Tea culture is gaining more and more attention, and the number of people drinking tea is also increasing.
When drinking tea, you can often hear tea lovers comment on the thickness or thinness of a cup of tea. Many tea lovers who have just started drinking tea are very confused. What does "thick" and "thin" feel like?
1. The "thickness" and "thinness" of tea soup
The thickness and thinness of tea soup are not actually the thickness seen by the eyes. The thickness of tea soup refers to the "thickness of tea quality." This is a bit abstract.
For example, the feeling of drinking mineral water with the tongue is different from the feeling of drinking tea with the tongue. Naturally, mineral water is light, and tea contains more substances, which makes people feel comfortable when drinking. So drinking tea is thick, while drinking mineral water is thin.
The thickness and thinness of tea soup are usually described by fullness, that is, the texture of tea in the mouth. It can be said that tea has high fullness, while mineral water has low fullness.
But no matter what kind of tea, talking about the "thickness" and "thinness" of tea soup is first related to the amount of substances contained in the tea itself. If the content of pectin, tea polyphenols, caffeine, amino acids, tea polysaccharides, etc. in tea is high, the tea soup is "thick"; otherwise, the tea soup is "thin". In the end, it is still related to the environment in which the tea is located, the variety of tea trees, the time of picking and making, and the production process.
2. Factors that affect the thickness of tea soup
(1) The environment in which tea leaves grow
As a plant between heaven and earth, tea is inevitably greatly influenced by heaven and earth.
Compared with tea trees grown in a small, shady valley where the sun is never seen, tea trees grown in a place with plenty of sunshine and rain naturally produce thicker tea soup. If the weather is good that year and the combination of sunshine and rain is good, then it is almost perfect.
(2) The age of the tea tree
The older the tea tree, the thicker the tea soup, and the younger the tea tree, the thinner the tea soup.
The older the tree, the more developed the root system, the stronger the ability to absorb underground minerals and nutrients, the more nutrients, and the thicker the tea soup. On the contrary, tea trees that only absorb nutrients from the surface usually do not have an ideal tea soup thickness.
(3) Tea production process
The tea production process is the key step in determining the final appearance of the tea soup. Simply put, it is to deal with the relationship between water and tea leaves through various techniques, how to let the water drain away slowly and just right, while allowing the various substances in the tea leaves to transform into wonderful and pleasant feelings. This can be said to be a work of art. If it is not done well, the original flavor of the tea will be lost even if the tea leaves are of good quality and age.
3. Appreciate the thickness of tea soup
It is actually very simple to perceive the thickness of tea soup. When the tea is in your mouth, stir it gently with your tongue. The thickness of tea soup varies with different teas, and the texture (which can be understood as the weight on the tongue) felt by the tongue is different.
If you encounter a very high-end tea, close your mouth, take a small breath, and swallow the tea soup several times. The layered feeling and aftertaste are the beauty of the thickness of the tea.
From the sensory aspect of tasting tea, there is a difference between "thickness" and "thinness". The presentation process of "thickness" is also the formation of craftsmanship. In life, "thinness is in the use of things, and thickness is in human feelings". When to be thin and when to be thick, when to be moderate and when to go with the flow, is a profound art.
