Belgium Chinese Tea Centre – Page 29 – Only Pure & Authentic Quality Tea

Eco-Tie Guan Yin

On 30/09/2016

Tea is more than business but is about trustful friendship.

Since I started to promote pure quality tea, I started to search for low pesticide or even organic quality Oolong tea that is being processed according to the traditional fermentation and roasted by wood. In the early 2002, the internet technology was not that advance as today, so as you can imagine that the searching of right information and honest suppliers has been a very frustrated journey. Luckily hard works, time and expensive telephone cost paid off at end. With Luck I have the pleasure of knowing KP who at that time worked for a tea estate in Fujian. KP was very honest with all the information, for example they used the organic fertilizer and very little pesticide. Most importantly, KP understood the traditional flavor and taste that I had in my memory and was willing to repeat the roasting process according to my demand.

For years, the cooperation with KP confirmed tea is more than an import/export business relationship, but it is about building and sustaining a trustful friendship.

Later KP told me he bought a small tea ground of Tie Guan Yin which has been abandoned for at least 5 years and later he acquired another abandoned farm ground to plant Mei Zhan and Jin Xuan Oolong in a very remote area in Mei Shan. He manages it according to the principle of keeping the ecological harmony, i.e. use the natural organic fertilizer, pesticide-free and limit the picking only in the Spring season. His motivation is very plain and straight forwards – For his health, he needs tea that he dares to trust for its purity and pesticide-free.

Difference between the normal organic tea plantation vs. ecological tea plantation

Organic tea plantation

The normal organic tea garden

As you can see that even in the resting period, even though there are some grass on the walking path, tea trees were trimmed and the tea plantation is looking pretty clean and neat

Ecological tea plantation

The wild botanical & ecological balance tea garden

During the same period of time, the ecological tea plantation is an exciting playground for many insects, grass and flowers. Because Tie Guan Yin tea trees survived from not having fertilizer and human disturbs, so the growing path is in very irregular shape and some are growing much taller than the normal bush-type of tea plantation as we can see from the organic tea plantation.

When we talked in the plantation, we felt like walking in a jungle because grass were growing taller than us. The tea plantation is surrounded by trees and there are trees also between tea trees that provide tea trees natural shadow that to protect the tea tree again the burning sun.

When the Mother Nature takes over her role, tea leaves are growing very strongly.

There are signs of ecological balance, here and there.

Of course there are some arguments that the tea leaf quality of ecological tea plantation because often leaves were ‘kissed’ not only by Jacobiasca formosana, but also by other insects. Yes, the ecological tea leaves can lose some points on the ‘look’ but they win many more points by its smooth sweetness flavor.

In order to ensure tea trees can live longer with great energy, therefore, KP insist to limit the tea picking to spring season only. For the sake of protecting the Mother Nature, KP is willing not to consider his business profit based on small quantity of output per year. His attitude and commitment to the Mother Nature is the most solid guarantee to the purity and quality.

Starting from 2016, KP is implementing the ecological concept further of not even using the natural organic fertilizer.

Belgium Chinese Tea Arts Centre is proudly be the exclusive partner in Europe. With this ecological Tie Guan Yin, Mei Zhan and Jin Xuan, we are not able to speak about how many quantity per season, but really can only provide limited quantity per year.

Origin: Fujian, China / Type: Tie Guan Yin / 100% pure & nature quality / 2.5g:150ml /

95-99°C / multiple infusions >6-8

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Eco-Jin Xuan Oolong

By Mei Lan Hsiao

On 30/09/2016

In Oolong

It’s not a beautiful tea garden, but it’s pure and nature ecological well balance tea heaven.

KP’s ecological tea garden is in the deep mountain area where is few hours drive from the nearyby city. The tea garden is surrounding by nature forest and far away from any sort of pollutions. In his ecological tea garden, there are three (3) tea tree cultivars, i.e. Tie Guan Yin, Jin Xuan and Mei Zhan.

Jin Xuan is an unique tea tree cultivar from Taiwan, it is also known as TTS#12. It was introduced and named in 1980 after 43 years research. Now Jin Xuan tea trees are planted in Taiwan, China, Thailand and Vietnam.

Is Jin Xuan Oolong an aromatic tea?

No, the pure and nature dired Jin Xuan oolong does have very unique flavour, it is a mixture of flora, mung bean and creamy notes. The flavour from dried leaves is not very strong, but once it’s being waken up in a warmed tea pot or cup, you will be amazed by its intense flavours.

Some people interpreted its unique creamy flavour as milky flavour and named it as ‘Milky Oolong’ in English. Because of this English name, so now a day there are aromatic Milky Oolong tea that has been scented with milk extract to satisfy buyers who like very strong and sexy milky flavour.

Whether you like pure and nature flavour or scented with extra flavour extract is a matter of choice. After all, you are the boss of your own body and health.

Brewing Suggestion: 1g : 50-75ml water / temperature: 95-99 Celcius / Infusion time: 1 min. – 45 sec. – 1 min. / Multiple infusions: 6-8

Eco-Jin Xuan Oolong Tea

Look: hand-picked, 1+2 leaves

Processing: Mid. fermented with very mild roasting process by wood fire with Long Gan wood. In order to maintain its unique aroma and flavour, therefore it is important to roast it only in the mild manner. The extra wood-roasting process allows this tea to be stored in normal room temperature but not necessary to keep it in deep freezer.
Flavour: The dried leaves have fine green note from oolong tea. Once is being waken up in a warmed teapot, amazed by its mixture of flora, mung bean and delightful creamy flavour

Taste: mild, sweet, smooth, gentle

Olfaction: Fine and gentle

Multi-infusions: 6-8

An excellent choice of afternoon tea in this mild and warm spring day.

Origin: Fujian, China / Type: Jin Xuan/ 100% pure & nature quality / 2.5g:150ml / 95-99°C / multiple infusions >6-8

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2001 Phoenix raw Puerh toucha

By Mei Lan Hsiao

On 30/09/2016

In Pu-Erh

Phoenix raw Puerh toucha after 12 years of aging process, it has fine woody with mint and plum flavour.

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2001 Liu Bao Dark tea

By Mei Lan Hsiao

On 30/09/2016

In Hei (Dark）Tea

Why Chinese call black tea as Red Tea (Hong Cha)? The answer is quick simple:

Because the color of tea is more rich redish Amber to Brownish red instead of nearly black dark brown color.
Because there is a separate tea category as Black tea (Hei Cha) in Chinese. Since the name of black tea has already been used for Red Tea (Hong Cha) in English, so the Chinese Hei Cha can also be named and known as Dark Tea.

Many people know Puerh tea from Yunnan as Dark Tea, but actually there are also other well known post-fermented Dark teas from other provinces, for example

Liu Bao from from Wuzhou, Guanxi
Fu Cha from Anhua, Hunan
Ya An Hei Cha from Sichuan

Why dark tea is known as black tea in Chinese? It’s simple, as you can see that the color of dried leaves is almost like black. It does not nice look shape or fine aroma like what we can notice from green tea, oolong or black tea (red tea); but you will be amazed by its flavour and taste.

All Black Tea (Dark tea) share a same unique process, that’s post-fermentation, tea can be stored for almost forever (the taste and value increased by its natural aging process) and the flavour and taste can be transformed amazingly, fine and gentle. The biggest difference of these traditional Dark Tea (Hei Cha) from Puerh is, in Puerh it is further divided in Raw and Ripped, but in other Hei Cha, there is only one, the full and post-fermented quality; some are compressed into cake or brick, and some not. For example Liu Bao is in loose package.

Vision : very dried dark almost black color. The tea color is kind of mixture of organe with copper brown; clarity and rich.
Flavour: no much aroma from dried leaves, but once it’s being warmed up in pot, then there is a notion of fungus with the mixture of woody and dried plum flavour
Taste: Mild, smooth with a notion of sweetness, easy to drink. Due to the post fermentation, so there is no very strong after taste punch up in the mouth except the taste of sweetness and smoothness.

Brewing Suggestion:

1g vs. 50ml water
water temperature: 95-99 Celsius
matching teaware: nakked ceramic teapot or porcelain gaiwan
Steeping: 1min. (subject to the preference of your taste)
Drinking : Don’t hurry up to drink the tea from your cup especially with the dark tea (black tea), the flavour is getting even more finer when the temperature drops to about 80-85 Celsius.

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Anji White Tea

By Mei Lan Hsiao

On 30/09/2016

In Green Tea

Anji county, Zhejian Province, China

Anji White Tea – A nature wonder- Nobody knows why leaves became pale green, but Mother Nature

Is Anji White Tea a white tea? No, actually it is an amazing green tea !

Geographic brief info

Anji is a very famous bamboo county at the North West of Zhejiang Province in China. Those who love Long Jing probably would describe the aroma and flavour of Long Jing as ‘Masculine and dominant”, for Anji White Tea they probably will describe it as “feminine and fine”.

Even though we call it White Tea, but actually it has nothing to do with white tea, in fact it is a fine green tea. Because the color of fresh leaf is in very pale green, so it’s name as Anji White Tea. The flavour and taste are very mild and fine.

Legend historical stories

1 bud with 1 young leaf in long, flat and fine shape

Anji white tea has a very interesting legend story. Actually it was first mentioned in Cha Jing (茶經) written by Lu Yu in Tang dynasty, and then later mentioned in Da Guan Cha Luen (大觀茶論) written by Huei Zhong in Song dynasty. But there was no any document mentioned about this unique white tea in the Ming dynasty for nearly 350 years.

The legendary rediscovery goes back to the sixth emperor in Ching Dynasty (1711-1799) that people discovered ten’ish wild white tea tree in Xiao Feng Zhen in 1930, but later this natural gymnastic changed tea trees were again disappeared until someone took a photo in very remote valley in 1958.

After few decades of research, finally have found a wild pale green tea tree in 1982. In 1996 the Anji county tried to plant Anji white tea tree cultivar by using the striking cutting-method in about 66,000m²of land, but only less than 20% can produce Anji White Tea.

Perhaps it’s because the bamboo surrounding in the neighbourhood, Anji White Tea does have an unique mixture of creamy bamboo green note. Anji White Tea is also known as “Lady’s Tea” because of its very beautiful and elegant shape and color, the top quality is 1 bud with 1 young leaf.

Flavour: Fine green note with a notion of creamy and bamboo aroma and flavour
Taste: Mild and fine but not aggressive as other green tea

Steeping suggestions:

The best matching teaware is glass

Suggested water temperature: 75-80°C (max. not exceed 85°C)
Adapting the “Top Throw” brewing method
Tea ware: for me, the best is glass so I can enjoy how young leaves absorbing and falling down in the water. If not, can also use the porcelain gaiwan or teapot. But still glass is my preference.

Anji White Tea is like the rest fine quality green tea, it contains very rich Amino Acid, it’s suitable for those who would like to appreciate green tea but have sensitive stomach. However, just because fine quality green tea contains very rich minerals, vitamins and micro- elements, therefore the following people probably should pay attention when drinking tea:

Patient with urinary stones problem because many fine green tea such as Anji White Tea contains very rich Oxalic acid element
Patient with lever problem because fine green tea contains also very rich Potassium that can increase the metabolic function
Pregnant and lactating women.
When having cold and fever. At that time, black tea (red tea) with ginger and honey is better choice than green tea.

>12 yrs Old Shui Xian

By Mei Lan Hsiao

On 30/09/2016

In Oolong

Friend asked me on Twitter which tea do I normally drink when feeling stress out. I told him, I don’t specifically choose which type of tea, instead I simply follow my instinct on that moment or whatever comes into handy at that moment. In this cloudy and greyish late spring morning, the thought of old Shui Xian came into my mind. I only have very limited quantity but why not give myself a good treat.

The first impression: long shape hand-picked quality, traditionally processed with heavy oxidation and fermentation.

Old Shui Xian

Why I call it ‘Old’ Shui Xian? Because I have it for more than 12 years already. So I have at least a clear and honest idea of how old is it.

Choice of matching tea ware: ceramic Gaiwan and cup, so I can enjoy the warmth when holding the cup in my hands.

The flavour from dried leaves is very very mild, but once it sat in the warmed Gaiwan, it woke up in very sexy and entice manner with its sweet blending of flora and caramel flavour.

Brewing: 3g in water temperature 95-99 Celsius; brewing time: 1 minute – 45 seconds – 1 minute

Enjoy the fine and smooth taste when the warm energy is rising on my back.

Origin: Fujian, China / Type: Shui Xian / 100% pure & nature quality / 2.5g:150ml / 95-99°C / multiple infusions >6-8

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Our Commitments

By Mei Lan Hsiao

On 30/09/2016

In About Us

You probably are not yet understand the firm determination that we have to promote pure and nature quality tea, you probably are not yet fully believe when we said we do fair trade and help those hard working tea farmers who believe in ecological principle.

We set high standards for quality and safety, the cost for fair trade and organic tea label are very expensive cost that those hard working ecological tea farmers and we couldn’t afford. Based on the confidence about our collective commitment to the nature and traditions, we, therefore, sent our teas to European laboratory for the Pesticide Analysis with Zero pesticide report. So we can prove the organic nature based on the actual pesticide analysis report to prove its organic nature based on the European standards in Europe.

Once we obtained such safety confirmation, we then chose two tea, Honey Black and Formosa Beauty, to participate the International Taste & Quality competition this year. This is the first time we invested lots of money to participate such international quality assessment competition. The result was extremely rewarding that each has won 2 Golden Stars Award. Now we have established very good practice for the quality and safety standards to establish a consistent assessment standards. The two (2) Golden Stars Award does motivate us to continue our efforts to reserve the ecological balance and preserve the Chinese traditional tea processing techniques and wisdom by doing the right things and doing things right.

Formosa Beauty 2016

Honey Black Tea 2016

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2001 Mini Tou Cha

By Mei Lan Hsiao

On 30/09/2016

In Pu-Erh

Non-intentionally let it sat in a Yixing clay tea jar for more than 15 years.

Now it has transformed to an astonishing beauty.

Mini Tou Cha of year 2001

Brewing it with a classical earth ware teapot

Color: Beautiful clarity in rich brownish red color with a golden ring.

Surprisingly smooth flavour with mild notion of astringent that accelerate the after taste of sweetness back on the tip of tongue

The 1st infusion (Left) vs. the 2nd infusion (Right). The color is getting richer in the later infusions.

The dried sweetness taste does not just stay on your tonque, it further stimulate the after taste at side in mouth, feel the surprisingly stimulative taste between teeth from the back side moves to the front.

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Unknown Year Aged Puerh

By Mei Lan Hsiao

On 30/09/2016

In Pu-Erh

Accidentally discovered and bought three porcelain jars from a local antique shop, the porcelain jar is well sealed with an aged paper of “雲南普洱” (Yunnan Pu-erh) “光緒十六年” (which is in 1890).

Well, the porcelain jars are not in the top quality and the drawing clearly was rural hand works.

First of all, it is not usual to pack and sell tea in a porcelain jar, so surely it’s not meant to sell as tea. Was it a personal collection?

When I shaked the jar, I could clearly hear the crispy sounds from very dried leaves (Puerh would become drier because water content was evaporated during the natural aging process even though it’s well sealed).

Was it really is an antique tea with more than 120 years old? What was really in the jar? How was the quality? …..A series of question came to my mind that woke up my curiosity. In the situation that the shop owner did not ask for outrageous price for these three porcelain jars and under no circumstances that I could request the shop owner to let me open the jar, so I bought them home and tried to find out the truth myself; even if the tea inside is not good, at least I could use them to store my own Puerh tea.

A moment of truth

The lid of the jar was well sealed by plaster
The tea leaves are as expected very dried in dark black colour
Not having very noticeable musty or unpleasant aroma but has very mild and gentle mixture of woody plum and fruity notes
Brewing in an earthware teapot with almost 100°C water temperature
After warmed up with hot water, the mixture of woody plum and fruity notes became noticeable, again it’s gentle and mild but not unpleasant
The tea colour was surprisingly fine with great clarity and transparency in brownish red color
The flavour was matching with its dried leaves in gentle and not-aggressive or unplesant flavour, but with woody plum mixture of fruity notes
When poured the tea into the serving cup, could see a kind of cloud floating in tea
How about the taste? Well, I wish I could share this cup with you because I was joyfully surprised by its dried sweetness, rich but gentleness; easy to swallow.

Well, I have never tasted the aged Puerh that’s older than 25 years, so I do not have very solid base to identify its actual age by comparing the taste; but the gentle aroma from the dried leaves did remind me the memory of my first visit to the Meng Hai Tea Plant in Xi Shuan Ban Na, Yunnan in 2002 when the Deputy Director of the factory showed me a very old Puerh (>80 years) in their tea library. Perhaps it was an imitation long time ago, perhaps in many experts’ point of views the jar is not a high quality antique. But for me, it’s a joyful and imaginative tea journey of the day.

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Shou Pu (Ripped Puer)

By Mei Lan Hsiao

On 30/09/2016

In Pu-Erh

Tea is simple and yet is a such complex world that no one really know how deep and how broad it is. When I first wanted to learn more about tea and Chinese traditional tea ceremony in Taiwan in 1985, frankly speaking my views about tea was narrowed by Taiwanese tea only. Said good-bye to my family was a hard decision but there was nothing I could explain, except “love is blind”. But living in Belgium gave me a great opportunity to re-examine the cylindrical views about tea world that I thought I knew from a inside-out limitation to 360 degree.

At that time I could only drink the Shou Pu (the web storage Ripped Puer) imported (actually it was more like smuggling) from Hong Kong and honestly speaking I disliked that aging musty flavor and taste at that time. The trip to Xishuangbanna in Yunan and the visit to then the ‘only’ Puer manufacturer in MengHai has opened my eyes and changed my mind completely. I then realized, there is another ancient boundless tea world for me to discover and there are more stories to hear and to tell.

I still remember during that visit to MengHai Tea Factory and LiMing Tea Factory, we could only visit the compressing and packing departments, but it was not allow us to visit the fermentation room for Shou Pu (Ripped Puer). The reason then was “it’s a top secret area”. Now a day, there are many photo’s and articles can be found about the past-secret territory.

But still there are many debates about when the production of Shou Pu was started, in 1927 or 1974? Actually there was no documentation about Shou Pu before 1974. According to the investigation document, it was not possible to deliver the loose Ripped Puer from Yunnan to Hong Kong; one horse can only carry 50kg loose leaf tea while the horse could carry 70kgs if it’s compressed to brick or cake before 1948. Unique geographical environment and transport conditions, therefore it decided the future of compressed tea cake to Hong Kong since 1948. One thing we are sure is there was no documentation about Shou Puer from the historical documents in Dali, Xishuangbanna and Puer regions or manufacturing record before 1974. Without ripped loose leaves, then there is no Ripped Puer tea cake, because once the Sheng (Raw) Puer being compressed, then it’s not possible to transform it to Ripped Puer through the artificial fermentation process any more. The cost of storaging the loose leaves is much higher if they could compress it. So the compressed Shou Pu started from Hong Kong in the 50’s.

In the time of cultural revolution, there was no direct communication between Hong Kong and Mainland China. But still soon the State-Own company learnt about how Hong Kong was able to accelerate the fermentation by using the artificial fermentation process, so they ordered the tea factory in Xia Guan to begin the experiment of using the artificial fermentation process for the exportation. That began the life of Shou Pu.

How is the quality of artificial fermented Shou Pu is decided both by the piling techniques and the storage time, and of course not to forget how the quality of the tea base lays the foundation to the aging process. The advantage of Sheng (Raw) Pu is its solid natural flavor and the surprising transformation during the storage, there is a special flavor and taste from the natural aging process; but the down side is the natural transformation takes time. On the other hand, Shou Pu allow us to enjoy the mellow flavor and taste in about 5 years and above; but its down side is tea leaves were damaged during the piling-fermentation process and it often is not suitable to store for too long.

So my learning journey about Puer began in 2002. Did I make mistakes in selecting and buying Puer tea? Of course, it’s necessary. Otherwise I could have another learning block if it’s not because of those stupid decision I made. Since I don’t have very deep pocket, so I couldn’t afford to buy those ‘trendy fashion aged or antique Puer’, so I decide to get old together with my tea and enjoy the surprising journey of transformation together. It is like a friend said It is not possible to achieve the perfection state in anything on his/her own. The ancient world of Puer tea definitely is another domain where there is anyone can hardly master its knowledge perfectly. Will I still make mistakes in Puer tea? Of course, the chance is big; but it won’t stop me from learning and enjoying the relearning.

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