In the process of brewing tea,
we often observe some white or golden fine
down hairs adhering to the leaves,
floating in the tea infusion.
These down hairs are known as tea down,
which are naturally occurring on the tender buds and young leaves of new shoots of the tea plant,
and are a result of processing and drying of the tea leaves.
The white down on the tips of tea shoots
serves an insulating function,
protecting them from damage due to low temperatures.
Tea down is rich in various beneficial substances such as polyphenols, amino acids, and caffeine. The aromatic compounds released by glandular cells at the base of the down hairs are key factors contributing to the “downy fragrance” of the tea infusion.
Generally, the more tender the tea leaves, the greater the amount of down hairs, and the higher the quality of the tea. For example, green teas like Biluochun and Huangshan Maofeng, the presence of down hairs can enhance the richness of the infusion and its fresh aroma. Studies have also found that drinking teas with high down content can provide a certain amount of crude fiber.
The crude fiber in tea leaves is largely indigestible when consumed, but once the down hairs dissolve into the tea infusion, the crude fiber becomes utilizable by the human body. However, the amount of down hairs cannot be the sole criterion for assessing the quality of tea, as it is primarily determined by the tea plant variety and influenced by the age of the raw material and processing techniques. For teas made from large leaves or older leaves, such as Oolong tea, Pu'er tea, and dark tea, the leaves used are coarser and older, and thus the down hairs are not prominent. Therefore, the quantity of down hairs cannot serve as a standard for evaluation.
West Lake Longjing, made from tender shoots, undergoes a process called “polishing pan” during processing, which aims to dry the tea leaves and facilitate the transformation of aromatic compounds. During this process, the down hairs on the surface of the leaves may be worn off.
Generally, if there are too many down hairs, the tea infusion might appear rather cloudy, and many people would consider this a sign of poor-quality tea.
In fact, this is easy to distinguish: after two or three infusions, the tea infusion from teas with abundant down hairs will gradually become clear. However, if the tea leaves are of poor quality, the infusion will remain cloudy regardless of the number of infusions.
In summary, the quality of tea is the result of multiple factors working together, and judging solely based on the amount of down hairs is insufficiently comprehensive. This approach might lead to overlooking many high-quality teas.
Originally published in Puer Magazine
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