A Thirst for Tea, Inc

Huo Shan Yellow Tips is a high grade yellow tea produced in Huoshan County, Anhui Province, China. Although technically a yellow tea, Huo Shan Yellow Tips has the same refreshing, cleansing sensation as the finest Huangshan Maofeng, ample green tea health properties, yet with the absence of astringency. It is made from tender, slim buds with one or two long, straight, yellowish-green leaves with fine hairs covering the buds and the bottoms of many of the leaves. This superb first flush selection is produced almost like a Maofeng green tea but is lightly oxidised by covering the tea when it is still very warm during processing. The heat converts some of the leaf constituents into simple sugars. This particular step gives a softer, sweeter and much easier taste that is delightfully quenching with more body. The concept of this technique has been millennium old, yet it is only in recent years that really fine tasting products have become available and accessible.The dried leaf has a clean, nutty aroma. The liquor is bright and clear, greenish yellow in color with a floral, refreshingly soft, yet persistently sweet aroma. It has a light note of roasted chestnut on an overtone of moss and sweet nectar. The mild yet full body is delivered with a silky mouthfeel. A cleansing and lively sensation is accented with a the warmth of steamed bean and fresh biscuit. Huo Shan Yellow Tips is quenching wiht a slightly sweet aftertaste that lingers with a lightening effect. This tea is the most versatile, forgiving tea you can imagine! You'll have so much fun experimenting with it to find exactly the profile you want. Lower temperatures produce a cup that is incredibly sweet and refreshing while warmer temperatures will result in bolder more complex floral tones. Nevertheless, neither approach will give you a bitter or astringent cup. AND to top it off, this tea is affordable to boot! Huo Shan Yellow Tips was first produced during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 906 AD.) Lu Yu described this special yellow tea in his famous book, The Classic of Tea (Cha Jing.) From the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911) Huoshan Huangya was a tribute tea to the imperial court. Traditionally the production of Huoshan Huangya was a lengthy and complicated 5-step process which involved being covered in paper and smothered for seven days. Today this method has been shortened significantly. To keep the tea fresh the leaves are picked in the morning in spring and processed using five involved steps which include a traditional stir-fire procedure after which it is spread out and covered indoors for hours three times prior to its complete drying to produce its slightly yellowish leaf tone. Today all of the work has to be finished by the evening of the same day.

Ingredients: Artisan Yellow tea
Origin: Huoshan County, Anhui Province, China

The first record of yellow tea production was during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) when it was designated a Tribute Tea. Yellow tea production methods were perfected during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and it came into its prime time during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Methods and techniques for producing yellow tea are very complicated, tedious and labor intensive so, as black and oolong tea gained in popularity yellow tea production gradually disappeared and by the 1940s was all but lost. It regained some modicum of popularity by 1972, however, only a very few tea  masters possess the knowledge and skills to make it. As a result today it is exceedingly rare and very costly.

Yellow teas are made for the appreciation of Chinese locals and have never had a broad market presence. Growing out of an elaboration of green tea techniques, the process for making yellow tea is time consuming and difficult, giving it a mellower, sweeter and riper flavor than green tea, as well as a refreshing cool feeling that lingers in the throat. For the thousand kinds of green tea, there are only three kinds of yellow tea that survive today: Meng Ding Huang Ya, Huoshan Huang Ya, and Junshan Yinzhen. Recently consumer preferences have favored teas with vibrant green leaves and cup color. This market trend has contributed to the decline of yellow tea because it loses its verdant appearance in processing,

Yellow tea, like oolong, can be classified as a transitional tea. Unlike oolong which is somewhere between green and black tea, yellow tea is between green and dark tea. The difference is in the kind of oxidation/fermentation that occurs. The oxidation process for oolong and black tea is a result of the natural oxidation of the endogenous enzymes within the tea leaf itself, whereas in yellow and dark tea it is the process of hydrothermal oxidation and microbial fermentation.  Specifically, with yellow tea it is a smothering or wrapping process. Traditionally, in the case of Huoshan Huanya, the tea was laid out and smothered for up to seven days. Today the process has been shortened significantly to only one day, making it much more similar to green tea.  In the case of Junshan Yinshen  the tea is wrapped in paper to give it its yellow color. After the complex processing, this lightly oxidized tea has a mild flavor without the grassy smell associated with green tea.

One of the objects, in fact, for making yellow tea is to remove the grassy smell of green tea while still maintaining the health qualities of green tea. Yellow tea is actually considered by some to be even healthier than green tea because it is easier on the stomach. Yellow tea is ideal for tea drinkers who like green tea but want to avoid stomach upset that can occur from drinking it. As a result of its slow fermentation process, yellow tea is considered by many to be very beneficial for the spleen and stomach. It is good at correcting indigestion, stimulating the appetite and helping with weight loss. In addition, after processing yellow tea retains up to 85% of its EGCG content. (EGCG is the catechin in tea that is valued for its anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory qualities.) Recent scientific studies have found that yellow tea is rich in tea polyphenols, polysaccharide, vitamins and amino acids and that it has been especially effective in the prevention and treatment of esophageal cancer.

Water Temperature:  185--200 degrees 
Water Quality:  Best with Spring Water
Amount of Leaf (per 6 fl oz water):  1--1.5 Tbl. (2-3 grams)
Steep Time:  2-5 minutes
Number of Infusions: 3

Begin by using a 2 g per 6-oz. water at 185°F for at least 5 minutes. Adjust leaf amount reversely with duration and proportionally according to a strength you desire. Use a hotter water for more bite. Infusion duration is proportional to both the thickness of the liquor and the depth of the umami. To lower the slight bitterness that comes with it, try decreasing the infusion temperature or use a Yixing teapot. However that will inevitably lower some of the aromatic qualities. If you are a diehard tea fanatic and enjoy the extra touch of tinkle like I do, a thick enough porcelain small vessel such as a gaiwan. Infusing at 195°F delivers the real gastronomical height of this rare tea.

Yellow tea as a whole is a malleable tea for different taste preferences. tea is considered by many to be very beneficial for the spleen and stomach. It is good at correcting indigestion, stimulating the appetite and helping with weight loss. In addition, after processing yellow tea retains up to 85% of its EGCG content. (EGCG is the catechin in tea that is valued for its anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory qualities.) Recent scientific studies have found that yellow tea is rich in tea polyphenols, polysaccharide, vitamins and amino acids and that it has been especially effective in the prevention and treatment of esophageal cancer.

How to Brew Our Yellow Teas

Water Temperature:  185--200 degrees 
Water Quality:  Best with Spring Water
Amount of Leaf (per 6 fl oz water):  1--1.5 Tbl. (2-3 grams)
Steep Time:  2-5 minutes
Number of Infusions: 3

Begin by using a 2 g per 6-oz. water at 185°F for at least 5 minutes. Adjust leaf amount reversely with duration and proportionally according to a strength you desire. Use a hotter water for more bite. Infusion duration is proportional to both the thickness of the liquor and the depth of the umami. To lower the slight bitterness that comes with it, try decreasing the infusion temperature or use a Yixing teapot. However that will inevitably lower some of the aromatic qualities. If you are a diehard tea fanatic and enjoy the extra touch of tinkle like I do, a thick enough porcelain small vessel such as a gaiwan. Infusing at 195°F delivers the real gastronomical height of this rare tea.

Yellow tea as a whole is a malleable tea for different taste preferences. Experimenting with your own temperatures and steeping times is encouraged. Huoshan Huangya tea is actually the most versatile, forgiving tea you can imagine! You'll have so much fun experimenting with it to find exactly the profile you want. Lower temperatures produce a cup that is incredibly sweet and refreshing while warmer temperatures will result in bolder more complex floral tones. You simply cannot go wrong with this tea!