Cangshan Snow Green Tea

Cangshan Snow Green苍山雪绿 is one of Yunnan’s famous large-leaf tea varieties. It was created in 1964 and was consecutively awarded as a provincial-level famous tea from 1980 to 1983. It is grown on the slopes of Cangshan Mountain in Dali, Yunnan, using the superior Yunnan Shuangjiang Mengku variety. This variety is characterized by its tender and robust buds and leaves, soft leaf texture, high tenderness, and abundant downy hairs. It is rich in tea polyphenols and amino acids.

Sensory Characteristics

• Appearance: The tea leaves are tightly rolled, fine, and uniform, with a dark green, oily sheen.
• Aroma: Fragrant and fresh.
• Taste: Rich, smooth, and sweet with a bright yellow-green liquor.
• Leaf Base: Yellow-green and tender.
• Processing Steps: The production involves six steps: fixing, rolling, shaping, drying, screening, and re-firing.

Historical Development

• Origin: Cangshan Snow Green is one of Yunnan’s renowned large-leaf tea varieties, established in 1964. It was recognized as a provincial-level famous tea in 1980, 1981, and 1983. In 1989, it received the title of high-quality tea at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry’s tea competition.

Natural Geography

Distribution

• Location: Cangshan Snow Green is produced on the slopes of Cangshan Mountain and the shores of Erhai Lake in Dali, Yunnan. The tea is processed by the Downstream Tea Factory. The region lies at the southern end of the Hengduan Mountains, with an altitude of around 2000 meters.

Growing Environment

• Climate: The tea gardens are surrounded by Erhai Lake, which features a unique climate with fluctuating weather. The area experiences high temperatures at midday and cooler temperatures in the mornings and evenings, with frequent clouds and mist. In winter, the peaks are covered with snow, while the foothills enjoy a warm spring. During summer and autumn, the area is often shrouded in mist, with a humid atmosphere. The annual average temperature is between 15°C and 16°C, with annual rainfall between 1000 to 1300 millimeters. The soil is yellow sandy loam with a pH of 4.5 to 6.0, which is conducive to tea tree growth.
• Temperature:
  • 100-300 meters elevation: Average annual temperature is 15°C.
  • Above 300 meters elevation: Average temperature is below 14°C.
  • July: Average temperature is 28.2°C.
  • January: Average temperature is 2.1°C.
  • Spring and Autumn: Mild and cool, with average temperatures of 15.4°C in April and 16.7°C in October.
  • Frost-Free Period: 210-220 days per year, with the first frost usually on November 5 and the last frost on March 29. The initial day with temperatures above 10°C is April 15, and the last day is between November 4 and 9.
  • Accumulated Temperature: ≥0°C: 5085-5500°C; ≥10°C: 4384-4750°C.
• Sunlight:
  • Annual Solar Radiation: 506.18 kJ/cm².
  • Sunlight Radiation during ≥0°C: 369.69 kJ/cm², accounting for 73% of the annual total.
  • Annual Sunshine Hours: 2000-2230 hours, with a sunlight percentage around 50%.
• Precipitation:
  • Annual Average Rainfall: 1200-1400 mm. Over a 25-year average, spring accounts for 28.9%, summer 41.1%, autumn 19.4%, and winter 10.6%.
  • Average Rainy Days: 125.6 days per year.
  • Relative Humidity: 80% year-round, with a dryness index of 0.8 or below, indicating a humid region.
• Soil:
  • Mid-Mountain Area: Predominantly yellow-brown soil, including ordinary yellow-brown soil and mountain yellow-brown soil. The parent material is often granite, granite gneiss, or amphibolite gneiss. The soil is deep (over 1.5 meters), rich in organic matter, fertile, well-drained, and with a pH of 4.8-5.5.
  • Outer Hills and Ridge Area: Mainly yellow-brown soil formed from differentiated parent materials of the Xishu system. The soil is thick but with a shallow plow layer, heavy texture, and often has an impermeable clay layer at the bottom. Fertility and permeability are lower, with a pH of 5-6.5.
  • Riverbanks and Valleys: Mostly alluvial soils, including sandy loam (black sandy soil), which are deep, highly fertile, and well-drained, generally high-yielding tea garden areas.

Cangshan Snow Green Tea: Processing, Quality Characteristics, and Brewing Tips

Harvesting Standards

• Harvest Time: Cangshan Snow Green is picked around the Qingming Festival (April 4-6) with standards of one bud and one leaf or one bud and two leaves at the initial stage of opening.
• Frequency: Multiple batches are harvested throughout the year, totaling 12-20 batches.

Withering Methods

1. Warm Withering:
   • Uses electric heat or charcoal to speed up the process.
   • Efficient but requires careful temperature control to ensure quality.
2. Indoor Natural Withering:
   • Performed in well-ventilated and light-filled rooms.
   • Leaves are spread evenly on bamboo mats and turned regularly for 15-20 hours to reduce moisture by 50-60%.
   • This method allows for more controlled withering.
3. Sunlight Withering:
   • Fresh leaves are spread out on bamboo mats or placed in direct sunlight.
   • Takes 30 minutes on sunny days, or longer on cloudy days, depending on softness.
   • Indicators of proper withering include leaf shrinkage, softened and flexible stems, and reduced green taste.

Quality Characteristics

• Appearance: Leaves are tight, slender, and uniform, with a dark green and oily sheen.
• Aroma: Rich and fresh.
• Taste: Smooth and sweet with a bright yellow-green liquor.
• Leaf Base: Yellow-green and tender.

Processing Steps

1. Fixing (Kill Green):
   • Key to improving tea quality. Requires even heat and careful control.
   • Typically done in an iron pan at 150-200°C, starting high then lowering.
   • Standard: Leaves change from bright green to dark green, slightly sticky when squeezed, stems break but do not snap, with no green raw taste.
2. Rolling:
   • Usually involves hot rolling to shape the tea leaves.
   • Leaves are rolled into balls or strips. Each leaf or several leaves are shaped into desired forms.
   • Requires careful handling to ensure over 80% of tender leaves are properly shaped, with 60-70% for older buds.
3. Drying:
   • After withering, fixing, and rolling, leaves are spread out in the shade on bamboo mats or trays.
   • The drying process is completed when leaves are brittle and break easily, with moisture content reduced to 3-5%.
   • In case of rainy weather, low-temperature slow drying is used to achieve the desired dryness.

Key Components

• Main Ingredients: Rich in tea polyphenols and amino acids.

Health Benefits

• General Benefits: Green tea retains natural substances like tea polyphenols, caffeine, chlorophyll, and vitamins, contributing to its notable health benefits.
• Scientific Findings: Green tea has been shown to help prevent aging, cancer, bacterial infections, and inflammation, thanks to its retained natural compounds.

Brewing Tips

1. Choosing Utensils:
   • Preferred: Glass or white porcelain cups are recommended to appreciate the tea’s appearance and prevent overcooking.
   • Alternative: A teapot can be used for casual drinking or when pairing with snacks.
2. Cleaning:
   • Clean tea utensils with boiling water to enhance the tea drinking experience.
3. Tea Inspection:
   • For high-quality green teas, inspect the dry leaves for their color and shape, and smell them to appreciate their aroma before brewing.
4. Brewing Methods:
   • High-Quality Green Tea: Use the top-down method for tight leaves, pouring water at 75-85°C first, then adding tea. For loose leaves, add tea first, then water.
   • Ordinary Green Tea: Generally add tea before pouring water.
5. Tea Appreciation:
   • Observe the tea’s appearance, the changes in the tea soup, the dispersion of the tea aroma, and the final appearance of tea and soup.
6. Drinking Tips:
   • Begin with smelling the tea, then sip to taste its true flavor.
   • Green tea is typically steeped 2-3 times. For more infusions, re-brewing is required.

This comprehensive guide covers the essentials of harvesting, processing, quality characteristics, and brewing techniques for Cangshan Snow Green tea. Enjoy exploring this exquisite tea and its unique qualities!

Tea Storage Methods for Cangshan Snow Green Tea

Proper storage is essential for maintaining the quality and flavor of Cangshan Snow Green tea. Here are several effective storage methods:

1. Clay Pot Storage

• Traditional Method: Ancient practice described in Feng Mengzhen’s “Kuai Xue Tang Man Lu.” The tea is stored in a large clay jar with a bamboo mat at the bottom and sealed tightly.
• Advantages: Helps to keep the tea fresh and prevents it from turning yellow over summer due to the sealed environment that prevents moisture loss.

2. Jar Storage

• Containers: Use metal cans or boxes originally for pastries or other foods, such as those made from iron, aluminum, or paper.
• Important Notes: Ensure the tea is dry before placing it in the container. Seal the container tightly to prevent exposure to air and moisture.

3. Plastic Bag Storage

• Materials: Use high-density, high-pressure, thick, and odorless food-grade plastic bags.
• Method: Wrap the tea in soft, clean paper first, then place it in the plastic bag and seal it tightly.
• Advantages: Simple and convenient for short-term storage.

4. Thermos Bottle Storage

• Containers: Repurpose an old thermos bottle with poor insulation.
• Method: Fill the thermos with dry green tea, seal it with the cap, and optionally use wax to seal the lid.
• Advantages: Helps keep the tea dry and protected from light and air.

5. Refrigerator Storage

• Method: Place the tea in a high-density, high-pressure, thick, and odorless food-grade plastic bag before putting it in the freezer or refrigerator.
• Important Notes: Ensure the bag is sealed tightly to prevent moisture absorption and odor transfer. This method is effective for long-term storage but requires careful sealing to avoid quality deterioration.

Additional Tips:

• Moisture Control: Keep tea moisture content below 6%. Use lime to absorb excess moisture if needed.
• Temperature: Store tea in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat.
• Odor: Avoid storing tea near strong-smelling substances to prevent flavor contamination.

By following these storage methods, you can help ensure that your Cangshan Snow Green tea retains its freshness, flavor, and quality over time.