1Q: For the Four Famous Bushes of Wuyi Mountain Rock Tea, which is more important: the tea variety and processing, or the mountain terroir?

A: For Wuyi Rock Tea, variety, mountain terroir, and processing techniques are all crucial factors. For the Four Famous Bushes, history has proven that the varieties are all excellent. As for which factor between terroir and processing is more important or has a greater impact, it depends on consumer preference: For consumers who value high aroma and prefer light-fragrance, low-roast rock tea, processing techniques are more important; for consumers who value rich flavor and prefer medium-roast or full-roast rock tea, mountain terroir is more important; for consumers who value both rich flavor and strong aroma, preferring traditional top-grade rock tea, both terroir and processing are particularly important.

2 Q: Why does the color of tea liquor become deeper after sitting for several hours? Can the tea still be drunk after the color change?

A: After tea liquor sits for several hours, the temperature drops first. The solubility of soluble components in the tea decreases, which darkens light tea liquor, while strong tea may form solid substances and become turbid (i.e., "cream down"). Secondly, the effective components in the tea undergo slight oxidation with oxygen in the air and the tea liquor, deepening the color. The color change is not the main factor determining whether the tea can still be drunk. At room temperature, tea liquor that has sat for several hours and not been contaminated is still drinkable, but it is best not to drink it after more than 10 hours.

3 Q: If high-roast tea is boiled, will it taste worse?

A: Whether it is high-roast or low-roast tea, boiling will increase the concentration of the tea liquor and reduce the aroma. Whether boiling makes the tea taste better or worse mainly depends on the richness of the tea's flavor and the drinker's preference.

4 Q: Light-roast teas are becoming more common. What is the appropriate water temperature for brewing this type of tea?

A: Brewing Oolong tea generally requires water temperature above 95°C, brewed immediately after boiling. When the water temperature is lower, light-roast tea is less affected than full-roast tea.

5 Q: Is there a relationship between the roasting level of Wuyi Rock Tea and the "rock rhyme" (Yanyun)?

A: Roasting is an important process for enhancing the rock rhyme of Wuyi Rock Tea. Generally, the stronger and more thorough the roasting, the stronger the rock rhyme. However, if the roasting is too high or excessive, it can also reduce the rock rhyme, making the tea taste hollow. The rock rhyme of lightly roasted tea is more difficult to perceive and distinguish.

6 Q: Does white tea undergo fermentation during its production?

A: The production of white tea mainly involves two processes: withering and drying. There is no dedicated fermentation process. However, slight fermentation occurs during withering, so white tea is classified as a slightly fermented tea.

7 Q: How was Tang Dynasty steamed green cake tea dried? What steamed green teas are still produced in China today?

A: Tang Dynasty steamed green cake tea was also dried using charcoal baking. Steamed green tea was invented in China during the Tang Dynasty, and by the Ming Dynasty, pan-firing gradually replaced steaming for green tea production. The steaming method was introduced to Japan from China during the Tang Dynasty and has been used there ever since. Today, steamed green tea is very rare in China. One famous example is Enshi Yulu from Hubei Province, which belongs to the steamed green tea category.

8 Q: When brewing light-fragrance Oolong tea, is it better to pour water into the center or circulate it around the edges?

A: Brewing Oolong tea generally requires high-temperature pouring from a height. The purpose of pouring from a height is to make the tea leaves tumble up and down, quickly and fully moisten them, and create foam, ideally removing all foam on the first infusion. Whether to pour into the center or around the edges is secondary. Any method that achieves the brewing effect is acceptable. Generally, pouring into the center is fine when the amount of tea leaves is small; when the amount is large, circulating around the edges is better.

9 Q: Which is more suitable for brewing rock tea: a purple clay pot or a porcelain gaiwan?

A: It mainly depends on the drinker's preference. Those who emphasize flavor over aroma are better off using a purple clay pot for brewing rock tea. To fully express the original aroma and taste of rock tea, a porcelain gaiwan is better.

10 Q: Isn't good rock tea also resistant to being brewed too strong? What is the difference between this strong bitterness and the bitterness of low-quality tea?

A: When rock tea is brewed too strong, exceeding the drinker's optimal concentration, it will feel bitter and astringent, affecting the tea's flavor. However, the strong bitterness of high-grade rock tea feels different from that of low-quality tea when tasted. The strong bitterness of good tea has a strong and lasting aftertaste, with a lingering fragrance in the mouth and teeth. The strong bitterness of low-quality tea, though it may have a strong aftertaste, is short-lived, while the bitter and astringent taste lasts longer, and the aroma is lower and persists for a shorter time.

11 Q: There are so many tea varieties in Wuyi Mountain. How are the differences between them distinguished?

A: Wuyi Rock Tea is the tea category with the richest range of quality styles, and its quality characteristics are diverse. They can be summarized into three main types: mountain terroir characteristics (environmental characteristics), variety characteristics, and processing characteristics. Among the three, processing characteristics have the greatest variability and are the most typical and easiest to distinguish, such as light-roast and full-roast types. The differences in mountain terroir and variety characteristics are relatively small and diverse, easily masked by processing characteristics, making them very difficult to master. Wuyi Mountain is a kingdom of tea varieties, with many types. Some have typical characteristics that are easy to grasp, while others have minimal differences that are extremely difficult to discern. The differences between rock tea varieties are distinguished by their variety characteristics. Only by mastering the correct variety characteristics can tasters identify and differentiate between different varieties.

12 Q: If high-quality Oolong tea leaves are over-fermented during processing, what effect will it produce?

A: The quality of Oolong tea is determined by multiple factors. The tea leaves are the foundation, and processing is the key. If high-quality Oolong tea leaves are over-fermented during processing, or if other steps are mishandled, the tea's aroma will be significantly reduced, and its flavor will be affected. If all other steps are normal but the fermentation is excessive, the resulting tea quality will show: reduced aroma or a shift to a subtle, elegant aromatic type, the liquor color turning reddish and dark, the flavor becoming thin, with grassy notes and the fermented flavor of black tea.

13 Q: What water temperature should be used for brewing rock tea with different roasting levels? Can boiling water be used directly for all?

A: Rock tea is always brewed with freshly boiled water. Rock tea with different roasting levels can all be brewed directly with boiling water.

14 Q: I have some aged tea with no obvious returning-green flavor, but I am worried that re-roasting it will reduce its quality. How should I handle it?

A: If aged rock tea does not have a clear returning-green flavor or mustiness, it does not need to be re-roasted. If you wish to continue aging it, you can process it with low-temperature drying and then seal it for storage.

15 Q: I often hear about "winter slices" of rock tea. What are their specific characteristics?

A: "Winter slices" of rock tea refer to rock tea harvested around the Beginning of Winter (Lidong). Its characteristics are a clear, high aroma and a sweet, mellow, and smooth flavor, without the bitterness and astringency of summer or autumn tea. It is the most refreshing and aromatic rock tea to drink around the Spring Festival.

16 Q: What kind of tea is Golden Guanyin? Why is its aroma so good?

A: Rock tea Golden Guanyin is made from the tea plant variety Mingke No. 1 (also known as 204). This variety is a high-aroma, early-ripening variety bred by the Provincial Tea Research Institute through hybridization of Tieguanyin and Huangdan. Because both of its parents are high-aroma varieties, Golden Guanyin has an extremely high superior production rate, with a strong, sharp aroma carrying a hint of Guanyin charm.