- HOME >
- Tea Processing
The simple reason why some pu-erh teas has smoky flavor.
- [2013.03.22] Posted By Akira Hojo
Smoke Gets into Your Tea – Debunk the Smoky Tea Myth
Fresh plucked raw pu-erh tealeaves are usually processed through pan-frying. Traditional pan-frying processing would make the smoke gets into the tea. Some tea farmers, especially the minorities who live in the mountains in Yunnan tend to use primitive type of pan-frying method. They set the wood fire under a big frying pan. This is a common practice among minority villages in Yunnan. When processing the tea, smoke released from the burning wood will rise up and circulate in the air. Tea processed in such primitive method will likely to have smoky flavor. Unfortunately, the value of tea decreases significantly if tea gets smoky flavor.
Price for high quality tea becomes very reasonable when it gets smoky
If tea has smoky flavor, I am reluctant to purchase it. However, if the tea is made of extraordinary good quality material, even if it is smoky, I would still consider buying it because the selling price is very low due to its smokiness. For example, our Xiu Lin Wu Hao raw pu-erh and Xian Su Shan raw pu-erh are this type of smoky good tea. Both are made of very high quality material, yet their price is very low because of the smoky flavor. For those who know how to taste tea, and would not mind its slight smokiness, Xiu Lin and Xian Su Shan are good buys. Some of my customers even love these smoky tea, they find that this kind of smokiness is similar to the character of Scotch Whisky.
The most primitive type of frying pan still commonly used by the minority farmers.
Pan-Frying method that could prevent tea from getting smoky flavor
During my recent trips to Yunnan tea gardens, I notice more and more people started using a new kind of pan-frying method. They build a wall to segregate wood fire area from the frying pan stove. The smoke is released to the other side of the wall during tea processing.
The holes underneath the stove allow air ventilation into the wood fire area(built behind the wall).
Drum-Frying Machine
Some small factories, or farmers who live near urban area often use drum-frying machine when processing raw pu-erh tea. Some people say, the quality of tea processed in a machine will not be very good since it is not processed manually. On the contrary, it is quite the opposite. When using machine to process tea, they can precisely control the temperature and retention time, therefore they can produce tea with pretty good quality.
Ironically, the place where we can find very high quality material is located deep inside the mountains, but most of the tea farmers there are still using the traditional pan-frying method.
In my coming tea hunting trip, I will need to work hard to look for pu-erh tea that is made of very good quality material( but not smoky! )
Related Articles
How to get the latest update on HOJO Tea?
1. Follow Twitter, 2. Click "Like" on Facebook, and 3. Subscribe in newsletter. You can have the latest tea news from HOJO Tea.
- Subscribe the Newsletter to enjoy the privileges
- You may receive a free sample upon purchase, or you may have the priority to purchase special products. So please remember to subscribe our newsletter as well as the social network.
- New Release of Lan Yun Tie Guan Yin from Anxi
- Lan Yun Tie Guan Yin from Anxi, is not just an ordinary Tie Guan Yin. It has a strikingly delightful flavor reminiscent of orchid flowers with silky-soft drinking sensation. Anxi, renowned as one of the three major Oolong tea production regions in China. Anxi is recognized as one of the three major Oolong tea-producing regions …
- The new release of Bao Dao Shan Da Cha Tou Brick 2017, exclusively crafted from Da Cha Tou leaves
- Bao Dao Shan Cha Tou Zhuan 2017 is a ripe pu-erh tea crafted into brick form. Bao Dao Shan is the name of the mountain situated in the southwestern part of Yunnan. “Cha Tou” denotes a distinctive type of ripe pu-erh tea. In the course of fermenting spring tea, certain tea clumps naturally develop, known …
NEW ARTICLES
- The Relationship Between Greenness of Tea Leaves and Fertilizer
- For both tea and vegetables, there’s a common misconception that a deeper green colour indicates better quality and greater health benefits. However, this isn’t always the case. Natural plants often have a yellowish-green hue rather than a vibrant green. If you observe wild plants in grasslands or along roadsides during spring, you’ll notice that they …
- Creating Muscatel Black Tea Using a Unique Blending Method
- I would like to introduce the unique creation of black tea with a distinctive muscatel flavor profile. Acquiring Exceptional Mi Xiang Black Tea Have you ever heard of a unique black tea called “Mi Xiang Black Tea” or “Muscatel Black Tea”? This tea is crafted from leaves that have been delicately nibbled by leafhoppers, resulting …
- New Release of Lan Yun Tie Guan Yin from Anxi
- Lan Yun Tie Guan Yin from Anxi, is not just an ordinary Tie Guan Yin. It has a strikingly delightful flavor reminiscent of orchid flowers with silky-soft drinking sensation. Anxi, renowned as one of the three major Oolong tea production regions in China. Anxi is recognized as one of the three major Oolong tea-producing regions …
- The Difference Between Fermentation in Tea and Fermented Foods
- Black tea and oolong tea are often categorized as “fermented teas,” but the extent to which they undergo fermentation raises questions about whether they truly qualify as fermented foods. In this article, I endeavour to offer a thorough exploration of the distinctions between tea and traditional fermented foods, shedding light on the nuances of their …
- Easy Way to Prepare Flavorful and Warm Tea at the Workplace
- Have you ever experienced the transformation of tea stored in a thermos or water bottle at work, turning into a brown hue and acquiring a bitter, astringent taste? As this has piqued the interest of many, I would like to offer a more in-depth explanation for a solution. Tea stored in a thermos undergoes oxidation …
- The new release of Bao Dao Shan Da Cha Tou Brick 2017, exclusively crafted from Da Cha Tou leaves
- Bao Dao Shan Cha Tou Zhuan 2017 is a ripe pu-erh tea crafted into brick form. Bao Dao Shan is the name of the mountain situated in the southwestern part of Yunnan. “Cha Tou” denotes a distinctive type of ripe pu-erh tea. In the course of fermenting spring tea, certain tea clumps naturally develop, known …
- We released Lapsang Suchong Qi Zhong Classic: Premium Lapsang Souchong
- Lapsang Souchong is one of the earliest known black teas distinguished by a unique production method and flavour profile. Its origins are often linked to the Wuyi Mountains in China’s Fujian province, where Lapsang Souchong is traditionally crafted. Black tea production in the Wuyi region has a history dating back several centuries. Lapsang Souchong tea …
- Regular Consumption of Umami Seasoning Can Influence Taste Preferences
- Excessive consumption of artificial condiments, such as umami seasonings, is believed to influence one’s taste and preferences. I’d like to share my own view to explore how an overabundance of condiments can indeed influence one’s palate. Umami Seasonings Are Prevalent in Asian Countries I spend half of the year living abroad, particularly in China and …
- Special Release Limited Set of Ancient White Tea from 5 Gardens
- The ancient white tea is a very popular tea in our store. We produced this tea in spring. Following production, it was stored in an oxygen-free environment for several months to further enhance its flavor, achieving the expected maturation. The production of ancient tree white tea is limited in quantity per day, resulting in small …
- The New Arrival of Da Xue Shan Wild White Tea Loose 2023
- We have released the 2023 harvest of wild white tea from the Da Xue Shan. Fresh Green Colour of Leaves Achieved Through Custom Production Da Xue Shan’s wild white tea is an incredibly rare type of white tea, and it’s made from a unique plant called Camellia Taliensis that grows in the wild in the …
Shop Info
Address:Lot No. T-215, 3rd Floor, The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2287-4537
Business Hour: 10am to 10pm
Category
- New Arrival at HOJO Online Shop
- Featured Articles
- Newsletter
- Types of Tea
- Origin of Tea
- Teapot and Tea Equipment
- Tea Column
- How to enjoy tea
- Tea Processing
- How to choose quality tea
- Tea constituents and functional effect
- Safety of Tea
- Foods
- Tea Business Operation
- Hobby and Outdoor Activity
- Ranking of Tea
- Video
- FAQ
- Media Release
Profile
- AKIRA HOJO
- I invite you to experience my tea selections.I was born in Nagano, Japan. In university, I studied agricultural chemistry, and I have the master degree in food science. I worked in Japanese food industry for 10 years. I involved in R&D, QC and QA. As a factory manager, I implemented ISO9000 series and managed the factory.
- The Art of Tea Magazine
- We posted the article on “The Art of Tea Magazine No.9, the magazine is published in Taiwan. We featured some scientific view about the tetsubin
- New Straits Times
- The Malaysian National Newspaper, New Straits Times featured HOJO Tea on 17-Oct-2007.