Complete Guide to Xinyang Maojian Production Methods
Xinyang Mao Jian is one of China’s top ten famous teas, produced in the Dabie Mountain area of Xinyang, Henan Province, and is famous for its tender buds and leaves, exquisite production techniques and unique fragrance and flavor. Whether hand-fired or mechanized, Xinyang Mao Jian follows a strict process, including fresh leaf picking, spreading, greening, twisting, barring, baking and other aspects to ensure that the tea is tight and fine in appearance, long-lasting in aroma, and full-bodied in flavor.
This article introduces in detail the characteristics of Xinyang Mao Jian, picking standards, and compares and analyzes the complete process of traditional handmade and modern mechanical processing, bringing you an in-depth understanding of the craftsmanship behind this classic green tea.
1. Introduction of Xinyang Mao Jian
Xinyang Mao Jian is a famous green tea in China, produced in the Dabie Mountain area of Xinyang, Henan Province. It is known for its tender raw materials, fine production process, beautiful appearance, elegant aroma and long-lasting flavor.
Characteristics:
- Shape: thin, straight and rounded with white hairs
- Aroma: clear and long-lasting, with ripe chestnut aroma
- Taste: mellow and sweet, resistant to brewing (can be brewed 4-5 times)
- Soup color: clear and bright
- Leaf base: green and fresh
2. Picking standard
- Picking time: around Ching Ming Dynasty
- Picking standard: one bud and one leaf at the beginning of development, length not more than 2 centimeters.
- Amount of fresh leaves: 53,000-56,000 buds are needed to make 500 grams of premium Mao Jian.
3. Handmade process
(1) Sieving
Fresh leaves are categorized according to varieties, weather (sunny/rainy) and picking time, and graded by bamboo sieve to remove impurities.
(2) Spreading
- Fresh leaves are spread on a bamboo dustpan with a thickness of 5-10 centimeters.
- Rainy leaves are spread thinly, sunny leaves are spread thickly.
- Turn every hour, spread 2-6 hours.
- When the fresh leaves become soft and the greenness dissipates, they can be stir-fried.
(3) Raw wok (greening)
- Tilt the iron pot at 35°, the temperature of the pot is 140-160℃.
- Throw about 500 grams of leaves and stir-fry quickly with a tea handle (bamboo broom) for 3-4 minutes.
- After the tea leaves become soft, gently twist them into strips.
- After 7-10 minutes, transfer to the ripening pot
(4) Cooking pot (shaping)
- The temperature of the pot is 80-100℃, continue twisting and shaping.
- Technique: “Wrapping and kneading” → “Catching strips” → “Striping”.
- 7-10 minutes after the pot, the water content of the tea leaves is about 30%.
(5) Initial roasting
- Charcoal roasting at 90-100°C
- Turn every 5-8 minutes, bake for 20-25 minutes.
- The water content of tea leaves is reduced to about 15%.
(6) Cooling
After the initial roasting, the tea leaves are cooled for more than 4 hours, with a thickness of about 30 centimeters.
(7) Re-drying
- Temperature 60-65℃, turning every 10 minutes.
- Bake for 30 minutes, the water content of tea leaves is reduced to 7%.
(8) Finishing the gross tea
Remove yellow flakes, old stalks and other impurities, and grade according to quality.
(9) Re-drying
- Temperature 60℃, turning every 10 minutes.
- Bake for 30 minutes, water content down to below 6%.
- Cooled and sealed for storage
4. Mechanical production process
(1) Killing
- Use the drum greening machine, temperature 120-130 ℃
- Killing time 1.5-2 minutes, moisture content down to 60%.
(2) Kneading
- Cold kneading 10-25 minutes (short time for high grade tea, long time for low grade tea)
- Knead until the tea leaves stick to the hands and form a ball
(3) Unblocking
Use the unblocking machine to break up the twisted tea balls.
(4) Striping
- Temperature 90-100℃, time about 5 minutes.
- Make the tea leaves tight and straight
(5) Initial drying
- Temperature 120-130℃, time 10-15 minutes.
- The water content is reduced to 15-20%.
(6) Cooling
More than 4 hours of cooling after the first roasting.
(7) Re-drying
- Temperature 90-100℃, baking until the moisture content is below 6%.
- Sealed storage after cooling
