Modern Liu Bao

Liu Bao Tea 現 Modern Liu Bao Tea 代 Production in Wuzhou City 六茶人: Donated by Wuzhou City Agricultural Bureau 堡茶 In recent years, as the influence of Chinese black tea, or hei- cha, has risen, Wuzhou’s Liu Bao tea has also seen a swell in popularity. Its distinctive flavor and beneficial health proper- 生 ties have gradually earned it renewed recognition and esteem among the world’s tea lovers. Aged Liu Bao has been play- 產 fully referred to as “an antique you can drink,” and is often copared to the famous vintages of puerh tea. iu Bao tea was originally pro- yearly temperature is between 19.3°C slightly acidic, with a pH level between L duced in several small villages and 21.4°C, while the monthly aver- 4.5 and 6.5. The soil layer is deep and in Cangwu County, part of the age is over 10°C throughout Wuzhou loose, with plenty of humus, nutrients, Wuzhou City area in Guangxi, includ- (except for Mengshan County, where and water, providing a fertile environ- ing Lion Village and the tea’s name- the monthly average is below 10°C). ment ideal for growing tea and culti- sake, Liu Bao Village. The industry has The highest recorded temperature vating the microorganisms that are grown a lot since then, and Liu Bao is is 39.9°C and the lowest is -3.2°C. unique to Liu Bao. now produced in other surrounding The average yearly rainfall is between Wuzhou’s geographical, climate, villages and townships such as Cangwu 1400–1600 millimeters, with around and soil conditions are unique to the County’s Libu, Jingnan, and Shatou; 1533.7–1789 hours of sunshine per area and contribute to the region’s mi- Teng County’s Lingjing, Jinji, Xinqing year, and a typical relative humidity of crobial diversity and the growth of the and Mengjiang; Mengshan County’s 76%–82%. The region is usually frost- beneficial fungus that Liu Bao tea pro- Huangcun, Xihe and Xinwei; Cenxi free for 336–349 days of the year. All duces. The environment has remained City’s Shuiwen, Nandu, and Daye; these elements add up to form a cli- reasonably stable throughout the long and two villages in districts of Wuzhou mate in Wuzhou that is perfectly suit- history of Liu Bao tea production in city: Wanxiu district’s Wangfu Village ed to growing tea plants. Wuzhou. Makers of Liu Bao tradition- and Dieshan District’s Xiaying Vil- The Wuzhou city area has a unique ally aged the tea in caves, which pre- lage. Altogether, this equals an area of topography, characterized by a low-ly- served the population of beneficial mi- around 2866 hectares of tea planta- ing central region surrounded by ele- croorganisms that are produced during tions. There are currently 24 different vated land on all sides—traditional- the manufacturing process. This pro- tea manufacturers, and together they ly described using the phrase “eight vided a favorable biological environ- produce around 7300 tons of Liu Bao mountains, one river, one field.” Sev- ment that ensured Wuzhou could con- tea each year. eral rivers flow through the region, tinue to produce pure, authentic Liu including the Xunjiang, Xijiang, Gui- Bao tea, with its unique characteristics jiang and Beiliu rivers. Altogether the that are so intimately tied to the local total surface area of Guangxi’s 784 geography. The Natural Environment rivers and waterways makes up 9.28% of Liu Bao Tea Gardens of the total land area. The area where Wuzhou Liu Bao tea leaves are grown The Liu Bao Wuzhou City is situated near the is lush with vegetation all year round, Manufacturing Process Tropic of Cancer and has a subtropi- with 72% forest coverage and a plen- cal monsoon climate—it’s hot and hu- tiful water supply. The soil is mainly These days, the first of three parts mid with plenty of rain. The average clay and sandy loam and tends to be of the Liu Bao production process is 21 done as follows: “kill-green,” rolling, with machine-rolling the volume varies so the piles need to be turned over fermenting in piles, rolling again, and according to the size of the machine. from time to time to dissipate the heat. drying. The second part of processing When rolling Liu Bao tea leaves the After fermenting, the rolled tea includes sifting and shaping, separat- main thing is for the leaves to remain leaves will have started to unfurl slight- ing the stalks and leaves, heaping into intact. Breaking down the cells of the ly, so they need to be rolled again for piles, cold fermentation, drying over a leaves is of secondary importance— 5–6 minutes. Then comes the drying stove, steaming, pressing into baskets, they only need to be about 40% dam- process, which has two parts: “first fir- and aging in a cool place. aged, so an appropriate amount of pres- ing” over high heat, then “full firing” The first half of the production pro- sure must be used. The general process at a lower temperature. The tea leaves cess starts with the tea picking. Each is as follows: roll lightly, press lightly, are traditionally spread out about 3.3 bud is usually picked with three or press more firmly, press lightly, roll cm deep on bamboo drying frames, four leaves—the tea leaves are picked lightly, then separate the leaves after and should preferably be heated us- during the day and processed at night. rolling. First-grade and second-grade ing pinewood. The temperature of the For the kill-green step (firing to halt tea leaves are normally rolled for 40 flame needs to be around 80–90°C and oxidization), the temperature of the minutes, while third-grade leaves and the leaves are turned over every 5–6 wok is 160°C and the leaves are cooked below are rolled for 45–50 minutes. minutes. Once the leaves are 60–70% in batches of around 2–2.5 kilograms; After rolling comes the process of dry they are taken off the heat and with a kill-green machine it’s around heaping, where the semi-processed tea spread out to cool for half an hour. 7.5 kg each time. Once in the pan the leaves are piled into baskets or onto Then they are fired again at a tempera- leaves are first fired while covered, then bamboo mats to ferment. This process ture of 50–60°C in piles around 6.6 stirred and tossed, then a combination is key in determining the color, aroma, cm deep for 2–3 hours, until the tea of the two—young, tender leaves are and flavor of Liu Bao. The damp tea stalks snap when bent. tossed for longer, while older leaves leaves are piled 3–5 centimeters deep The second part of the Liu Bao tea are covered for longer. The kill-green with about 1.5 kg of tea per basket, manufacturing process is refining the process usually lasts 5–6 minutes, un- and are left to ferment for at least 15 tea. These days, this begins with cold til the leaves and buds are soft and the hours. The heaping process doesn’t re- fermentation: moisture is added to stalks bend but don’t break, and the quire very high heat—the heat source the tea leaves until their water content tea leaves turn the appropriate darkish need only be around 60°C, and the tea reaches 12%; then the leaves are fer- green color. After the leaves are spread leaves should be heated until they’re mented in heaps for 7–10 days to sup- out to cool they are rolled, either by around 50–60% dry before heaping. plement the fermentation that occurred hand or by machine (more often by The temperature of the tea piles them- in the early processing. When the machine these days). When rolling by selves needs to stay around 40°C—if it moisture content of the leaves has been hand one can roll 1–1.5 kg at a time; rises above 50°C the leaves will burn, reduced to an average of around 10%, 22 Liu Bao Tea they are steamed for half an hour, until six months of aging, the liquor of the with the addition of “Golden Flow- they are completely soft and the wa- mature tea develops a deeper red color, ers,” the spores of a highly-prized type ter content has increased to 15–16%. a cool, refreshing mouthfeel, and that of fungus that grows on the tea. The After this, the traditional method classic aged Liu Bao flavor. These qual- liquor is also a deep red; the flavor is involves storing the tea in heaps for ities gave rise to the common epithet mellow and refreshing with a pure aro- 20–30 days, so that the moisture and used to describe Liu Bao tea: “red, rich, ma and a unique betel nut fragrance. heat can act on the tea leaves and fur- mellow, and aged.” Liu Bao tea can be stored for a long ther alter their chemical structure. The time—the more mature, the better. antioxidant action of the tea polyphe- These days, two different kinds of nols causes an increase in compounds Distinct Characteristics refined Liu Bao tea are available on such as theaflavins and thearubigens, the market: those made using the tra- enriching the color, flavor, and aroma The defining features of Liu Bao are ditional manufacturing process, and of the tea until it takes on the unique similar for both the maocha (“raw” or those made using modern methods.

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