China is the birthplace of tea, with a long and rich Tea culture that has been popular from ancient times to the present. Drinking Tea is also very widespread, enjoyed not only by the wealthy but also by ordinary people. When buying tea, however, ordinary consumers must be cautious to avoid purchasing “adulterated tea.” This is because some unscrupulous merchants, in pursuit of greater profits, often use inferior tea materials and add various additives to improve both the appearance and taste, allowing them to set higher prices. Many unsuspecting consumers end up buying poor-quality tea.
Tips for Buying Good Tea
1. Look: Observe its shape: Look at the uniformity and consistency of the tea leaves and their luster. Evaluate the quality of the tea based on how uniform the leaves are, their glossy appearance, and the amount of broken leaves or twigs. If the visual appearance of the tea is not appealing, listen to your instincts and do not be swayed by the seller's persuasion; you should immediately reconsider your purchase. Generally speaking, a tea must pass this first visual test before further evaluation.
2. Scent: Smell its aroma: Good tea should have a pure and authentic aroma without any off or strange odors. Smelling the tea can help you determine its quality. There are two methods of smelling tea: dry and wet. When smelling dry tea, good tea should not have any grassy or unusual odors. After brewing, when smelling the tea while wet, high-quality tea should have a fresh, strong aroma without any unpleasant smells.
3. Inquire: Ask about its origin: Inquire about the variety and origin to roughly judge the tea's quality. When purchasing tea, it's important to know the authentic origins and corresponding varieties. For example, according to Zhejiang provincial standards, the specific production area for West Lake Longjing tea is around Lion Peak, Meiwu, and Longwu in Hangzhou. Biluochun comes from the shores of Dongting Lake in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, and Tieguanyin Oolong is produced in Anxi, Fujian. It's beneficial to do some preliminary research and have a basic understanding of these details so that you can ask informed questions of sellers, reducing the chances of being misled.
4. Brew: Brew and taste: Ultimately, tea is meant to be drunk, so tasting is essential. Many tea enthusiasts find that the tea they drink at a shop tastes different when they brew it themselves at home, leading them to suspect foul play. However, the best way to eliminate such doubts lies in our own hands. What we need to do is brew the tea ourselves on the spot. Doing so has an additional benefit: if there are errors in the brewing method, knowledgeable sellers will guide us on the correct technique. This provides an excellent learning opportunity to discover more brewing tips and tricks. Only by brewing the tea ourselves can we truly understand its authentic flavor. While savoring the taste, also observe the tea liquor. A good tea liquor should be full-bodied, mellow, fresh, and pleasantly sweet, while a thin, bland, and harsh taste indicates lower quality.
Additionally, inspect the infused leaves. High-quality leaves should be intact, soft, thick, and tender with visible buds, while inferior leaves are thin, hard, and dark in color.
Taboos When Buying Tea
1. Avoid “Famous Teas”
In today's tea market, virtually every tea is labeled with a prestigious name. All oolongs are called “Tieguanyin,” “Dongding,” or “Da Hongpao”; all pan-fired green teas are labeled “Longjing”; all slender teas are named “Biluochun”; and all plump teas are labeled “Huangshan Maofeng.” Such mislabeling is rampant. Tea enthusiasts should remain vigilant and carefully discern the truth.
2. Avoid “Grades”
People often see terms like “premium,” “superlative,” “grand gold award,” and “special grade” on tea packaging, yet they may not realize that if the product were truly “high-quality,” it wouldn't be so “affordable.” The grading of tea is clearly defined by national standards, and tea enthusiasts should conduct preliminary inquiries to avoid being misled.
3. Avoid “Packaging”
The market is filled with teas packaged in porcelain bottles, tin cans, and rosewood boxes, which many people prefer to buy due to their upscale appearance. However, the quality of the tea is not reflected in its outer packaging. Some unscrupulous sellers put low-quality tea into fancy packaging, making it appear better than it actually is—essentially, gilding the lily. Do not be overly swayed by fancy packaging; what matters most is the content inside.