Preparation process of ancient tree seven-color white tea

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of ancient tree seven-color white tea's manufacturing process, belongs to white tea production technical field.The process includes the following steps: S1, picking tea tree fresh leaf, the fresh leaf is thinly spread on dustpan and is placed to be shaped withering;S2, the tea leaf that is shaped withering is combined to thicken tea layer, and the tea leaf after thickening is lightly turned, and continues to wither after lightly turning;S3, the tea leaf that is withered in step S2 is combined again to further thicken tea layer and is lightly turned, and then continues to wither until the dryness of tea leaf reaches 65%~75%;S4, the tea leaf of step S3 is stacked into heap, and the surface of the heap is covered with wet fabric and is kept moist, so that the tea leaf is micro-fermented;S5, the tea leaf that is micro-fermented is dried, and seven-color white tea is obtained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of white tea production technology, specifically to a production process for ancient tree seven-color white tea. Background Technology

[0002] Yunnan large-leaf ancient tree white tea is rich in nutrients, high in amino acids, and has a well-balanced ratio of tea polyphenols, making it a superior raw material for producing high-quality white tea. Currently, traditional white tea processing mainly involves natural withering and drying, resulting in a single color—often whitish, silvery-gray, or yellowish-green—rarely exhibiting the natural seven-color hues of white tea. Most of the seven-color teas on the market are blended or dyed, not naturally formed, and lack technological innovation and support. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention proposes a production process for ancient tree seven-color white tea.

[0004] The objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions: A first aspect of the present invention relates to a process for producing seven-colored white tea, comprising the following steps: S1. Pick fresh tea leaves and spread them thinly on a winnowing basket for static shaping and withering. S2. Combine the tea leaves that have been left to stand and shape to thicken the tea layer, gently turn the thickened tea leaves over, and continue withering after turning over. S3. Combine the tea leaves that have been withered in step S2 again to further thicken the tea layer and turn them lightly. Then continue withering until the dryness of the tea leaves reaches 65% to 75%. S4. The tea leaves from step S3 are piled into a heap, and a damp cloth is covered on the surface of the heap to keep it moist and allow it to undergo micro-fermentation. S5. The slightly fermented tea leaves are dried to obtain seven-color white tea.

[0005] Optionally, the fresh tea leaves mentioned in step S1 are fresh leaves of ancient tea trees of the Yunnan large-leaf variety, and the picking standard for the fresh leaves is one bud and two leaves.

[0006] Optionally, the thickness of the tea layer after thinning in step S1 shall not exceed 10 cm, and the thickness of the tea layer after thickening in step S2 shall not exceed 20 cm.

[0007] Optionally, the gentle turning in steps S2 and S3 refers to a low-amplitude, gentle turning, while ensuring that the tea leaves are not broken, broken, or turn black during the turning process.

[0008] Optionally, in step S4, the tea leaves are piled into a pagoda-shaped pile and then covered with the damp fabric and left to stand for 2 days to retain moisture.

[0009] Optionally, the wet fabric mentioned in step S4 is a wet cotton cloth, and the moisture content of the wet cotton cloth is such that it can be squeezed into a ball without dripping water.

[0010] Optionally, the drying in step S5 is natural sun drying, and the tea leaves are dried until they are completely dry.

[0011] A second aspect of the present invention relates to a seven-colored white tea, which is produced by the above-mentioned seven-colored white tea production process, and the tea leaves of the seven-colored white tea exhibit seven natural colors: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple.

[0012] Optionally, the seven natural colors are formed from tea leaves during the production process, and the seven-colored white tea is neither dyed nor blended.

[0013] Optionally, the seven-colored white tea is made from one bud and two leaves of fresh leaves from ancient tea trees of the Yunnan large-leaf variety.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are: 1. Natural Seven Colors: The finished product presents seven natural colors: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple, without the need for dyeing or blending.

[0015] 2. Outstanding quality: high fresh acidity, obvious sweetness, rich aroma, clear tea soup, and long-lasting aftertaste.

[0016] 3. Unique technology: The core innovations are the two-in-one wave machine for easy turning and the pagoda-style stacking for moisturizing, which is the first of its kind in the industry.

[0017] 4. Scarcity of raw materials: The large-leaf variety is made from a group of century-old trees, which are rich in nutrients and have high market value. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Example

[0019] Raw materials: Yunnan large-leaf variety tea trees, a group of century-old trees, picking one bud and two leaves of fresh leaves, the fresh leaves are intact, undamaged, free from disease and insects, and free from rainwater.

[0020] Process steps: 1. Withering and shaping: Spread the fresh leaves evenly and thinly on a bamboo tray, with a tea layer thickness of ≤10cm, and let them sit naturally for 1 day (ambient temperature 18-28℃, relative humidity 65-85%).

[0021] 2. First merging and thickening + light turning: Combine the two baskets of tea leaves ("two-in-one"), thickening the tea layer to ≤20cm; after 12 hours, gently turn it over once with a low amplitude, and continue withering after turning.

[0022] 3. Second merging and thickening + light turning: The tea layer is further thickened by merging again (≤20cm); after an interval of 12 hours, it is lightly turned again and withered until the tea leaves are about 70% dry (corresponding to a moisture content of about 21%). The entire withering process takes about 2 days.

[0023] 4. Pagoda-shaped stacking for moisturizing and micro-fermentation: Stack tea leaves that have reached 70% dryness into a pagoda-shaped pile (about 30-40cm high), cover the top with a damp cotton cloth (the moisture content should be such that the leaves can be squeezed into a ball but not dripping water), and let it sit for 2 days to keep it moist (pile temperature 20-28℃).

[0024] 5. Sun drying: Dry naturally in the sun until completely dry (effective sunshine for about 6-8 hours / day, about 1 day), with a finished product moisture content of 13-14%. Example

[0025] Same as Example 1, except that the dryness of the material before stacking in step 3 is taken as 65% and 75% respectively, while the rest remains unchanged.

[0026] Comparative Example 1 (Traditional White Tea Processing Standard) Made from the same raw materials and fresh leaves from the same batch, using traditional white tea processing techniques: thinly spread out for natural withering throughout the entire process (no combined thickening, no light turning, no piling for slight fermentation), and directly dried after withering.

[0027] Comparative Example 2 Same as Example 1, but the entire process is kept thin and spread to ≤10 cm, without any two-in-one thickening; the same rhythm of light turning is still followed, and the mixture is still stacked at 70% dryness and covered with a damp cloth for micro-fermentation.

[0028] Comparative Example 3 Same as Example 1, the normal two-in-one thickness is increased to the thickness of each stage, but the entire process is not lightly flipped; the rest is the same.

[0029] Comparative Example 4 Similar to Example 1, after withering to 70% dryness, it is directly sun-dried, eliminating the need for pagoda-style stacking and covering with damp cloth for micro-fermentation.

[0030] Table 1 Color Measurement

[0031] Table 2 Physicochemical composition (mg / g or %, please specify the unit and method)

[0032] Table 3 Sensory evaluation (GB / T 23776, weighted total score of five factors)

[0033] As shown in Table 1, the finished products from Example 1 using the complete process of this invention, Example 2 using the two extreme points of the dryness range (65% and 75%), and Example 3 using different batches of fresh leaves all consistently exhibit seven distinguishable natural colors: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple. In contrast, the finished product from Comparative Example 1, made using traditional white tea processing, has a single color, only exhibiting one or two colors: white, silver-gray, or yellowish-green. This indicates that the process of this invention is fundamentally different in color from traditional white tea.

[0034] Furthermore, Comparative Example 2, which only removed the "two-in-one thickening" treatment, showed only 2-3 distinguishable colors and failed to form the seven colors; Comparative Example 3, which only removed the "low-amplitude light turning" treatment, showed uneven coloring and a dull, yellowish hue, also showing only 2-3 distinguishable colors. These results indicate that the two-in-one thickening treatment establishes a moisture loss and temperature / humidity gradient within the tea layer by increasing the tea layer thickness, while the low-amplitude light turning repeatedly rearranges the leaves without damaging them, disturbing and maintaining this gradient and preventing localized yellowing and polarization. Together, these two processes constitute the microenvironment required for differentiated transformation; without either, the gradient cannot be established or maintained, and the seven colors cannot be formed. Therefore, thickening and light turning are complementary and indispensable in this invention.

[0035] Comparative Example 4, which involved removing 70% of the moisture-retaining micro-fermentation nodes and directly sun-drying after reaching 70% dryness, showed a significantly faded color in the finished product, with only 3-4 distinguishable colors. Comparative Example 5, where the stacking nodes were shifted to 50% and 90% dryness, also failed to stably display the seven colors—at 50%, the leaf moisture was too high, leading to excessive micro-fermentation and a dull, mixed color; at 90%, material transformation essentially stopped, resulting in a homogenized color. The results indicate that the initial withering stage only establishes color potential. This potential must be "developed and fixed" through a pagoda-shaped stacking and moisturizing micro-fermentation at approximately 70% dryness (corresponding to approximately 21% moisture content) to form and stabilize the seven colors. 70% dryness is the critical node for color development, and the 65%-75% range defined in the claims is the effective range; beyond this range, the effect is lost.

[0036] As shown in Table 2, the theaflavin content of the finished product in Example 1 was approximately 0.65%, significantly higher than that of Comparative Example 1 (approximately 0.22%) using the traditional process and Comparative Example 4 (approximately 0.25%) without micro-fermentation. In all groups undergoing 70% moisture-controlled micro-fermentation (Example 1, Comparative Example 2, and Comparative Example 3), the theaflavin content increased significantly, while the tea polyphenol content decreased accordingly (Example 1 approximately 22.0%, Comparative Example 1 approximately 26.5%). This indicates that the present invention, through moderate micro-fermentation, directionally converts some tea polyphenols into theaflavins, which is the component basis for the finished product's flavor changing from bitter and astringent to mellow and sweet, and the liquor color changing to a bright apricot-gold color. In Comparative Example 5, the 50% group, due to over-fermentation, had the lowest tea polyphenol content (approximately 20.0%) with deterioration, while the 90% group, under-fermented, had all components close to those of the traditional Comparative Example 1, further confirming that 70% dryness is the critical point for moderate micro-fermentation.

[0037] In addition, the free amino acids in the finished product of Example 1 are about 4.6% and the water extract is about 46.0%, both of which are at a high level. This is consistent with the characteristics of the rich contents of fresh leaves of ancient trees of Yunnan large-leaf variety, which corresponds to the fresh taste and full-bodied soup of the finished product.

[0038] As shown in Table 3, according to GB / T 23776, the five-factor evaluation of each finished product showed that Example 1 achieved a weighted total score of 96 points, significantly higher than the traditional process control example 1 (85 points) and the control example 4 without micro-fermentation (89 points). The finished product of Example 1 had a uniform appearance and exhibited seven colors. The soup was light apricot-golden yellow, clear and oily. The aroma was rich and fragrant with orchid and honey, with a prominent downy aroma and a lasting fragrance after drinking. The taste was fresh, mellow and sweet with a slight bitterness and a lasting sweet aftertaste. The tea leaves were thick, fresh and uniform. The scores of each factor and the overall quality were all superior to the traditional process and the control sample that lacked key processes.

[0039] Based on Tables 1-3, this invention utilizes a two-in-one thickening process combined with low-amplitude light turning to establish and maintain a differentiated transformation gradient. At approximately 70% dryness, a pagoda-shaped stacking method for moisture retention and micro-fermentation fixes the color potential. The synergy of these two methods enables the fresh leaves of ancient tree large-leaf varieties to stably develop seven natural colors: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple. Simultaneously, it achieves beneficial effects such as increased theaflavins, a mellow and refreshing taste, and outstanding sensory qualities. Removing any of the inventive points (Comparative Examples 2-4) or deviating from the key process node (Comparative Example 5) would prevent the achievement of the seven colors and the aforementioned qualities. This demonstrates that each process step of this invention is necessary for the stated technical effects, and their synergistic relationship is not readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0040] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "example," "specific example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0041] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed invention.

Claims

1. A production process for seven-colored white tea, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Pick fresh tea leaves and spread them thinly on a winnowing basket for static shaping and withering. S2. Combine the tea leaves that have been left to stand and shape to thicken the tea layer, gently turn the thickened tea leaves over, and continue withering after turning over. S3. Combine the tea leaves that have been withered in step S2 again to further thicken the tea layer and turn them lightly. Then continue withering until the dryness of the tea leaves reaches 65% to 75%. S4. The tea leaves from step S3 are piled into a heap, and a damp cloth is covered on the surface of the heap to keep it moist and allow it to undergo micro-fermentation. S5. The slightly fermented tea leaves are dried to obtain seven-color white tea.

2. The production process of the seven-color white tea according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fresh tea leaves mentioned in step S1 are fresh leaves of ancient tea trees of the Yunnan large-leaf variety, and the picking standard for the fresh leaves is one bud and two leaves.

3. The production process of the seven-color white tea according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S1, the thickness of the thinly spread tea layer does not exceed 10 cm, and in step S2, the thickness of the thickened tea layer does not exceed 20 cm.

4. The production process of the seven-color white tea according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gentle turning mentioned in steps S2 and S3 refers to a low-amplitude, gentle turning, while ensuring that the tea leaves are not broken, broken, or turned black during the turning process.

5. The production process of the seven-color white tea according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S4, the tea leaves are piled into a pagoda shape and covered with the damp fabric to keep them moist for 2 days.

6. The production process of the seven-color white tea according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wet fabric mentioned in step S4 is a wet cotton cloth, and the moisture content of the wet cotton cloth is such that it can be squeezed into a ball by hand without dripping water.

7. The production process of the seven-color white tea according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drying process described in step S5 is natural sunlight drying, and the tea leaves are dried until they are completely dry.

8. A seven-colored white tea, characterized in that, The seven-colored white tea is produced by the seven-colored white tea production process according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and the tea leaves of the seven-colored white tea exhibit seven natural colors: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple.

9. The seven-colored white tea according to claim 8, characterized in that, The seven natural colors are formed by the tea leaves during the production process, and the seven-colored white tea is neither dyed nor blended.

10. The seven-colored white tea according to claim 8, characterized in that, The seven-colored white tea is made from one bud and two leaves of ancient tea trees of the Yunnan large-leaf variety.

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