Yellow tea

Yellow tea is a unique category of lightly oxidized tea. It is known by two different names depending on its origin. In China, it is called huángchá. In Korea, the tea is known as hwangcha. This type of tea is quite special to tea enthusiasts. In China, huángchá is becoming increasingly rare to find. Because it is rare, it can also be very expensive.

The production of Chinese huángchá follows a very specific method. It begins with a process very similar to making green tea. However, makers add one essential extra step to the sequence. This step is known as encasing or sweltering. During the drying phase, the tea leaves are wrapped up. This specific action gives the leaves a light yellow color. This process also serves a sensory purpose for the drinker. It aims to remove the grassy smell often found in green tea.

There are many distinct varieties of Chinese yellow tea. Each variety comes from a specific region or mountain. For example, Junshan Yinzhen comes from Hunan Province. This specific variety is known as a Silver Needle tea. Another variety is Huoshan Huangya, which grows on Mt. Huo in Anhui Province. Meng Ding Huangya is grown at Mt. Meng in Ya'an, Sichuan Province. Mogan Huangya is produced at Mount Mogan in Zhejiang Province.

Other notable Chinese varieties offer different regional flavors. Beigang Maojian comes from Yueyang in Hunan Province. This tea carries a historical name from the Tang Dynasty era. It was once called Yōnghúchá. Weishan Maojian is another type from Ningxiang in Hunan Province. Haimagong Cha is produced in Guizhou Province. Da Ye Qing comes from Guangdong Province. The name Da Ye Qing translates literally to Big Leaf Green.

Some yellow teas are defined by the color of their liquid. Pingyang Huangtang comes from Zhejiang Province. This tea is sometimes called part of the Wenzhou Huangtang group. The term Huangtang translates to Yellow Broth or Yellow Soup. Another variety is Yuan'an Luyuan, which comes from Yuan'an County in Hubei Province. These names help people identify the specific character of the tea. Each region contributes to the vast diversity of the tea culture.

Korean hwangcha follows a different tradition and method. Korean tea terminology usually splits tea into two main groups. These are green tea, or nokcha, and fermented tea, or balhyocha. In this context, fermented tea means oxidized tea. Korean hwangcha is a type of lightly oxidized balhyocha. It does not follow the same processing rules as the Chinese definition. Instead, the oxidation level is the defining feature.

The way Korean hwangcha is made can vary by maker. Some producers make it similarly to oolong tea. Other makers follow a process similar to lightly oxidized black tea. Regardless of the method, the goal remains the same. The tea must have a noticeable but low level of oxidation. This specific level of oxidation results in a yellow tea liquor. This bright color is the most important visual characteristic of the drink.