The tea is very bitter. Why is it? There is a kind of tea. What kind of tea is sweet after drinking it?

Tea and wine have a lot in common. High-quality examples are identified by the environmental specialization of a variety or a single plant species. Both depend on soil factors, including soil quality and climate, to form an ideal flavor. Both require skilled craftsmanship and attention to detail to meet the high standards of connoisseurs.

Although the final product is very different, there are similarities between the taste quality and the way the last cup is judged. Although each taste is very different, bitterness and astringency are often cited in the tasting records of these two flavors, with hidden words about the overall quality of the final product.

These two characteristics are closely related and are often confused, especially for inexperienced tasters. However, they come from completely different molecular compounds in wine and tea. So how do experts distinguish between these different flavor ingredients? What effect do they have on the quality of tea?

Bitter taste

Sensitivity to bitterness is one of the five main flavors that prevented our ancestors who hunted and gathered wild fruits from ingesting toxic substances. In tea, bitterness is also used as a natural pest deterrent to protect plants from common insects. Some of the bitter compounds in tea are thought to be methylxanthine, such as caffeine, and other ingredients.

Tea leaves naturally produce more bitter compounds and are more vulnerable to pests, including those that grow large in summer, or in warm climates near sea level. Whole leaves release bitterness much more slowly than sweet, floral or fresh volatile substances in our mouths, but leaves that are cut into small pieces release bitterness faster.

Much of the long history of tea cultivation and consumption has revolved around reducing the bitterness in the cup, from planting tea gardens at high elevations to selecting tender leaves in early spring to specific brewing methods such as those used in Kungfu Tea. In general, strong bitterness is considered a sign of shoddy tea, or milk and sugar are added after brewing to counteract the bitterness in the tea.

Astringent taste

Astringency is not a taste perceived by the taste buds, but actually a dry feeling in the mouth. As a result, it is not limited to the sensation on the tongue, but also on the cheeks and throat, and is built up during a drink and increases with each sip. For this reason, experienced tea drinkers (and wine connoisseurs) usually prefer astringency because it prolongs the duration of the taste. In tea, the taste that remains for a long time after being swallowed is called aftertaste or sweet taste, and is highly valued.

In addition, astringency is usually attributed to tea polyphenols, including catechins, which have been studied on the antioxidant properties of tea. These molecules come from amino acids exposed to sunlight, which means that tea that absorbs more sunlight has more amino acids and is therefore more astringent.

This may overlap with the conditions that lead to bitterness, such as low altitude and summer harvest, which helps to explain the link between the two characteristics. But astringency can also be accompanied by strong flavors, such as oolong tea in the Phoenix Mountains, which grows in ancient groves.

There are many different types of polyphenols in tea. One of the most common and frequently studied types is flavanols, sometimes called tannic acid. Tannins are found in most plants, including grape skins, and are generally considered to be the main source of astringency. Tea and wine can lead to dry mouth and a long aftertaste, which is generally considered to be high in tannins.

In short, for some types of tea, astringency is not only the taste that everyone pursues, but even needs and deliberately makes it astringent. By contrast, bitterness is usually a sign of mass production and is rarely associated with high-quality tea. Wine drinkers may not be surprised.

Is your tea sweet and smooth, or is it a bit bitter?