Wha is the white tea?
White tea, one of the six major categories of tea in China, has the simplest production process. Through sun-drying, withering and drying, without fixation or rolling, white tea is close to nature, retaining the original fragrance of tea leaves. The finished tea is covered with white fuzzy hairs, which is why white tea is named white tea. This is also a unique feature of white tea.
Basic characteristics of caffeine
Content: The general content is 2%~4%
Function: Caffeine is a natural stimulant that exists in coffee, tea, cocoa, and some soft drinks. In tea, caffeine mainly comes from the fresh leaves of the tea tree. Caffeine has an excitatory effect on the central nervous system and helps to refresh the mind.
Caffeine will sublimate due to high temperature and is easily soluble in hot water. Therefore, the temperature during the production process will affect the caffeine content in tea. In addition, the following factors will affect the caffeine content:
1. Different picking of raw materials
Caffeine is widely present in the leaves, flowers, stems and fruits of tea trees, and the highest content is in the leaves. Moreover, the tenderer the tea leaves, the higher the caffeine content, and the older the old leaves and tea stems, the lower the caffeine content.
2. Different types of tea trees
The caffeine content in water of large-leaf species is higher than that of small-leaf species and medium-leaf species.
3. Different picking seasons
Summer tea has a higher caffeine content
4. Brewing process
Some key points you can control to reduce the white tea caffeine content
Tea-water ratio: remember the tea-water ratio of different teas and adjust it through practice
Water temperature: the higher the brewing temperature, the more caffeine will be extracted from the tea leaves
Steeping time: the longer the brewing time, the more caffeine will be extracted from the tea leaves
Does white tea contain caffeine?
The production process of white tea is relatively simple. White tea undergoes the process of picking, withering, and natural drying. Therefore, the caffeine content of white tea is lower, generally containing 6-55 mg of caffeine in a cup (250 ml) of white tea. This makes white tea a relaxing drink suitable for drinking in the summer or at night.
Taking white tea as an example, tea made from buds, such as Silver needle tea, has much higher caffeine than Shou mei white tea; compared with the year and category, from high to low, there are: new white tea > aged white tea; Silver Needles > White Peony (Bai Mu Dan) > Shou Mei. Therefore, for those looking for a low-caffeine tea , you can choose aged white tea.
How to brew aged white tea?
tea-to-water ratio of 1:30
water temperature: boiled water
teaware: Gaiwan or Nixing clay teapot, Yixing clay teapot
water: spring water/purified water
First to fourth brewing: use 100°C water (203℉), pour water along the wall of the Gaiwan at fixed points, wait for 10- 15 seconds, and then pour out the tea soup.
After the fourth brewing, use 100°C (203℉)water, pour water along the wall of the Gaiwan at fixed points, wait more than 15 seconds, and then pour out the tea soup.
Chinese Yixing purple clay teapot
After several brewings, you can remove the tea from the teapot and boil it again in a kettle. Please remember to pour hot water, not cold water, into the kettle to boil the used tea. You will see that the tea is fragrant and even sweeter than when brewed in a teapot.
