Behind a good cup of tea lies a process where every step—from planting tea trees, harvesting tea leaves, to brewing tea leaves—is handled with the most meticulous attitude. So what is the standard for good tea? Just as the world of tea ceremony has multiple facets, everyone's preferences and depths of understanding differ. How a cup of tea is defined as good varies from person to person. However, in the conventional sense, good tea should include the following points:

1. Bright Liquor Color

This is the most intuitive criterion for judging whether a tea is good. Regardless of whether the tea liquor is red, green, black, white, or yellow, the key is that it must be "bright." A bright liquor color is not only pleasing to the eye but also indicates:

1. The tea's production process is excellent, with no broken bits or dust.

2. The storage conditions are good, free from dust and mold.

3. The tea is rich in intrinsic substances, which are well released.

4. The brewing method is scientific. Sometimes, due to brewing reasons, good tea may appear turbid—for example, if the water temperature is too high, or if a tea with many fine hairs is brewed with a high-pour method.

2. Bitterness and Astringency Dissipate from the Tongue Rather Than Persist

Tea is inherently bitter and astringent; without these, it wouldn't be tea. The key, however, is whether the bitterness and astringency can quickly dissipate. If the bitter and astringent taste remains in the mouth,所谓 "lingering on the tongue," it probably shouldn't be considered good tea. Some people may enjoy this, but that can only be considered their personal subjective standard.

3. No Odd Odors, Strange Tastes, or Watery Taste

1. Odd odors refer to smells not inherent to the tea itself, usually because the tea has absorbed other odors during production or storage, such as perfume or cosmetics, smoke, or other miscellaneous smells. Because tea has excellent absorption properties, production and storage must be careful. Once an odd odor is absorbed, it is almost impossible to remove, ruining even the best tea.

2. Strange tastes refer to unpleasant flavors in the tea itself, such as a moldy taste. There are also some indescribable tastes that make people feel uncomfortable. Some may say this is the unique characteristic of this tea, but don't believe such nonsense. Strange tastes often indicate problems with the tea, such as the presence of harmful substances like aflatoxin, which is detrimental to health if consumed.

3. Watery taste refers to the separation of tea flavor and water taste, presenting a faint fishy smell. A watery taste often appears when the tea liquor becomes weak. Good tea does not exhibit separation of tea and water; it is light but not fishy. For example, good Longjing tea remains sweet even when brewed to a pale, watery consistency.

4. Vibrant Brewed Leaves

The brewed leaves of good tea, regardless of the six major tea types, share the common characteristic of being vibrant. Vibrant brewed leaves indicate:

1. The tea原料 is good. The brewed leaves are a还原 of the fresh tea leaves.

2. The tea's production process is good; the tea hasn't been "over-processed."

3. The brewing is appropriate, allowing the tea leaves to fully unfurl without being overcooked or spoiled by stewing.

5. Good Tea Must Be Free of Harmful Substances Like Pesticide Residues

This is the bottom line for good tea. Drinking tea should not satisfy the palate at the expense of ignoring tea's health essence. We firmly resist tea that exceeds standards for harmful substances like pesticide residues and heavy metals.

6. Good Tea Brings Pleasure

Don't think this is a subjective standard. Good tea brings pleasure because the aromatic substances and certain components in good tea promote the secretion of dopamine after drinking, thereby making people feel happy and clear-headed. In contrast, bad tea can make people feel more depressed the more they drink—the same goes for red wine.

So if you are unsure about the above standards, take this as the only criterion. After all, tea is loved by almost all countries and ethnic groups in the world not through education but because of its essence: drinking tea makes people feel happy.

Not all cheap teas are bad, nor are all expensive teas flawless. The price of tea actually depends on many factors. Blindly pursuing high-priced tea often leads to confusion in the vast sea of tea. ... Improving your tea-buying skills will soon help you form your own tea philosophy. You will develop a good understanding of what makes a cup of tea good.

For tea drinkers, no amount of standards can outweigh good taste. A cup of tea, a good cup of tea, is ultimately about being right for your palate.