People often say: "One pound of Biluochun, forty thousand spring buds." Every strand of the richest tea aroma comes from countless ordinary drops of sweat. From planting, picking, processing to brewing, making a good cup of tea involves meticulous effort at every step. So, what exactly are the standards for good tea? While it's hard to generalize, it can roughly be judged by the following points.

Liquor Color

There are many types of tea, and their liquor colors vary. However, generally speaking, good tea should have a "bright and clear" liquor. The better the tea, the more concentrated and transparent its liquor, while lower-quality tea tends to have a murky and dull appearance. Just as water that's too clear has no fish, tea that's too clear has few sediments.

Taste

Most teas have a slight bitterness, which is the true flavor of tea. However, tea may be bitter for a moment but never forever. When tasting tea, if the bitterness lingers and doesn't dissipate, remaining in the mouth as an astringent aftertaste, it's called "sticking to the tongue" and is generally not considered good tea. But if the bitterness gives way to sweetness, alternating between the two, then it's good tea.

Flavor

A good cup of tea should have no strange, off-flavors, or watery taste. Tea is highly absorbent, and during production or storage, if not handled carefully, it can easily absorb other odors. Once absorbed, these odors are nearly impossible to remove, ruining the tea's original flavor. Besides absorbing odors, improper storage can also lead to mold, producing a musty smell. Water is the mother of tea—only the perfect fusion of tea and water can bring out its original goodness. If the tea and water feel separated, with a bland or fishy taste, it's not good tea.

Brewed Leaves

As the saying goes, "Dry leaves show the shape, wet leaves reveal the quality." After brewing, the condition of the leaves can indicate the tea's quality. Pour the brewed leaves into a cup lid and spread them evenly to observe their tenderness, uniformity, and color. Good tea typically has uniform color, tender texture, good luster, and vibrant brewed leaves.

Purity

A good cup of tea is noble in quality, pure, and untainted—absolutely free from any foreign substances, such as artificial colors or pesticide residues.

Mood

While the mood while drinking tea depends on the environment and one's state of mind, the tea itself also plays a role. Tea contains many chemical components, and good tea includes aromatic elements and certain compounds that promote dopamine secretion, uplifting the mood and clearing the mind. Poor-quality tea, on the other hand, can make one feel increasingly gloomy.

Personal Preference

"Don’t say only wine can intoxicate; tea’s aroma can also enchant the heart." There’s no single standard for judging good tea—whether tea is good or not is subjective. As long as the tea suits your taste, that’s all that matters.