How China basket fired green tea and pan fired green teas are made

The Tea Detective
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea

China's Unique Artisan Style
Basket-Fired and Pan-Fired Green Teas

With more than 3000 different styles of China green tea said to be available, it can seem like a
daunting task to choose from. Probably the best way to learn about green tea is to try differ-
ent styles to see what you like. Also, learning about the manufacturing process of different
varieties and how they are made, will give you an insight into the qualities, flavors, and charac-
teristics of various styles of green tea.

Two popular methods of manufacture of China art-
isan style green tea are basket firing and pan
firing. Each style of processing gives the tea its
own unique flavor and character, distinguishing it
from the other.

The first four steps are basically the same for most
China green teas. The fresh leaf is generally pluck-
ed in the morning and brought down the mountain
in baskets or cloth bags that provide good air circu-
lation and protect the leaf from being crushed
under its own weight.

The leaf is then given a quick sorting, removing
twigs and rocks, and is left to air dry for a short
time, a process known as primary drying, that
helps prevent oxidation.

Once the leaf reaches the factory it is spread on mats on the floor, approximately two to five
inches deep to air dry, reducing the moisture content by several percent. The goal is to go from
a moisture content of about 75 to 77%, down to between 65 -70%. This step may take
anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour, depending on the leaf, time of day, and air temp.

This completes the first four standard green tea processing steps, and now the particular style
of green tea being manufactured can begin.

China Artisan Style Basket-Fired Green Tea

To begin the processing of basket fired green tea, a small amount of fresh leaf (about 2 lbs.) is
placed in an upright bamboo or reed basket, usually made of two pieces, resembling an hour
glass. The upper part of the basket that is heated usually deteriorates after two or so days and
is replaced.

The tea leaf firing basket is between two to four feet tall, with the
top portion looking like an over size cone-shaped hat with a wide
brim. After the initial drying the leaf is placed in the top part and
the entire basket is placed over the heat source, usually a small
brazier or charcoal embers. The heat needs to be low enough not
to burn the bamboo basket.

The basket is placed over the heat for about a minute before being removed, placed off to the
side while the tea master "fluffs" the tea by gently tapping the basket causing the tea to jump
about and be tossed.

The basket is then placed over the heat for another minute, then removed and fluffed. This
process of heating and fluffing is repeated for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Once the proper amount of moisture has been removed from the leaf, it is taken from the basket
and piled on bamboo mats on the floor. Here the tea will rest and air dry and be added to other
similarly processed leaf, ready for the final firing and sorting.

One popular tea made with basket firing is Bi Lo Chun or Green Snail Spring, a famous green tea
from China's Jiangsu Province.

Rather than tossing the leaf, though, Bi Lo Chun is manufactured with
unique handwork. Five motions repeated three times that combine a
gentle twist and roll result in the tea leaf assuming and maintaining
the classic shape of Bi Lo Chun, neat little spirals that resemble the
shape of a snail (thus the name Green Snail Spring).

The goal of the tea maker is to gently coax the leaf into a natural
relaxed shape, and then "fix" it there with a finish firing. Later the
rehydrated leaf will return to its natural fresh leaf shape when brewed
with as little effort as possible, ensuring the energy, or what is known as "chi" of the tea is
released into the tea, rather than being wasted by shoddy manufacturing. This is known as the
"tai chi" of tea.

China Artisan Style Pan-Fired Green Tea

Pan firing accomplishes many of the manufacturing steps in just one process. It fixes the juice in
the leaf, reduces moisture content, seals in flavor, and dries the leaf to the proper moisture
content before finish firing, and adds a unique toasty flavor to the tea.

Longjing or Dragon Well, one of China's most famous teas is pan fired. Even though every
province in China, as well as every green tea producing region in the world has tried duplicating
the unique pan fired style of Longjing or Dragon Well, no one has ever been able to replicate its

flavor and style. That is because of the unique terroir of the region in which Dragon Well is grown.

There are many different styles of firing pans used throughout China, from simple wok like pans, to large factory
sized units specially made for tea processing. Two common versions are the wood-fired double pan and the electric-
fired single pan.

                                            As with basket firing, the leaf has been completed through primary drying. About two
                                             pounds of leaf is scooped into the pan. Even, gentle heat is needed for firing green
                                             tea, so small electric pans work perfectly. The temperature is controlled by a
                                             thermostat or built-in controls that are close at hand.

                                            When using a wood-fired pan, two pans are connected in the same housing and often
                                             paired with a second set of pans. Each set of pans is operated by a tea artisan, with a
third person minding the fire. The fire must not get too hot or the tea will burn, but if it gets too cool, the tea won't
fire properly.

A secret of pan fired tea is that a minute amount of solidified tea seed oil is used to help the tea glide around the
pan and prevent it from burning. The solidified oil comes from the seeds of tea bushes so no foreign flavor is left on
the leaf. The tea seed oil is one reason for the distinctive toasty flavor of pan fired green teas.

One of China's Ten Most Famous Teas, Tai Ping Hou Kui, from Anhui Province is also one of the most unusual and
unique because it is both pan fired and basket fired. After the initial steps it is first pan fired in twin wood-fired pans
and set aside.

Next it is blotted using rice paper from nearby mills, then refired in a traditional one-piece basket over a low fire to
"fix" the tea. After resting, the leaf is finish-fired, with the end result a large, flat, bright green whole leaf tea, with
the distinctive pattern of the rice paper embedded in the surface of the leaf.

Once only reserved for Chinese emperors or leaders or as special gifts for dignitaries, diplomats, or heads of state,
it's available today for all to enjoy, even the mere mortals like you and I. Enjoy.

Visit The Tea Detective sitemap for a listing of all site pages

For more information and to learn more about tea, visit our other pages:

Down and out with a cold or the flu? Then this recipe is for you!
If you've been hit by a cold or influenza virus, this is one tea recipe that will get you back up and on
your feet and feeling rosy again in no time.

Which teas come from China?
Learn which types of tea come from China and take a close-up look at individual teas, their qualities,
growing season. (Try Green Earl Grey Tea from Silver Leaf Tea - green tea w/crisp, clean taste w/sweet
floral and bergamot citrusy notes.

How does tea help boost the immune system?
Learn what ingredients are in tea that help give your lagging immune system a boost, providing a
natural barrier against cold and flu viruses, bacteria, and microorganisms we come in contact w/each day.

Are you always on the go? Take your tea with you!
Tea tools, like travel, electric, and insulated mugs keep your tea hot while on the go. Learn about other
convenient tea tools and accessories that will help you take your tea on the go, enjoying it anywhere.

Gourmet and specialty teas - a treat for the taste buds.
If you want to give your taste buds a unique treat, try one of the many specialty or gourmet teas avail-
able. (Try Moroccan Mint Tea from Silver Leaf Tea - a light, crisp green tea w/a refreshing taste of
peppermint that's good anytime of the day or night. Good for digestion after a heavy meal).

For a great selection of quality teas, gifts, and
accessories, visit:
The Tea Detective's Gift of Tea Store

Receive A Guide To Tea, an 88-page book on the history and enjoyment of tea free with your first Adagio Teas order of $19 or more.