Here are two teas from the same tree; on the left is green tea, on the right in sheng puer. We've lately had a number of conversations about the Shai Qing Mao Cha we made in a video blog. Some people hold that because the tea is heated and the internal enzymes are broken down, this is in fact a green tea. We believe differently, and today some Shai Qing Mao Cha and Green tea arrived from a single tea grove in Lancang, Puer, Yunnan. Placed side by side on this basket the difference in color is perceptible, with the tea on the left more green. Unfortunately you can't smell it here, but the green tea has the characteristic smell of green tea. The tea on the right smells of Sheng Puer.
Green tea is made by quickly heating a tea leaf to a high temperature so that not only are internal enzymes and the external microbiots broken down, but the majority of the water is quickly vaporized. This locks the in the green color. When frying, this gives the tea an almost buttery taste. But green tea can also be made by steaming or baking.
