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Article Title:
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Tea: How is White Tea Graded?

Article Description:
====================

White tea has become a very popular drink in recent years. Though
it's been grown at least as far back as the Tang Dynasty
(618-907 A.D.), it is a new beverage to most people in the
Western world. 


Additional Article Information:
===============================

870 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line
Distribution Date and Time: 2007-05-22 10:24:00

Written By:     Jon M. Stout
Copyright:      2007
Contact Email:  mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]


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Tea: How is White Tea Graded?
Copyright (c) 2007 Jon M. Stout
Golden Moon Tea
http://www.GoldenMoonTea.com



White tea has become a very popular drink in recent years. Though
it's been grown at least as far back as the Tang Dynasty
(618-907 A.D.), it is a new beverage to most people in the
Western world.

Later, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) the emperor Hui Zhong
declared white tea to be the most elegant form of tea, and this
declaration made white tea more popular and increased the number
of tea gardens growing the variety. During this same dynasty, a
new method of white tea preparation emerged, known as the Song
method.

Prior to this, white tea leaves were processed into cakes and
prepared by boiling pieces of the tea cake in kettles. During the
Song Dynasty, white tea began being produced in powdered form.
After the white tea leaves were steamed and dried, they were
ground into a fine powder. This powder was whisked with hot water
in wide bowls. This method of preparation produced a tea that was
either emerald or iridescent white in color.

The most popular cultivars for white tea include Da Bai, Xiao
Bai, Narcissus and Chaicha bushes. Based on the different
standards of picking and selecting the white teas, they can be
classified into different grades. Following is an overview of
white tea grades.

Bai Hao Yinzhen Tea – This tea is produced mostly in the Fujian
province of China, but is also produced in the Jiangxi Province,
the Lin Yun Province and the Yunnan provinces of China, too. It
is generally referred to as Silver Needle tea and is considered
the highest grade of white tea.

The best Yinzhen white tea is picked between March 15 and April
10. It must be picked when the weather is dry and only unopened
and undamaged buds are to be used for the best flavor. This tea
is very low in caffeine. It is very pale in color when brewed,
and has an extremely mild flavor. In fact, it is so mild that
some people find it nearly tasteless. When brewed this tea will
look pale yellow and there should be floating white hairs that
reflect the light.

Bai Mu Dan Tea – This tea is known as Pai Mu Tan, White Peony or
White Hairy Monkey Tea. It is grown primarily in the Fujian and
Chongqing Provinces of China. This is a lower grade of Yinzhen
tea that contains fewer buds and more leaves. It is picked only
between March 15 and April 10 and only on days where there is no
rain, no frost and no dew on the ground.

The stems must not have any purple buds and leaves must be
completely undamaged and buds completely unopened. The best Bai
Mu Dan uses the top two leaves and the unopened bud only. Once
the leaves are dried they should appear green.

This white tea has a delicate floral fragrance and a mellow,
fruity and sweet taste, but brews up slightly stronger than Bai
Hao Yinzhen Tea. The liquor is shimmering and clear. The brew
will have a very pale green or golden color. This tea is
considered to be the second highest grade of white tea.

Shou Mei Tea – This tea is primarily grown in the Fujian and
Guangxi Provinces of China. It is produced from naturally
withered upper leaves and tips of the tea plant. It is plucked
later than Bai Mu Dan, resulting in darker leaves. This white tea
will have a stronger flavor than many other white teas, somewhat
like oolong tea. The flavor is fruity, but can become bitter if
over brewed. It is considered a fourth grade tea.

Darjeeling White Tea – This tea is grown in the Darjeeling region
of India, where it is picked and rolled by hand and then withered
in the sun. It must be grown at high altitudes with lots of rain
to produce the right flavor. Darjeeling white brews to a very
pale color and delicate aroma.

Ceylon White Tea – Ceylon tea is produced in Sri Lanka. It is
harvested and rolled by hand and the leaves are withered in the
sun. It has a very pale color when brewed and has a bit of a
honey flavor. Ceylon white is a highly prized Sri Lankan tea.

Within these different categories of white tea, there are some
grades based on the quality of leaf used. For example, in white
teas in general, the highest grades use a higher proportion of
bud to leaf. However, there are no internationally recognized
standards for the grading of tea, so it can be quite difficult to
determine the highest qualities in white and other varieties of
tea.

In general, higher quality tea should be higher priced, but tea
that is rare is also higher priced, so that can make it difficult
to spot the best teas, too. First pluckings in white tea produce
a higher quality of tea, so it's wise to shop for tea that is
labeled such in order to get the best quality.

Finding the best white teas may be a bit difficult and may cost a
bit of money, too. However, the best white teas are so very
delicious that they are well worth the extra time and cost.




---------------------------------------------------------------------
Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Golden Moon
Tea Company. For more information about tea,
(http://www.goldenmoontea.com/greentea) 
green tea (http://www.goldenmoontea.com/blacktea) 
and black tea go to http://www.goldenmoontea.com


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