TEA TASTING FORMULA

The same tea leaves can produced different tea according to different tea-making processes. Each method of preparation provides an individual taste. However, to ensure the quality of any given tea variety, the following six steps should be adhered to.

1. THE BREW

    Put in 3 grams of tea leaves to a tasting cup, pour in 150cc of boiling water, steep for 5 minutes and pour out the tea to a tasting bowl. This is a universal formula to determine the quality of the tea.

2.CHECK THE AROMA

   Sniff the aroma of the brewed tea leaves to ascertain the pureness of the tea.

3.CHECK THE COLOR

   Look for the translucent shine in the brewed tea. Good tea  should be bright and rich in color.

4.TASTE THE TEA

   Sip a little bit to descern the strength, smoothness and sweetness of the tea infusion. The preferred taste is smooth sweet and rich.

5.CHECK THE TEA LEAVES

   Check the tea leaves after brewing for signs of freshness and tenderness.

6.CHECK THE DRY TEA LEAVES FOR QUALITY

   having tasted and checked the brewed tea, examine the dry tea leaves to assess their quality.  Good tea leaves are of even sizes and tightly folded with fine lustre.

this is from 《A PASSAGE TO CHINESE TEA》