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What is, Yellow Tea?
Yellow tea is a type of tea known as true teas. These types of tea are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.
What makes this tea so desirable is its rarity. Yellow tea is a Chinese tea that is difficult to find outside of China. That's because the process to produce this tea is time intensity, requires additional labor, and proves to be difficult when it comes to large-scale quality control. As a result, there are only three main types of yellow tea available on the market today.
Yellow tea undergoes a production process that is similar to green tea but includes one extra, time-consuming step. The leaves are harvested in early spring and immediately dried using direct sunlight or gentle pan-firing. Once dry, the leaves are wrapped in wet paper or cloth to induce a mild oxidation process through steaming. The yellow tea leaves are oxidized for up to three days and may undergo additional firing or drying rounds. This tea processing method produces a yellowing effect on the tea leaves
What are the types of Yellow Tea?
Jun Shan Yin Zhen (Silver Needle)
This tea is cultivated on Jun Shan Island in the Hunan Province of China. It was used as a tribute tea in ancient times and is reputed to be the favorite tea of Mao Zedong. The tea offers flavor characteristics that are similar to silver needle white tea. It is slightly floral and mildly sweet with a light and airy body.
Meng Ding Huang Ya
Leaves for this yellow tea are cultivated along Mt. Meng in Sichuan Province. The tea is one of the ancient Chinese teas and has been consumed and cultivated since the reign of the Han Dynasty. The tea offers a nutty flavor with mild notes of grass.
Mo Gan Huang YaThis is another yellow tea grown at high elevations in the Zhejiang Province. The yellow tea leaves are cultivated on the slopes of Mt. Mo Gan Shan, which has a unique microclimate that deepens the flavor of the tea. The area is rife with mountain springs, foggy mornings, and cool weather patterns. The terroir results in a unique yellow tea that has a lightly sweet flavor, lingering aftertaste, and brews into a color similar to plump apricots.
Huo Shan Huang Ya This type of ancient yellow tea was cultivated in Anhui Province. In recent years, the number of producers and tea masters focusing on this tea variety have dwindled. The demand for yellow tea in the region has been overwhelmed by a preference for green tea. That coupled with the long production process and cost of cultivating this yellow tea has resulted in the near extinction of this type of yellow tea. Processes are underway to help support these tea masters and revive the production of this special yellow tea.
This type of yellow tea is harvested mainly on Mt. Huo and is used in traditional Chinese tea ceremonies. The tea is made using tea buds and leaves and brews into a light green and yellow hue. It offers a sweet undertone with peppery overtures.
Does Yellow Tea Have Caffeine?
Yellow tea does not have as much caffeine as coffee, approximately 35 - 70 mg of caffeine per 8-ounce cup.
The amount of caffeine varies depending on the steeping time and the quantity of tea leaves used per cup. It's a myth that yellow tea has less caffeine, it also depends on the type of yellow tea.
What Does Yellow Tea Taste Like?
Yellow tea offers a mellow flavor that is similar to green tea. It does not have the grassy smell associated with green tea and the yellow tea leaves tend to have a smoother taste. The tea brews into a characteristic yellow, golden hue
How do you brew Yellow Tea?
Making yellow tea involves many of the same brewing techniques as green tea or white tea. Since this is a rare tea, it is more likely you'll be brewing using loose leaf tea. Boiling water will burn the flavor of the delicate yellow tea leaves.
You can use yellow tea leaves for up to 4 to 6 infusions.
Leaf quantity: 2-3 grams
Brewing time: 2-3 minutes
Temperature: 165 - 175°F (73-80°C)
As always, it's best to use filtered water
What are the health benefits of White Tea?
Yellow tea is packed with antioxidants including polyphenols and catechins that are beneficial to overall health. These antioxidants work to prevent damage known as oxidative stress, which is caused by the presence of free radicals. This type of stress is known to breakdown healthy cellular processes and can contribute to premature aging as well as mental decline. The tea is naturally calorie-free, making it a good choice for people on weight loss plans that are looking to replace sugary sodas with healthier alternatives.