28 Jun The Fascinating Art of White Tea Processing
Have you ever wondered why white tea is different from black tea and green tea? Is it the flavour? The aroma? Or essentially the colour? And why are different various tea types… different from one another?
The answer is really simple: It all depends on the making process of various tea types that determines their own characteristics.
Then, how is white tea made? Before delving into the white tea processing, it is crucial to note that white tea is the least processed tea type. This means that compared to other types like green tea or black tea, it undergoes fewer steps during production. For a more general overview, here is everything you should know about white tea.
As a result, white tea preserves more of the natural properties of the tea leaf, offering a higher concentration of antioxidants, or to put it simply, white tea is highly beneficial to our health. For further health benefit insights, take a look our published article here.
5 Stages of White Tea Processing
Made from the Camellia Sinensis plant, white tea undergoes a meticulous five-stage processing method that culminates in its exquisite flavour and delicate aroma. It all begins with harvesting, where skilled hands pluck only the young and tender tea leaves and buds.
Next comes withering, a crucial step where the freshly harvested leaves are spread out and left to wither naturally, allowing moisture to evaporate and the tea to develop its unique character.
Once withered, the leaves undergo charcoal drying, where gentle heat helps preserve their natural flavor and appearance. Afterward, meticulous sorting takes place to ensure only the finest leaves make the cut, removing any imperfections or undesirable elements.
Finally, the carefully selected leaves are thoughtfully packaged, preserving their purity and ensuring that tea enthusiasts can relish in the refined elegance of white tea’s enchanting brew.
Stage I: Picking The Finest Leaves
The first step of white tea processing is, of course, picking the finest tea leaves. When it comes to white tea, young leaves from the upper part of the tea plant, specifically the top two leaves and a bud, are the most favoured. The softer, the better! This is because soft and tender leaves tend to yield the most flavours.
At the crack of dawn, skilled tea pickers climb up the mountains, swiftly and expertly hand-picking the freshest, tenderest leaves and unopened buds like true tea-savvy ninjas. Bamboo baskets become their loyal companions, safeguarding the freshly harvested leaves.
The picking season for white tea typically spans from early spring to late summer, which is around March to June, when the leaves are fully matured. Every week or two, a fresh flush of tea leaves sprouts, inviting us to continue our tea-picking escapades.
The crème de la crème tea leaves, such as Silver Needle, are harvested first, during which people call the “First Flush”, coinciding with the arrival of spring in March or April. Only delicate young buds, still covered with fluffy white hair are hand-picked for this tea. Once the Silver Needle leaves have been picked, the harvesting continues for other types of white tea like White Peony, followed by Shou Mei during the summer.
Now, here’s the art of white tea: the later in the season we pluck those leaves, the darker the tea, the richer and bolder the flavour, and the friendlier the price tag, illustrated below.
Supreme Silver Needle
Harvest: Early Spring
Once the mission is complete, the collected tea leaves are then delivered to the farm, where skilled artisans typically receive their well-deserved compensation based on the weight of their bountiful harvest.
Stage II: Withering
Once plucked, our tea leaves are not quite ready to jump into the teapot just yet. Instead, they will enter the next stage of white tea processing – Withering Wonderland, where they rest and relax under the watchful gaze of sunlight.
This sun-withering process involves gently laying leaves upon bamboo trays in a dry, shaded environment, allowing them to lose some water content, usually around 72 hours. Gradually, moisture escapes, and the once vibrant green leaves take on a lovely shade of brown as oxidation kicks in. As a result, white tea leaves become dry and shrivelled.
However, fresh white tea leaves are highly sensitive to heat. Even a subtle variation in the length and intensity of sunlight can wield a significant impact on this crucial stage of tea production.
It’s the gentle caress of morning and late afternoon sunlight that works its magic on the fresh tea leaves, coaxing them into a state of graceful withering. If we were to expose these delicate leaves to the full force of the midday sun, alas, they would suffer, withering into a yellowish-red hue.
Oxidation
To understand this wondrous transformation, think about a slice of apple that you leave unattended. The longer you leave it, the more brown and drier it turns. That’s oxidation in action, my friend. The tea leaves follow the same script when they’re left to wither. It’s all about that prolonged exposure to oxygen, causing that enchanting reaction to unfold.
Now, after those 72 hours of withering bliss, our tea leaves are feeling partially oxidised (unlike their rebellious black tea cousins who go through the whole process). Instead, from here, they move on to the next stage: drying, properly.
Just like when you pop an apple into the oven for a delectable pie, applying heat to the tea leaves stops the oxidation process in its tracks. It’s like hitting the pause button on their browning escapade while also maintaining its enticing colour.
So, you see how the art of withering and the science of oxidation play their magnificent roles in shaping our beloved white tea leaves. It’s a delicate dance of time, moisture, and oxygen, orchestrated to create a sip-worthy masterpiece.
Part III: Charcoal Drying
Depending on the prevailing weather conditions during the sun-withering process, the tea leaves typically retain approximately 10% to 18% of moisture, which is still high. White tea with this level content can be damped and spoiled during storage.
This is why there needs to be another process to further dry and stabilise white tea leaves’ characters. Tea leaves are arranged meticulously on a cloth spread over a bamboo drum, and find their place above a scorching charcoal stove.
Why the heat? Well, it serves a dual purpose.
First, it puts a halt to oxidation (again and completely), preserving the precious qualities of the leaves. Second, this process also enhances the captivating aroma, elevating the tea fragrance and flavour. And let me tell you, once you step into that Charcoal Drying Room (if you can handle the heat, that is), an amazing scent will engulf your senses. It’s a sensory delight.
Only a true Master of the Tea Realm, with acquired skills and experience, can guide this aromatic symphony to perfection. As this is where the tea leaves undergo their final transformation, the Tea Masters will heat the leaves for several hours and when the time comes, with a discerning nose, they will know precisely when the aroma reaches its peak.
Oh, and here’s a delightful tidbit: every twenty minutes or so, the Tea Masters toss the leaves around, ensuring that the heat is evenly distributed. It’s a fascinating finale that adds that extra touch of allure to your cup of tea.
Part IV: Sorting
The last leg of the tea-making journey, is an essential yet arduous task, especially for those seeking top-notch quality. This is the stage where a dedicated team meticulously sifts through each and every tea leaf by hand, painstakingly removing anything that doesn’t belong. It’s a laborious process, but oh-so-crucial in delivering a reliable end product that’s ready to be savoured.
The lion’s share of this sorting spectacle revolves around bidding farewell to what they charmingly call “old tea leaves”. These leaves have a coarser texture, often sporting a more yellowish hue, and simply don’t steep well. Occasionally, the eagle-eyed sorters also stumble upon and remove other intruders, like pesky bits of straw, although they’re a rare sight indeed.
Part V: Packaging
And now, we reach the final act, my tea-loving friends, where the tea undergoes its grand transformation into a packaged delight, ready to make its way to your waiting teacup.
Each box is meticulously weighed, ensuring that the cargo meets the highest standards. With precise measurements and quality assurance in place, the tea embarks on its adventure through a labyrinth of middlemen and distribution channels, navigating its way towards its ultimate destination- your hand!
And there you have it, the captivating journey of white tea production, where leaves transform into liquid poetry with the aid of the courtesy of skilled farmers and their age-old traditions. From the delicate art of picking to the dramatic sun-withering and charcoal-infused drying, each step contributes to the unique flavours and aromas that make white tea so exceptional.
So, my fellow tea enthusiasts, as you savour that delightful cup of tea, take a moment to appreciate the hidden symphony behind it—the farmers who nurture the leaves, the science of drying, the art of packaging, and the leafy protagonists themselves.
New to White Tea?
Check out these delicious premium white tea varieties.
A cup of butterfly pea tea a day keeps the doctor away. Communication and Media Student. I cook, dance, travel and watch a lot of films and musicals.
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Evelyn Phamhttps://teapro.co.uk/author/evelyn-pham/
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Evelyn Phamhttps://teapro.co.uk/author/evelyn-pham/
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Evelyn Phamhttps://teapro.co.uk/author/evelyn-pham/
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Evelyn Phamhttps://teapro.co.uk/author/evelyn-pham/
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