What is the truth behind Fuding white tea not being resistant to multiple infusions?

Some tea lovers say white tea does not last through many infusions, usually becoming weak after 4-5 steepings. Others say white tea is very resistant to multiple infusions and can be steeped more than ten times, so one pot can be enjoyed all day. Who is right?

The durability of tea through multiple infusions is affected by many factors, including the age and ecological environment of the tea tree, the tenderness and integrity of the leaves, the degree of rolling and fermentation during tea processing, the tea-to-water ratio, brewing time, water temperature, and the storage time of the tea, among others.

I. The age and ecological environment of the tea tree

White tea comes from arbor-type tea trees, and the buds and leaves of ancient trees and large trees are plump and rich in internal substances, so relatively speaking they are more resistant to multiple infusions;

II. The tenderness and integrity of the leaves

Tea made entirely of bud tips is very resistant to multiple infusions, while one bud with two leaves or three leaves has somewhat higher durability, and the older and coarser the leaves, the more slowly the water-extractable substances are released.

For example, Shoumei is picked at the standard of one bud with two to three leaves, while Baihao Yinzhen has only bud tips. Relatively speaking, Shoumei is more resistant to multiple infusions. Durability through multiple infusions is directly proportional to the integrity of the leaves.

III. The degree of rolling and fermentation

As everyone knows, for other types of tea, the degree of rolling is inversely proportional to durability through multiple infusions. The deeper the rolling, the more the leaf cell walls are damaged, so the water-extractable substances are released faster, and durability decreases accordingly. White tea, however, is neither pan-fired nor rolled, preserving the integrity of the bud and leaf cells to the greatest extent, so the water-extractable substances are released more slowly and the liquor does not come out quickly. If you are impatient and think it has no flavor and therefore consider it not resistant to multiple infusions, you need to wait or boil it.

IV. The ratio of leaf stems

Tea stems contain a considerable amount of aromatic substances. The aroma of tea gradually declines from the first leaf to the third leaf, while the aroma of the tea stem is the highest. Maintaining a certain proportion of leaf stems in white tea helps increase its durability through multiple infusions.

V. The influence of brewing

1. The ratio of tea leaves to water: the less tea and the more water, the less resistant to multiple infusions; the opposite makes it more resistant;

2. The slower the liquor is poured out, the less resistant the tea is to multiple infusions; the opposite makes it more resistant;

3. The water temperature can also determine whether a tea is resistant to multiple infusions. The higher the water temperature, the lower the durability; the opposite makes it higher.

VI. The storage time of the tea

During standard storage of white tea, through the transformation by internal or external enzymes, its internal substances become richer and richer, so its durability through multiple infusions also becomes better and better.

Generally, the more broken the tea, the less resistant it is to multiple infusions, while white tea is the type of tea that keeps its leaves and buds most intact. When the tea is brewed, the water-extractable substances are released from the bud and leaf cells from the inside out, so sometimes when brewing white tea we need to be patient, just as sometimes you will drink white tea whose first infusion has no flavor at all, because the essence is released slowly from the inside out.

Therefore, when drinking tea, you cannot judge whether a tea is resistant to multiple infusions from a single aspect. Huacha Jun believes that knowing a little about tea and being able to taste why it is so makes drinking it more flavorful.

To learn more about white tea knowledge,

Welcome to follow the WeChat official account [Riquan Tea Factory, official account ID: 15659252304]