Cinnamon-flavored oolong tea is cinnamon added in the production process? What is the annual output of cinnamon single fir? Is it expensive?

When you think of charcoal barbecue, what do you think of? What do you think most about is sausage or chicken wings? Did you know that charcoal baked tea is very precious in the tea world. You may wonder why tea needs charcoal baking, because tea usually pursues its delicate taste, while coffee likes its strong roasting aroma. I have the same problem, and I want to share my findings with you! Charcoal baked vs. Machine baking in November 2018, I saw a large metal pot in Xie farmer's tea garden. As a contemporary of the family, Xie, still an apprentice to his father, excitedly told me that his father had used that metal pot to "bake" tea, and a glimmer of light flashed on his young face. The Chinese word for "roast" and "roast" coincides with each other, which makes me confused about the difference between the two processes for a long time. This is my first visit to Fenghuang Mountain, where there is Dancong tea. Although I was learning the theoretical knowledge and brewing methods of tea at the time, farmers might confuse what you think you know or what you are taught in books with what they actually do. In that year, I only knew some basic knowledge about single fir processing, and it was not until I visited again this year that I mastered the whole process.

When do farmers bake single fir with charcoal? Since the great Dragon Boat Festival, Danzong tea has officially entered the charcoal roasting season. This period may last from the end of June / early July to August. During this long period of time, farmers will observe the situation of their tea in that year and the changes since its first production from March to May. Then they decide which teas should be roasted and baked in the order. After being roasted with charcoal, Dancong tea should rest for a month before it can be eaten, so that the baked taste will not outweigh other flavors or aromas. That's why they usually don't go on sale until September at the earliest. How do you do that? One important thing to remember is that Dancong is a kind of oolong tea, usually only oolong tea can be roasted. If you remember how Dan Fong is processed, you may know that the last step is to bake tea. That's where everything gets a little messy. Baking can be thought of as "drying", which can be done by burning the wood at the bottom in a roaster or a traditional kiln. However, baking is not charcoal baking or baking itself. Charcoal roasting is usually done in a bamboo basket, which is placed on the top of an iron kiln and burns charcoal inside. Tea is placed in bamboo baskets, each with a thermometer so that farmers can monitor the temperature. This can only be done by a very skilled farmer, because even the slightest mistake can burn the tea. Each round of baking takes about 8-10 hours, and the temperature is about 90-120 degrees Celsius. During this period, farmers must patiently stand by the side of each basket, constantly check the temperature, and gently stir the tea with their hands from time to time. Farmers usually bake single fir with charcoal once or twice, depending on the type and texture of the tea. Generally, there are two types, one is bouquet type, such as duck dung type, orchid type, magnolia type, jasmine type, etc., and the other is heavy aroma, such as cinnamon type, Milan type, late fragrant jade type, almond type and so on. Sometimes, farmers will bake some tea three times, but this rarely happens. The third round of baking is more on the basis of the first two rounds, if the third round is to be carried out, usually at the end of the year. The purpose or advantage of charcoal roasting Dancong tea is that from a technical point of view, charcoal roasting can reduce the content of caffeine and tannins, making the taste smoother and sweeter. Charcoal roasting can keep the moisture content of tea below 5%. The ideal moisture content of tea is between 3% and 5%. Exceeding or below the moisture content will cause oxidation and flavor changes of tea. This is why charcoal tea is more suitable for aging. Generally speaking, charcoal baking tea requires not only amazing patience, but also real manual skills. This is why its output is relatively low, but the real charcoal-roasted Dancong tea is definitely not just a good tea!