Taiping Houkui

Taiping Houkui is produced in Huangshan District at the northern foot of Huangshan Mountain. Due to the low temperature and humidity, fertile soil and clouds, the tea has a unique quality: the tea buds are straight, plump and tender, with a majestic appearance, dark green color, and white hairs. It has the excellent characteristics of clear green soup, bright water color, strong aroma, mellow taste and sweet aftertaste. It is the best among the top teas. It won the gold medal and certificate at the Panama International Competition in 1915; it was exhibited in Bolivia and other countries in the 1930s; and it won praise from merchants from five continents in China's export trade in 1979.

Origin

Taiping Houkui is produced in Xinming, Longmen and Sankou areas of Huangshan District (formerly Taiping County) at the northern foot of Huangshan City, Anhui Province. The main production areas are located in Houkeng, Hougang and Yanjia in Sanmen Village, Xinming Township. The top teas picked from Houkeng high mountain tea garden are of the best quality.

Ecology

Tea gardens are all distributed in medium and low mountains above 350 meters. The soil is mostly black sandy loam, with a deep soil layer rich in organic matter. The tea mountains are mostly south-facing and north-facing, located on the ridges and slopes of semi-shaded and semi-sunny areas. Because the production area is low temperature and humid, the soil is fertile and covered with clouds and fog, the tea quality is unique.

Taiping Houkui production process

1 Picking

Taiping Houkui is very particular about picking. Generally, it is picked before and after Grain Rain, and stopped before Beginning of Summer. During the picking period, it is picked every 3 to 4 days. Picking starts from 6 to 10 am on sunny days or cloudy days before the fog disappears. The total picking time is about 20 days.

There is a saying of "four picks and eight no picks" when picking.

"Four picks" means that tea buds growing on sunny mountains should not be picked, but tea buds on shady mountains facing north and south should be picked; second, tea buds growing on tea trees in the ground should not be picked, but tea buds growing on tea trees in high places should be picked; third, tea buds with thin tips and weak branches on tea trees should not be picked, but tea buds on thick and straight branches of tea trees should be picked; fourth, tea buds with one bud, two or three leaves just unfolding should be picked.

"Eight no picks" means that tea buds without buds should not be picked, tea buds with large or small buds should not be picked, tea buds with thin or weak buds should not be picked, tea buds with gaps eaten by insects should not be picked, tea buds with light colors should not be picked, and tea buds with purple buds should not be picked.

2 Picking Tips

Picking tips is a special process in the production of Taiping Houkui. It is to break off the stem of the second leaf from the first bud and leave one bud and two leaves, commonly known as the "tip".

3 Spreading

Spread the carefully selected fresh leaves on a bamboo plaque or bamboo mat. Spreading for a short time will make the fresh leaves lose a small amount of water, which is convenient for killing green, and it is also conducive to the transformation of the contents, which plays a certain role in the formation of the aroma and taste of Houkui.

4 Killing Green

It is to stir-fry at high temperature to inactivate the active substances in the tea leaves. When stir-frying, it is required to "carry lightly, scoop cleanly, and shake open". The killing green leaves require complete tips, connected stems and leaves, naturally straight, and stretched leaves.

5 Sorting

The killing green leaves that are about to be out of the pot are straightened by hand one by one, and evenly and neatly laid on a special wooden iron mesh box. When straightening, it is required to wrap the two leaves around the tender buds with fingers, forming the unique characteristics of Taiping Houkui, two leaves hugging one bud.

6 Pressing and forming

Put the straightened tea leaves on a special forming machine, roll them gently with a wooden roller, and flatten them by hand.

7 Rough baking

Rough baking is also called first fire, which is baked with charcoal fire. One killing pot is equipped with four baking cages, and the fire temperatures are 100℃, 90℃, 80℃, and 70℃ respectively. Press while baking, and when it is 60% to 70% dry, put it down to dry and spread it to cool.

8 Full baking

The fire temperature is controlled at about 70℃, and a brocade cushion is used to press while baking to fix the shape of the tea leaves. After 5-6 times of turning and baking, when it is about 90% dry, it is put down to dry and spread.

9 Double baking

Also called old fire, at a temperature of about 60℃, turn it while baking. After it is fully dry, put it into a tube while it is hot, and pad the tube with indigo leaves to enhance the aroma of monkey tea. After the tea cools down, cover it with a welded seal.

Appearance

Taiping Houkui is flat and straight, sturdy and heavy. Simply put, it is relatively large, with two leaves and one bud, and the leaf length is 5~7 cm. This is the result of the unique natural environment that makes the fresh leaves tender. This is the unique feature of Taiping Houkui, and it is difficult for other teas to be mixed with fakes. After brewing, the buds and leaves are fat and strong, like white orchids about to bloom. This is a significant feature of the best. The shapes of other grades are very different, so you have to carefully identify them from the color, aroma and taste.

Color

Taiping Houkui is dark green and smooth. It looks dark green in the shade and looks even greener in the sun. There is no yellowish phenomenon. After brewing, the bottom of the leaves is bright green

Aroma

The aroma is high and lasting. Taiping Houkui is more resistant to brewing than ordinary local famous teas. "The fragrance remains after three or four brews", and it generally has the fragrance of orchids.

Taste

Taiping Houkui tastes fresh and mellow, with a sweet aftertaste. Even if you put too much tea when brewing, it is not bitter or astringent. People who are not good at tea often feel that it is bland and tasteless when drinking it. Some people say that it is "sweet and fragrant like orchid, subtle but not pungent, and tastes bland when you sip it, as if it has no taste. After drinking it, you will feel a kind of harmonious air that permeates between the teeth and cheeks. This tasteless taste is actually the real taste."