bracken to ignite the charcoal. Once the charcoal is fully lit, use the iron shovel to crush and press it, covering it with a layer of wood ash so that no flames are visible. After 30 minutes, place your hand 3-5 cm above the charcoal to feel its temperature. When you feel a slight warmth, place the empty roasting basket on the pit. Wait for about 0.5-1 hour until the temperature stabilizes before loading the tea.

(2) Loading Tea for Roasting

When the temperature stabilizes between 65-70°C, start roasting. Parameters for different grades of tea vary slightly. For premium tea, the roasting temperature is 60-65°C, with 3.25 kg of tea loaded per basket, spread 3-4 cm thick. Stir and loosen the tea every 45 minutes, roasting for 5-6 hours. For mid-grade tea, the roasting temperature is 65-70°C, with 3.5 kg of tea loaded per basket, spread 4 cm thick. Stir and loosen the tea every 40-45 minutes, roasting for 6-8 hours. For low-grade tea, the roasting temperature is 70-75°C, with 3.5-4.0 kg of tea loaded per basket, spread 4-5 cm thick. Stir and loosen the tea every 30 minutes, roasting for 8 hours.

4. Precautions

When loading tea, place the roasting basket in the bamboo tray gently. After loading the tea, lift the basket gently by holding its top and shake it evenly to distribute the tea evenly and loosely on the sieve. When placing the basket back in the tray, pat the top of the basket lightly with both hands 2-3 times, applying moderate force without moving the tea on the sieve. Before placing the basket on the roasting pit, remove any tea dust from the tray. Stir and loosen the tea every 40 minutes, doing this 8-10 times throughout the roasting process.

The most challenging part of roasting is controlling the temperature. If the temperature is too high, it can produce a burnt or smoky flavor, leading to roasting failure. If the temperature is too low, it does not promote the formation of the tea's internal qualities, referred to by experienced tea makers as “the tea not absorbing heat” and turning into “dumb tea.” Therefore, the temperature should be maintained at a moderate and relatively stable level while paying attention to changes in the tea within the basket. You can determine the temperature by touch; if the back of your hand feels slightly warm when touching the frame of the basket's inner liner, the temperature is appropriate, around 65-70°C. If it feels too hot, cover the charcoal with more wood ash. If the temperature is too low, remove a layer of wood ash using a spatula. After adding or removing wood ash, observe for about 15 minutes to see if smoke is produced. Continue roasting only after the smoke disappears.

Electric Oven Roasting Technique

1. Roasting Technique

Currently, electric oven roasting is the primary method used for Baiya Qilan tea. Each electric roasting oven has ten compartments, each containing a metal sieve capable of holding about 3 kg of tea, spread approximately 3 cm thick. After placing the tea in the compartments, close the door and turn on the power to start roasting. One electric roasting oven (model 6CH30) can roast 30 kg of tea at a time.

Before roasting, open the doors and windows to ventilate and check the electrical