Lotus leaf mixed health-preserving black tea and a tea making process method thereof

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of tea processing, and particularly relates to a lotus leaf mixed health-preserving black tea and a tea processing method thereof. The technical scheme of the lotus leaf mixed health-preserving black tea comprises the following components: 25-35 parts of Dianhong, 25-35 parts of peony black tea and 35-45 parts of dry lotus leaves; the following components: 30 parts of Dianhong, 30 parts of peony black tea and 40 parts of dry lotus leaves. The application provides a lotus leaf mixed health-preserving black tea and a tea processing method thereof. After the two kinds of black tea are compounded, the strong and mellow of Dianhong and the floral and fruity aroma of the peony black tea are mutually superimposed and complemented, so that the problem of single black tea with light aroma is solved, and the tea soup is more rich and full. The addition of the dry lotus leaves endows the product with the unique fragrance of lotus leaves and the health-care functions of lipid-lowering and antioxidant. Meanwhile, the black tea is warm, which can effectively neutralize the cold characteristics of the lotus leaves and improve the problem of gastrointestinal discomfort of some people caused by drinking lotus leaf tea.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of tea processing technology, specifically relating to a lotus leaf blended health-preserving black tea and its tea-making process. Background Technology

[0002] Blending is a crucial technique in tea processing, combining teas with different quality characteristics and processing methods to improve tea quality, ensure product stability, expand supply, and increase economic benefits. However, current blending methods typically involve blenders first evaluating the appearance and internal quality of individual tea samples, then conducting trial blends based on experience and evaluation results, making appropriate adjustments, and finally determining the blending scheme. This experience-based blending method has significant shortcomings: the results of blending different batches are unpredictable, making quantifiable and standardized production impossible; furthermore, the quality of tea products varies considerably due to factors such as climate, soil, tea variety, harvesting season, and processing methods, necessitating blending to ensure consistent quality in the finished tea. Additionally, existing blended tea products, especially black tea varieties, often suffer from a lack of variety in aroma and a dry, astringent taste.

[0003] In recent years, tea products combining lotus leaves and black tea have gradually gained attention. Lotus leaves are a food and medicinal ingredient, rich in flavonoids, alkaloids, polysaccharides, and other active ingredients, possessing effects such as weight loss, lipid reduction, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, blood sugar reduction, and cardiovascular protection. However, existing lotus leaf black tea products have several technical shortcomings: on the one hand, the tea soup has a slightly astringent taste, insufficient sweetness, and poor color; on the other hand, lotus leaves are inherently cooling, and some people may experience gastrointestinal discomfort after drinking them. Current processing methods for lotus leaf black tea mostly employ traditional black tea techniques such as natural withering, rolling, and fermentation, lacking systematic research and optimization on the blending ratio, blending method, and processing conditions of lotus leaves and black tea. Traditional blending methods often involve simple mixing, which easily causes lotus leaves to break, affecting the integrity of the finished tea's appearance and brewing quality. Furthermore, existing technologies lack effective means to stabilize and preserve the aroma of blended tea leaves, as aromatic substances in tea are easily lost through volatilization during high-temperature drying. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the problem that traditional blending methods often involve simple mixing, which easily leads to the breakage of lotus leaves and affects the integrity of the finished tea's appearance and brewing quality, this invention provides a lotus leaf blended health-preserving black tea and its tea-making process.

[0005] The present invention adopts the following technical solution: a lotus leaf blended health-preserving black tea, comprising the following ingredients: 25-35 parts of Yunnan black tea, 25-35 parts of peony black tea, and 35-45 parts of dried lotus leaves.

[0006] Furthermore, it includes the following ingredients: 30 parts Yunnan black tea, 30 parts peony black tea, and 40 parts dried lotus leaves.

[0007] This application also discloses a tea-making process for lotus leaf blended health-preserving black tea, including the following steps:

[0008] S1. Pre-treatment of raw materials: The three types of raw materials, namely Dianhong (Yunnan black tea), Jin Mudan black tea, and dried lotus leaves, are separated by wind selection to remove broken pieces and impurities, and then dried to a moisture content of ≤5% to obtain processed Dianhong raw materials, processed Jin Mudan black tea raw materials, and processed dried lotus leaf raw materials.

[0009] S2. Constant temperature tea awakening: Place the processed Dianhong raw materials, processed Jin Mudan black tea raw materials and processed dried lotus leaf raw materials into separate sealed containers and let them stand at a constant temperature of 25℃ for 24 hours.

[0010] S3. Gradient layered blending: Take the processed Dianhong raw material and the processed Jin Mudan black tea raw material and mix them thoroughly. Then take the processed dried lotus leaf raw material and slowly add it in layers in 2-3 batches. After each batch is added, perform three-dimensional rolling and blending until it is evenly mixed to obtain the blended material.

[0011] S4. Low-temperature aroma locking and natural aging: The blended materials are dried at 40℃ for 1.5 hours, and then sealed and stored in the dark for 7 days for natural aging to obtain the finished lotus leaf black tea.

[0012] Furthermore, the drying temperature in step S1 is 60–70°C, and the drying time is 40–60 minutes.

[0013] Furthermore, the air separation and decomposition described in step S1 uses an air separator to remove tea leaves, grass clippings, twig clippings, and dust by utilizing negative pressure suction.

[0014] Furthermore, the three-dimensional tumbling and mixing described in step S3 adopts a drum-type mixing machine, which achieves uniform mixing of raw materials in three-dimensional space by tilting and rotating the drum.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0016] (1) A fixed blend of 25-35 parts Yunnan black tea, 25-35 parts Golden Peony black tea, and 35-45 parts dried lotus leaves was used. Yunnan black tea is characterized by its plump appearance with abundant white hairs, strong flavor, and fresh, long-lasting aroma. Golden Peony black tea is a highly aromatic oolong tea with a rich and lingering floral and fruity fragrance and a sweet and mellow taste. The blending of the two black teas allows the strong and mellow flavor of Yunnan black tea to complement the floral and fruity aroma of Golden Peony black tea, thus solving the problem of a weak aroma in a single black tea variety and making the tea soup more flavorful and full-bodied. The addition of dried lotus leaves gives the product the unique fragrance of lotus leaves and the health benefits of lowering lipids and anti-oxidation. At the same time, the warm nature of black tea can effectively neutralize the cooling properties of lotus leaves and improve the gastrointestinal discomfort caused by drinking lotus leaf tea in some people.

[0017] (2) Before blending, the three types of raw materials are winnowed to remove broken pieces and impurities, and then dried to a moisture content of ≤5% to ensure that the purity and moisture content of each raw material are consistent, laying the foundation for subsequent blending and aging. On this basis, all raw materials are sealed in separate compartments and kept at a constant temperature of 25°C for 24 hours, allowing each type of raw material to slowly release and stabilize its inherent aroma under constant temperature conditions. Compared with the direct blending method in the existing technology, constant temperature tea awakening can fully "awaken" and balance the aromatic substances in the tea leaves, avoid mutual interference between the aromas of different raw materials, and ensure the harmony and unity of aroma after blending.

[0018] (3) A gradient layering blending method is adopted, which involves first mixing the black tea and then adding lotus leaves in layers. The two types of black tea are first thoroughly stirred and mixed to form a tea base. Then, dried lotus leaves are slowly added in 2-3 batches, and after each batch is added, the mixture is tumbled and blended in three dimensions. This process design allows the lotus leaves and black tea to be fully interspersed in three-dimensional space, which not only ensures that the raw materials are mixed evenly, but also avoids the violent collision and breakage of the lotus leaves caused by traditional stirring methods. The finished tea leaves have high integrity, low breakage rate, and beautiful appearance. When brewed, the lotus leaves and black tea release their aroma and flavor simultaneously, resulting in a rich sense of layering.

[0019] (4) After blending, the tea is dried at 40℃ for 1.5 hours, which is more effective than the high-temperature drying method in the prior art in preventing the volatilization and loss of aromatic substances in tea leaves and lotus leaves. Low-temperature drying removes excess moisture while preserving the aroma components and active substances in tea leaves and lotus leaves to the maximum extent. Subsequently, it is sealed and stored in the dark for 7 days for natural aging, which allows the aroma of each component of the blended tea to fully blend and coordinate in a sealed environment. The final product has a rich and lasting aroma and a mellow and full-bodied taste. Low-temperature double processing technology has been proven to increase the content of aromatic substances with floral and fruity aromas such as benzaldehyde, indole, and nerolidol in tea leaves. This invention systematically applies this principle to the entire preparation process of lotus leaf blended black tea, ensuring the stability and superiority of product quality. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Unless otherwise specified, the raw materials and equipment used can be purchased from the market or are commonly used in the art. The methods in the embodiments, unless otherwise specified, are conventional methods in the art. The embodiments are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0021] Example 1

[0022] A tea-making process for a blended health-preserving black tea with lotus leaves, comprising the following ingredients: 30 parts Yunnan black tea, 30 parts Golden Peony black tea, and 40 parts dried lotus leaves.

[0023] Preparation steps:

[0024] S1. Material pretreatment:

[0025] Three types of raw materials—Yunnan black tea, Jin Mudan black tea, and dried lotus leaves—were separately fed into an air separator to remove tea leaves, grass clippings, twig clippings, and dust using negative pressure suction. After manual sorting to remove impurities, the raw materials were placed in a dryer and dried at 60°C for 60 minutes. The moisture content of all materials was tested and found to be below 5%, resulting in processed Yunnan black tea, Jin Mudan black tea, and dried lotus leaf raw materials.

[0026] S2. Constant temperature tea awakening:

[0027] The three processed raw materials were placed into separate sealed containers and placed in a constant temperature room at 25°C for 24 hours.

[0028] S3. Gradient layered assembly:

[0029] Take 30 parts of processed Dianhong raw material and 30 parts of Jin Mudan black tea raw material, put them into a drum blender and mix them thoroughly (speed 20 r / min, time 5 minutes). Then take 40 parts of processed dried lotus leaf raw material and slowly sprinkle them into the drum in two batches (10 parts per batch). After each batch is sprinkled in, start the drum to tilt and rotate for three-dimensional tumbling and blending. Each tumbling lasts for 3 minutes until the mixture is evenly mixed and the blended material is obtained.

[0030] S4. Low-temperature aroma locking and natural aging:

[0031] Place the blended materials in a drying oven and dry at a constant temperature of 40℃ for 1.5 hours, turning them gently once during the process. After removing them, put them into a sealed bag and store them in a dark environment at 20-25℃ for natural aging for 7 days to obtain the finished lotus leaf blended health-preserving black tea.

[0032] Example 2

[0033] A tea-making process for a blended health-preserving black tea using lotus leaves, wherein the raw material ratio is: 35 parts Yunnan black tea, 35 parts Golden Peony black tea, and 45 parts dried lotus leaves.

[0034] Preparation steps:

[0035] S1. Material pretreatment:

[0036] Same as Example 1, but the drying temperature was set to 65°C and the drying time was 50 minutes. The moisture content of each raw material was tested to be ≤5%.

[0037] S2. Constant temperature tea brewing: Same as Example 1.

[0038] S3. Gradient layered assembly:

[0039] Take 35 parts of processed Dianhong black tea raw material and 35 parts of Jin Mudan black tea raw material, and manually mix them evenly in a blending container (mixing at least 30 times). Divide 45 parts of processed dried lotus leaf raw material into 3 batches (about 6.7 parts / batch) and sprinkle them in layer by layer. After each layer is sprinkled in, use manual "step-like" mixing, gently and three-dimensionally rolling to avoid breaking the lotus leaves, until the color and strip distribution are uniform.

[0040] S4. Low-temperature aroma locking and natural aging: Same as in Example 1, dry at 40℃ for 1.5 hours, seal and store in the dark for 7 days to obtain the finished product.

[0041] Example 3

[0042] A tea-making process for a blended health-preserving black tea using lotus leaves, wherein the raw material ratio is: 25 parts Yunnan black tea, 25 parts Golden Peony black tea, and 35 parts dried lotus leaves.

[0043] Preparation steps:

[0044] S1. Material pretreatment:

[0045] Same as Example 1, but the drying temperature is set to 70°C and the drying time is 40 minutes to ensure that the moisture content of each raw material is ≤5%.

[0046] S2. Constant temperature tea brewing: Same as Example 1.

[0047] S3. Gradient layered assembly:

[0048] Take 25 parts of processed Dianhong black tea raw material and 25 parts of Jin Mudan black tea raw material, and mix them in a drum blender (25 r / min, 4 minutes). Add 35 parts of processed dried lotus leaf raw material in two batches (10 parts each). After each batch is added, the drum is rotated in both forward and reverse directions for three-dimensional tumbling and blending (3 minutes forward rotation, 2 minutes reverse rotation) to ensure that the lotus leaves and black tea are fully interspersed and the breakage rate is extremely low.

[0049] S4. Low-temperature aroma locking and natural aging: Same as in Example 1, to obtain the finished product.

[0050] Example 4

[0051] A tea-making process for a blended lotus leaf health-preserving black tea, with the following raw material ratio: 22 parts Yunnan black tea, 22 parts Golden Peony black tea, and 38 parts dried lotus leaves. Preparation steps:

[0052] S1. Material pretreatment: After the three types of raw materials are separated by air separation to remove crushing and impurities, they are dried at 65℃ for 55 minutes, and the moisture content is controlled within 5%.

[0053] S2. Constant temperature tea brewing: Same as Example 1.

[0054] S3. Gradient layered assembly:

[0055] Take 22 parts of processed Dianhong black tea raw material and 22 parts of Jin Mudan black tea raw material, and mix them evenly in a blending machine. Then, add 38 parts of processed dried lotus leaf raw material in 3 batches (5 parts per batch) layer by layer. After each batch is added, use a roller blending machine to tilt and rotate three-dimensionally tumble and blend (tumble for 4 minutes each time) until the mixture is evenly mixed.

[0056] S4. Low-temperature aroma locking and natural aging:

[0057] Same as in Example 1, dry at 40℃ for 1.5 hours, seal and store in the dark for 7 days to obtain the finished lotus leaf blended health-preserving black tea.

[0058] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A lotus leaf blended health-preserving black tea, characterized in that: It includes the following ingredients: 25-35 parts Yunnan black tea, 25-35 parts peony black tea, and 35-45 parts dried lotus leaves.

2. The lotus leaf blended health-preserving black tea according to claim 1, characterized in that: It includes the following ingredients: 30 parts Yunnan black tea, 30 parts peony black tea, and 40 parts dried lotus leaves.

3. A tea-making process for a lotus leaf blended health-preserving black tea, prepared according to claim 2, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: S1. Pre-treatment of raw materials: The three types of raw materials, namely Dianhong (Yunnan black tea), Jin Mudan black tea, and dried lotus leaves, are separated by wind selection to remove broken pieces and impurities, and then dried to a moisture content of ≤5% to obtain processed Dianhong raw materials, processed Jin Mudan black tea raw materials, and processed dried lotus leaf raw materials. S2. Constant temperature tea awakening: Place the processed Dianhong raw materials, processed Jin Mudan black tea raw materials and processed dried lotus leaf raw materials into separate sealed containers and let them stand at a constant temperature of 25℃ for 24 hours. S3. Gradient layered blending: Take the processed Dianhong raw material and the processed Jin Mudan black tea raw material and mix them thoroughly. Then take the processed dried lotus leaf raw material and slowly add it in layers in 2-3 batches. After each batch is added, perform three-dimensional rolling and blending until it is evenly mixed to obtain the blended material. S4. Low-temperature aroma locking and natural aging: The blended materials are dried at 40℃ for 1.5 hours, and then sealed and stored in the dark for 7 days for natural aging to obtain the finished lotus leaf black tea.

4. The tea-making process for a lotus leaf blended health-preserving black tea according to claim 3, characterized in that: The drying temperature in step S1 is 60–70°C, and the drying time is 40–60 minutes.

5. The tea-making process for a lotus leaf blended health-preserving black tea according to claim 3, characterized in that: The air separation and decomposition process described in step S1 uses an air separator to remove tea leaves, grass clippings, twig clippings, and dust by utilizing negative pressure suction.

6. The tea-making process for a lotus leaf blended health-preserving black tea according to claim 3, characterized in that: The three-dimensional tumbling and mixing described in step S3 uses a drum-type mixing machine, which achieves uniform mixing of raw materials in three-dimensional space by tilting and rotating the drum.