The Origin of Brewing Tea Culture

Before we introduce the secrets of brewing tea, let’s talk about the origin of brewing tea culture! When it comes to tea culture, there have been many changes from the Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, Ming Dynasty, Qing Dynasty to modern times.

First of all, drinking tea began in the Han Dynasty, but due to the short period of the Sui Dynasty, there were very few records about the teahouse at that time. In the Tang Dynasty, tea leaves were processed into tea cakes.

We can know that “The popularity of tea in the Tang Dynasty was greater than that in the Song Dynasty”. In the Song Dynasty, tea varieties were abundant, so the culture of tea drinking became more and more important. People began to pay attention to the completeness of the colour and aroma of tea leaves.

At that time, loose tea made by the steaming method appeared, and the manufacturing process was greatly simplified. Then in the Ming Dynasty, tea cakes and tea balls became relatively rare, and loose leaf tea was the main variant. The method of making tea has also changed from fried tea to brewed tea.

By the Qing Dynasty, tea became inseparable from daily life, and tea houses were developed. The tea houses have also become a suitable place for activities regardless of social class, and tea has also begun to integrate with poetry, drama, lantern riddles, folk art and other cultures. Treating guests with tea also evolved gradually from these cultures. From the historical deduction to the present, the tea culture is not only a cultural display, but also the best connection between people, which is the origin of our tea culture.

Read More:
What is Tea? 6 Tea Types and Fermentation Process?

How to Brew Tea? These 6 principles are the key.

Principle 1: Choose good tea leaves | How to Brew Tea

“If a worker wants to do a good job, he must first sharpen his tools.” In addition to the choice of tea sets, the choice of tea leaves is the key. Just like a master chef, even a super chef can’t use rotten ingredients to make a classic dish. Therefore, choosing a good tea can be said to be the most important principle!

Principle 2: Focus on making good tea | How to Brew Tea

Tea can be said to be synonymous with “tranquillity”, while tea sets are fragile. Therefore, when you are making tea, it is very important to “focus” on doing this well – being calm and concentrated. Try not to make any noise during the tea making process, so that you can comprehend a better tea ceremony from quietness.

Principle 3: Peace of mind is naturally good | How to Brew Tea

Be calm and it will naturally go well. When you are in a good mood, the tea will have a sweet aftertaste, and you will be able to brew it with confidence. When you have doubts during the tea brewing process, the flavour of the tea will be affected.

Principle 4: Observe changes in tea leaves | How to Brew Tea

It is very important to observe the changes of tea leaves, especially the amount of tea leaves that need to be weighed. You must also pay attention to the preservation of tea leaves, and do not touch the tea leaves directly with wet hands. The tea leaves should also be sealed and stored in a cool place. Pay attention to the state of the tea, the surrounding temperature, water temperature, and the way the tea set is used. From subtle changes to fine-tuning, adjust the tea brew to the best suit.

Principle 5: It is important to pour high and pour low | How to Brew Tea

The so-called high flushing means that the water level is pushed up to the tea leaves. This way, the tea leaves can be easily displayed, and it will be easier to open after high pressure. Again, low pouring means that the tea should not be allowed to bubble when the tea brew is poured. Taiwanese tea has a delicate taste, and it is easy to oxidise when it bubbles.

Principle 6: Constantly practice breakthroughs | How to Brew Tea

Practice, practice, practice, breakthroughs, breakthroughs, and all things are the same. Only by constantly adjusting the brewed tea will it taste better and better!

Read More:
How to Make Cold Brew Tea? Timing and Temp?

Taiwan Tea Bag Recommendations – ABoxTik of Tea Series

Yingxiang Oolong Tea  | ABoxTik of Tea Series

Taicha No. 20 – Yingxiang is a cultivar from the tea improvement farm. The female parent is the 2022 strain, and the male parent is Qingxin Oolong. Yingxiang, according to the name, once brewed, it can usher in the aroma that fills the environment, and the taste is a continuation of the rhythm of the male parent Qingxin Oolong.

The tea soup is bright green and clear, and it is sweet, not bitter in the mouth. The natural flowers and fruits are sweet and fragrant, with a special orchid aroma. “Spring fragrance, summer bitterness, autumn astringency, and winter rhythm”, the strong fragrance of spring tea, coupled with the characteristic fragrance of Yingxiang, is combined into a rare Guifulan fragrance.

Tea Broth	Bright green and clear
Appearance	Tight and hemispheric
Tea Aroma	Light, sweet, fruity and elegant orchid
Tea Tree Varieties	Taicha No. 20
First Taste	Sweet and orchid fragrance
Middle Taste	Sweet and tasty
Aftertaste	Smooth
Place of Origin	Taiwan – Nantou
Preservation Method	Store at room temperature and dry. Avoid high temperatures and direct sunlight.
Ingredients	100% Taicha No. 20 tea leaves
Volume	10 x 2.5g tea bags

 

Green Jade Oolong Tea  | ABoxTik of Tea Series

Cuiyu Dong Pian tea is an exteremely rare variant of Dong Pian tea as the Cuiyu tea tree is not as robust and easy to grow as the Sijichun variety. Being able to grow up in a difficult environment is really valuable.

During the growth period of Dong Pian tea, the temperature difference between day and night is large, the relative humidity is low, and the growth of tea buds is slow, so the fermentation degree is especially increased slightly during the production process. In this way, the aroma in the tea is more rich and layered, which is different from the jade tea produced during other seasons. The brewed tea smells fragrant and floral, with a sweet aftertaste. It is a rare product with both aroma and bottom rhyme.

Tea Broth	Clear and honey yellow
Appearance	Tight and hemispheric
Tea Aroma	Delicate jasmine
Tea Tree Varieties	Taicha No. 13
First Taste	Sweet with jasmine aroma
Middle Taste	Slightly bitter with sweet aftertaste
Aftertaste	Smooth and sweet
Place of Origin	Taiwan – Nantou
Preservation Method	Store at room temperature and dry. Avoid high temperatures and direct sunlight.
Ingredients	100% Taicha No. 13 tea leaves
Volume	10 x 2.5g tea bags

 

Dong Pian Sijichun Tea | ABoxTik of Tea Series

Dong Pian tea is harvested during the cool December-January period. The place of origin is of a low to medium altitude, but it can produce the cold characteristics like high mountain tea. Although the yield is small, the quality of the tea is excellent. It has a distinctive natural floral aroma and a special feeling of strong taste.

The production methods of light fermentation and light baking are used to extract the aroma, so that the Dong Pian Sijichun tea has a bright and fresh floral fragrance and the cold characteristics of high mountain Oolong tea, making the brewed tea delicate and moisturizing, full of aroma when brewing, and fresh taste.

Tea Broth	Golden translucent
Appearance	Tight and hemispheric
Tea Aroma	Fresh gardenia aroma
Tea Tree Varieties	Four seasons
First Taste	Fragrant flowers and fruits, sweet and moisturizing
Middle Taste	Sweet nectar
Aftertaste	Fresh
Place of Origin	Taiwan – Nantou
Preservation Method	Store at room temperature and dry. Avoid high temperatures and direct sunlight.
Ingredients	100% Taicha No. 20 Sijichun tea leaves
Volume	10 x 2.5g tea bags

 

Tongding Oolong Tea | ABoxTik of Tea Series

Tongding Oolong tea is a medium-fermented, medium-baked tea. In the manufacturing process, the number of times of manual stirring is deliberately increased to allow the leaf edge cells to collide with each other, so that the leaves reach the green leaf red edge to facilitate fermentation.

For the subsequent processing and roasting, the infrared roasting tea machine is slowly roasted on a low fire, and the tea is gradually dried from the center to the outside. It is slowly dried from the inner substance to the surface, so that the moisture content of the tea leaves is less than 3%. The dried tea has a sweet aroma of brown sugar, thus it has a sweet aftertaste. It is a Taiwanese specialty tea boasting both aroma and taste.

Tea Broth	Golden and bright
Appearance	Tight and hemispheric
Tea Aroma	Brown sugar and chestnut sugar
Tea Tree Varieties	Four seasons
First Taste	Sweet with a slight fire flavor
Middle Taste	Sweet aftertaste
Aftertaste	Sweet backend
Place of Origin	Taiwan – Nantou
Preservation Method	Store at room temperature and dry. Avoid high temperatures and direct sunlight.
Ingredients	100% Taicha No. 20 Sijichun tea leaves
Volume	10 x 2.5g tea bags

 

Jinxuan Oolong Tea | ABoxTik of Tea Series

Jinxuan Oolon has an increased degree of fermentation to medium during the production process, so that the roaster can increase the roasting stage in the subsequent roasting to enhance the flavor of the tea. Different from Taiwan Tea No. 12-Jinxuan Tea, which always has a sweet milky aroma, this dried Jinxuan Oolong tea has obvious roasted sugar aroma and cane sweet aroma.

Using the progressive Hojicha technique, the first roasting: removes the odor and reduces the water content, and the second roasting: adds the sweet flavor of the tea, so that the aroma is contained in brewed tea. Most importantly, progressively roasted teas are less irritating to the stomach and lower in caffeine.

Tea Broth	Honey green and bright
Appearance	Tight and hemispheric
Tea Aroma	Tikitiki
Tea Tree Varieties	Taicha No. 12
First Taste	Sweet cane sugar
Middle Taste	Sweet and moist
Aftertaste	Soothes the mouth and moisturises the throat
Place of Origin	Taiwan – Nantou
Preservation Method	Store at room temperature and dry. Avoid high temperatures and direct sunlight.
Ingredients	100% Taicha No. 12 tea leaves
Volume	10 x 2.5g tea bags

 

Honey Red Oolong Tea | ABoxTik of Tea Series

Red Oolong is an emerging specialty tea in Taiwan developed by the Taitung Branch of the Tea Industry Improvement Field in 2008. It is a newly created tea that combines the processing characteristics and quality of Oolong tea and black tea.

Picked and produced in summer, the buds and leaves are sucked by Jacobiasca Formosana and then combined with the manufacturing process of heavy fermented seeds to bake. After the finished product is made, the overall aroma and taste is varied. The brewed tea has a special honey fragrance, which is amazing from the smell to the drink. It is an emerging specialty tea suitable for hot and cold brewing.

Tea Broth	Orange red
Appearance	Tight and hemispheric
Tea Aroma	Sweet caramel and ripe fruit
Tea Tree Varieties	Taicha No. 12
First Taste	Sweet and smooth
Middle Taste	Sweet honey fragrance
Aftertaste	Fragrant and warmth
Place of Origin	Taiwan – Nantou
Preservation Method	Store at room temperature and dry. Avoid high temperatures and direct sunlight.
Ingredients	100% Taicha No. 12 tea leaves
Volume	10 x 2.5g tea bags

ABoxTik, enjoy the precious products of tea with you.

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ABoxTik will continue to bring everyone different tea knowledge, including history and various analyses of tea culture. In hopes for everyone to acquire a better understanding of tea, please read through our articles. If you are interested in various tea cultures, as well as the history and knowledge of tea, you are welcome to explore more secrets of tea with ABoxTik products. Continue to follow our article updates, and visit our official website!