Is it good to drink Tieguanyin in the evening? Tieguanyin is a famous Chinese tea with rich nutritional value. So, is it good to drink Tieguanyin in the evening? How can you tell the quality of Tieguanyin? Let's find out together!
Is it good to drink Tieguanyin in the evening?
All types of tea have a refreshing effect, so it's best not to drink tea before going to bed at night because the caffeine can cause insomnia. Some people might be exceptions and not have trouble sleeping after drinking tea, but you still shouldn't drink too much tea at night, as it's not good for your stomach.
You should also pay attention to your tea-drinking habits. Don't drink tea on an empty stomach, as it's also bad for your digestive system. Drinking tea on an empty stomach to wake yourself up in the morning is a bad habit. However, drinking tea after a meal has great benefits, as it helps with digestion.
Smell the aroma of the dry tea leaves
In terms of the aroma of dry tea, there is a significant difference between lightly and medium-fermented Tieguanyin: High-quality, lightly fermented Tieguanyin has a distinct orchid fragrance, while medium-fermented tea, although pleasant, has a different style. The difference becomes more apparent after brewing: High-quality lightly fermented Tieguanyin has a strong and prominent orchid aroma, which is a major reason for its popularity. Medium-fermented Tieguanyin, while also fragrant, lacks a strong orchid scent and is therefore harder to sell at a good price. Over time, farmers have become less willing to produce it. To distinguish them by smell and taste, you must brew and compare them. Of course, low-quality lightly fermented tea often has a very faint aroma or none at all, while poor-quality medium-fermented tea can still maintain a strong and pleasant aroma, even if it's a roasted aroma.
Look at the color of the dry tea leaves
First, we look at the color of the dry tea granules—lightly fermented Tieguanyin is prized for being fresh, green, and vibrant, while a dull or dark black color is considered inferior. Traditional medium-fermented Tieguanyin seeks an oily, lustrous appearance, like a frog's skin, and is noticeably darker than the lightly fermented kind. Furthermore, the tea granules differ: High-quality lightly fermented Tieguanyin is made from young, tender leaves from new bushes, resulting in smaller granules. Medium-fermented Tieguanyin uses mature leaves from older bushes, and the picking process is often less meticulous, leading to larger, heavier granules that make a clinking sound in the bowl—the origin of the praise "heavy as iron." Of course, the market offers a wide variety, but generally, as Tieguanyin production has shifted towards light fermentation, high-grade products are mostly of this style. Medium-fermented products are now mostly lower-grade, and high-quality medium-fermented Tieguanyin is increasingly rare.
Taste the tea liquor
High-quality lightly fermented Tieguanyin feels smooth on the palate with an orchid aroma that appears in the mouth and a sweet fragrance that emerges after swallowing. Drinking a high-grade lightly fermented tea is often a wonderful experience, and despite its defects of being less flavorful and mellow, its advantages are significant—its widespread popularity is well-deserved. In contrast, medium-fermented Tieguanyin is more moderate; it's not particularly smooth, and you're unlikely to taste an orchid aroma. Its advantages are a stronger flavor, suitable for those who prefer a bolder taste, and a more obvious sweet aftertaste, which many people favor. Those with a light palate are most likely to accept lightly fermented Tieguanyin—however, if it's of poor quality, it's not pleasant to drink, almost without aroma, with a noticeable astringency and little to no aftertaste, which can be described as "bland." Poor-quality medium-fermented tea, at least, smells good, and although it has a bitter and astringent taste, it is strong and robust.
To determine if it's good tea, you can take a brewed tea leaf, examine it. Good tea has symmetrical and uniform buds, with full leaf flesh. Even after multiple infusions, it remains green, not having been discolored by the hot water, but rather fully integrated with it. Good tea "enjoys" the hot water.
To identify good Tieguanyin, you can take a brewed tea leaf, chew it to feel the freshness of the tea flesh. As you chew, the tea's fragrance will fill your entire mouth, making your taste buds feel refreshed. The basic principle for selecting Tieguanyin is to use less leaf, add more water, and steep for a longer time. This way, the tea's good and bad qualities will be fully revealed.
Is it good to drink Tieguanyin in the evening?
1. You can drink Tieguanyin when you have a cold because its chemical components and mineral elements have special functions for human health and can boost immunity.
2. Tieguanyin has the effect of clearing heat and reducing fire. For a sore throat caused by a cold, drinking Tieguanyin can moisten the mouth and relieve thirst.
3. Tieguanyin has antibacterial properties. The tea polyphenols and tannins in the tea can solidify the proteins of bacteria, effectively resisting viral invasion.
4. Tieguanyin has anti-inflammatory effects and is effective in treating oral inflammation, ulcers, and sore throat.
5. Tieguanyin is rich in nutrients and can be blended with ginger, dried tangerine peel, chrysanthemum, etc., to effectively prevent cold viruses.