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YELLOW  LOOSE  LEAF  TEA

Yellow tea is a rare variety of tea which is slowly gaining recognition in Western countries. It is produced only in China, where it has long traditions. As the name suggests, yellow tea has a yellow, golden appearance, both as unused tea leaves and as the finished, brewed tea. Despite the colour, it has the same antioxidant content as green tea, but lacks the strong "grassy" taste disliked by some.

Yellow tea is brewed in much the same way as white tea. This means that the water should not be hotter than about 180 degrees F, or 80 degrees C. Use one tablespoon of loose tea leaf (about two grams) for five ounces (150 ml) of water, and steep for a minute or two.

Yellow tea can easily take multiple infusions, so that the second steeping may also only last for a minute, the third should last a bit longer etc. Some sources advocate the use of a glass cup to properly enjoy the golden tinge of the tea and the delicate leaves, as they float in the liquid.

　

Yellow tea is produced in tiny volumes, smaller even than the exclusive and rare white teas. It is mainly manufactured in the Hunan and Anhui provinces, although varieties from Sichuan can also be found.

The tea leaves are harvested much like leaves destined to become green tea, and are dried in the same way. One account describes the manufacture of yellow tea in the following steps: The leaves are initially pan-fried in large woks to about 40 percent dryness, after which they are roasted to approximately 70 percent dryness. While still hot, the tea is packed and allowed to ferment (or more correctly, oxidize) for seven days. Then the tea is roasted further, until it is 95 percent dry.

Yellow tea is gathering popularity in the West, as more and more tea lovers request it from their vendors. Also, more health-conscious people catch on to the advantage of getting the same health benefits as green tea from a tea that has a much milder flavour.

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