Da Hong Pao is one of the most popular types of tea, growing in the northwest of the province of Funjian. This drink belongs to the class of oolongs. Tea fermentation is mostly average. Its taste is deep and warm. He gives clarity of mind and vigor.
Tea history
Translated, Da Hong Pao is a big red coat. Ancient legends claim that at the end of the 14th century the traveler went to pass important exams, but on the way he overheated and lost consciousness.
The monk, who was nearby, gave him this drink. As a result, the young man quickly recovered, received a red coat for passing the exam and wanted to thank the monk by giving him this award as a gift. But he was refused. The guy decided to give his reward to the bushes of tea.
Fancy Drink Facts
There are few people who know how to brew Da Hong Pao, and there is even less original tea in the world. It grows on only four bushes in the Wu mountains. If you tried it, then only influential people who can pay the right price for a real drink. In 1972, the US President received as a gift only 50 grams of this tea, which is estimated at 250 thousand dollars.
Tea Production
In order to get the right tea, its leaves need to be twisted using machines or hands. Therefore, the sheet of Da Hong Pao is stretched and twisted. Next, the tea is fried. As a result, tea leaves darken and receive various variations of dark shades.
Interestingly, the demand for this type of tea is always higher than the supply. Although, in addition to it, several types of teas have similar effects. They are not only inferior in terms of impact, but sometimes even better stimulate a person than Da Hong Pao.
Tea Feature
This tea is known for its effects on the human psyche. It reduces the feeling of anxiety and panic, gives relaxation. Its tonic effect is also known. This tea also brings intoxicated tea. People who often drink such tea are often called tea drinkers.
This drink does not open immediately. Each new cup gives a new taste, while the state of altered consciousness allows you to constantly get unusual sensations from the procedure of absorption of the drink.
How to brew Da Hong Pao
There are many options for brewing this unique drink. But in order to feel the full depth of taste, a small number of variations are used. The recipe on how to brew Da Hong Pao is described below.
For brewing clay or porcelain dishes are required. This tea purifies water well, but it is better to use pure water without impurities for brewing. Brewing stages:
- Heat the water to a state of boiling, but do not boil. The temperature will be approximately 90 degrees.
- Warm up the dishes in which tea will be served.
- In a 200 ml dish, add about 20 grams of tea.
- Rinse the tea with hot water and pour it.
- Pour water again, wait a few seconds and the drink will be ready.
- Each subsequent brewing should wait a few seconds longer.
- You can start tasting tea.
Another surefire way to brew Da Hong Pao tea is presented below:
- You need to take a kettle made of heat-resistant glass.
- Collect one and a half liters of water. For such a volume, you need to use 30 grams of tea.
- Tea infuse for two minutes in cold water.
- Bring the water in the kettle to a boil.
- Pour tea into this water.
- After half a minute, remove the kettle, insist the solution for five minutes.
The drink is ready.
Where to Find Real Da Hong Pao Tea
Due to the great demand for this tea, it was decided to grow subsidiary bushes of Da Hong Pao. This helped to cope with the incredible demand for this product. But despite this, the demand for tea only increased, as it became more affordable. From this moment, a lot of people appeared who understood the question of how to make Da Hong Pao, and any other Chinese teas.
Until 2006, this sort of tea was collected only from six mother trees, the inscription: "Da Hong Pao" is carved on a rock above them. Subsequently, these bushes were propagated by cuttings and made tea more affordable.
According to one scientist collecting information about Da Hong Pao, this tea does not exist, since even a variety growing on the side of a mountain with an inscription is not an ancestor. Scientist Yao Yue Ming has been looking for a genuine Da Hong Pao tea from the mid-20th century.
He knew that the original variety could be found in one of three places. Then the scientist took two samples from one place, as well as several samples from other places. But in those days there was a cultural revolution throughout China, so Yao left his laboratory. Ten years later, he returned to those places where, in his opinion, the real variety Da Hong Pao was to grow.
But upon arrival, all the bushes were in poor condition. Then Yao took several samples of almost millennial trees and planted them on his site, noting that these clones have similar properties. He named this variety Bei Doe number one, and only then did these bushes become the mother for all Da Hong Pao teas.
Thus, the tea variety was saved due to the fact that one person was very persistent and believed in his work. This man was one of the first to know how to make Da Hong Pao tea.
Getting tea
Tea is first harvested in the early days of May. Leaves together with the stem are carefully collected and put to dry in the air so that the moisture evaporates a little. Then all this is loaded into special drums to highlight juice and accelerate fermentation. The collection takes several days.
The third stage lasts from June to August. During this stage, tea with pile is sorted, leaves from each stem are torn off and tea is blended. Then the whole mixture warms up over the coals and only after that such tea is packaged and goes on sale.
For those interested in this topic, it is worth knowing what the differences are between fresh and old tea. Fresh leaves are dense, bright and crumble with difficulty. But if grinding results in balls, then the leaf has not been dried, and the old leaves instantly turn into powder.
Often, newcomers do not know how much to brew Da Hong Pao. The answer to this question is at the rate of 20 grams per 200 ml. This is enough for the initial brewing, then the volume can be changed depending on the sensations.
Since it is necessary to brew Da Hong Pao in porcelain and earthenware, most often you have to get a special tea set and conduct real tea ceremonies.