White tea

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

White tea is tea made from new growth buds and young leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis. ^[1] The leaves are steamed or fried to inactivate oxidation, and then dried. White tea therefore retains the high concentrations of catechins which are present in fresh tea leaves. ^[2][1] As white teas contain buds and leaves, whereas other teas are mainly leaves, the dried tea doesn’t look green and has a pale appearance. ^[3] Buds and young tea leaves have been found to contain higher levels of caffeine than older leaves, suggesting that the caffeine content of some white teas may be slightly higher than that of green teas.^[1]

White tea is a specialty of the Chinese province Fujian. ^[4] The leaves come from a number of varieties of tea cultivars. The most popular are Da Bai (Large White), Xiao Bai (Small White), Narcissus and Chaicha bushes. According to the different standards of picking and selecting, white teas can be classified into a number of grades, further described in the varieties section.

Contents 1 History 2 Varieties of white tea 2.1 Chinese white teas 2.2 Other white teas 3 Potential Health Benefits 3.1 White tea compared to green tea 4 Brewing 5 References

[edit] History

See also: Tea: Origin and History

When Song Dynasty emperor Huizong proclaimed white tea to be the culmination of all that is elegant ^[5] , he set in motion the evolution of this variety. For centuries white tea has been shrouded in obscurity outside China, but today it is being discovered by tea lovers around the world.

A form of compressed tea referred to as white tea was being produced as far back as the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). ^[6] At this time, the nature of the beverage and style of tea preparation were quite different from the way it is experienced today. Tea leaves were processed into cakes and prepared by boiling pieces of the compressed tea in earthenware kettles. This special white tea of Tang was picked in early spring when the new growths of tea bushes that resemble silver needles were abundant. These "first flushes" were used as the raw material to make the compressed tea. ^[7]

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279) production and preparation of all tea changed; a new powdered form emerged to partially replace the many loose-leaf styles previously favored by court society. ^[8] Leaves were picked and quickly steamed to preserve their color and fresh character. After steaming, the leaves were dried and the finished tea was ground into fine powders that were whisked in wide bowls. The resulting beverage was highly regarded for its deep emerald or iridescent white appearance and its supposed healthy, rejuvenating energy. ^[9][10]

This Song style of tea preparation, incorporating powdered tea and ceramic ware in a ceremonial aesthetic, was known as the Song tea ceremony. Japanese monks traveling to China at this time had learned the Song preparation and brought it home with them. Although it later became extinct in China, this Song style of tea evolved into the Japanese tea ceremony, which endures today. ^[11][10][12]

Many forms of white tea were made in the Song Dynasty. Huizong, who ruled China from 1100-1126, referred to white tea as the best type of tea, and he has been credited with the development of many white teas in the Song Dynasty, including "Palace Jade Sprout" and "Silver Silk Water Sprout." ^[10]

Producing white teas was then extremely labor-intensive. Leaves and buds were picked from selected varietals of cultivated bushes or wild tea trees in early spring. They were immediately steamed and the buds were selected and stripped of their outer unopened leaf; only the delicate interior of the bud was reserved to be rinsed with spring water and dried. This process resulted in white teas whose leaves were paper thin and small. Once processed, the finished tea was distributed and often given as a tribute to the Song court in loose form. It was then ground to a fine, silvery-white powder that was whisked in the wide ceramic bowls used in the Song tea ceremony. These white powder teas were also used in the whisked tea competitions of that era. ^[10]

After the transition from compressed tea to the powdered form, the production of tea for trade and distribution changed once again. In 1391, the Ming court issued a decree that only loose tea would be accepted as a "tribute." As a result, loose tea production increased and processing techniques advanced. Soon, most tea was distributed in full-leaf, loose form and steeped in earthenware vessels. ^[13]

In hard times, very poor Chinese people would serve guests boiled water if they could not afford tea. Host and guest would refer to the water as "white tea" and act as if the tradition of serving guests tea had been carried out as usual. This usage is related to plain boiled water being called "white boiled water" in Chinese. ^[12]

[edit] Varieties of white tea

[edit] Chinese white teas

• Bai Hao Yinzhen (Silver needle): The highest grade of the Bai Hao Yinzhen should be fleshy, bright colored and covered with tiny white hairs. The shape should be very uniform, with no stems or leaves. The very best Yinzhen are picked between March 15 and April 10 when it is not raining and only using undamaged and unopened buds. Fujian Province, China.
• Bai Mu Dan (White Peony): A grade down from Bai Hao Yinzhen tea, incorporating the bud and two leaves which should be covered with a fine, silvery-white down. From Fujian Province, China. (Sometimes spelled Pai Mu Tan.)
• Gong Mei (Tribute Eyebrow): The third grade of white tea, the production uses leaves from the Xiao Bai or "small white" tea trees.
• Shou Mei (Noble, Long Life Eyebrow): A fruity furry white tea that is a chaotic mix of tips and upper leaf, it has a stronger flavor than other white teas, similar to Oolong. It is the fourth grade of White tea and is plucked later than Bai Mu Dan hence the tea may be darker in color. From Fujian Province and Guangxi Province in China

[edit] Other white teas

• Ceylon White: A highly prized tea grown in Sri Lanka. Ceylon White tea can fetch much higher prices than Black tea from the area. The tea has a very light liquoring with notes of pine & honey and a golden coppery infusion.
• Darjeeling White: It has a delicate aroma and brews to a pale golden cup with a mellow taste and a hint of sweetness. This tea is particularly fluffy and light. A tea from Darjeeling, India.
• Assam White: White tea production in the Assam region is very rare. Much lighter in body than the traditional black teas, a white Assam yields a refined infusion that is naturally sweet with a distinct malty character.

[edit] Potential Health Benefits

See also: Potential effects of tea on health

[edit] White tea compared to green tea

A study at Pace University in 2004 showed white tea had more anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities than green tea. ^[14]

[edit] Brewing

Generally, 2.25 grams of tea per 6 ounces of water, or about 1.5 teaspoons of white tea per cup, should be used. White teas should be prepared with 180°F (80°C) water (not boiling) and steeped 4-5 minutes. ^[15]

[edit] References