The significance of white tea pressed cake

Is it meaningful to press white tea cakes? The answer is affirmative. This is a craft that brings new vitality to white tea.

Some tea lovers who have just entered the pit may be confused, with fluffy Shoumei loose tea on one side and neatly arranged white tea cakes on the other. Why do we have to press white tea into a cake like shape? Isn’t loose tea easier to brew and look better?

Some people say that pressing pancakes is to save space, some say it’s to look better, and some jokingly say it’s just to sell more expensive. This is a crucial issue, but pressing white tea cakes is not for the sake of appearance, but rather a choice made by experienced tea farmers over the years. I believe many tea lovers have the same doubts about this issue. Next, let me explain in detail why white tea needs to be pressed into cakes, as well as the details behind the pressing that are easily overlooked.

Many people think that pressing white tea cakes is like pressing loose tea into shape, but it’s not true. Pressing tea cakes is a rigorous process, and each step is related to the quality of the final tea cake. A tiny difference can lead to a thousand miles lost. So we need to first tell tea friends about the four processes that white tea cake pressing needs to go through:

First process: Steam softening

The national standard for white tea requires a moisture content of no more than 8.5%. Dry tea leaves have a brittle and hard texture, and can easily break when pressed directly. So before pressing the cake, it is necessary to steam the tea leaves moderately to soften them, allowing the steam to slowly seep into the stems and leaves, making the tea leaves more flexible. But the humidity must be precisely controlled. If the humidity is too high, it will breed impurities in the tea leaves, and if it is too low, it will not achieve the shaping effect. This step relies entirely on the experience of the master to control.

Second process: Rubbing and wrapping

After steaming the softened white tea, we wrap it in a clean cloth bag and then use our hands to continuously rotate and knead the tea into a flat circle. This step is the key to ensuring consistent thickness of the tea cake. If the distribution of tea leaves is uneven, the pressed tea cake will exhibit a situation where one side is loose and the other is tight. Not only does it affect the appearance, but it can also lead to uneven aging rates and premature deterioration in some areas.

The third process: pressing and shaping

The tea cakes that have been kneaded need to be compressed with a press. This step is a great test of the master’s skills, and the pressure and duration of pressing need to be flexibly adjusted according to the age and variety of the tea leaves. Excessive pressure can damage the cell walls of tea leaves and cause a bitter taste in the tea soup. If the pressure is too low, the tea cake will become loose and prone to falling into pieces. Experienced masters can find the balance point that allows tea leaves to be “shaped without damaging the inner quality” through tactile sensation.

Final process: Low temperature slow drying

The pressed tea cake needs to be slowly baked at low temperature in order to reduce the moisture content back to the national standard range. When drying, the temperature should not be too high, otherwise it will evaporate the aromatic substances and active ingredients in the tea leaves, causing the white tea to lose its fresh and refreshing color. If the drying is not thorough, it will cause the tea cake to mold and be directly scrapped. This step requires patience and slow roasting to preserve the core flavor of white tea.

What is the significance of pressing a cake, as it is both labor-intensive and laborious?

1. Warehousing is more efficient.

The fluffy form of loose tea takes up a lot of storage space, while the volume of pressed white tea can be reduced several times. Whether stored at home or in bulk by tea merchants, it can greatly save space. At the same time, the tight structure of tea cakes can reduce the contact area with the outside air. It is easier to maintain stability in a storage environment, reducing the risk of moisture and odor. Pressing white tea into cakes can reduce a lot of land occupation, which is a good thing for both tea lovers and tea farmers.

2. Transportation is more convenient.

It is inevitable for white tea to go through a long journey. Although white tea that reaches the national moisture content is resistant to storage, it is very fragile and can break easily with a light touch. So, after countless shakes and jolts, loose tea may have turned into a pile of fragments when it reaches its destination. Especially for delicate tea products like Bai Hao Yin Zhen, the loss rate is higher. Cake tea is less likely to be damaged during transportation because after pressing, the tea leaves form a whole and the physical structure is more stable. Even after multiple handling, there will be no serious collision of loose tea during the bumpy process, at most there will be some small friction at the edges. So from the place of origin to the tea table, pancake tea can preserve the original state of the tea leaves to the greatest extent possible. In addition, the small size of the tea cake also saves space during transportation.

3. More mellow taste

Some people prefer the freshness of loose tea, while others love the richness of pancake tea. In fact, the two are just different expressions of white tea, each with its own beauty. Scattered tea retains the most authentic freshness of white tea, with a direct and bold aroma when drinking tea. The tea soup is clear and sweet, allowing one to intuitively feel the original essence of the tea leaves. Suitable for tea lovers who pursue a fresh and refreshing taste, and also easy to drink at any time. After the pressing process and later aging, the tea soup becomes soft and mellow, and the aroma changes from fresh floral fragrance to stable aged and medicinal fragrance, with a richer taste hierarchy. Suitable for tea lovers who enjoy collecting and pursuing aged flavors. It is worth mentioning that high-quality longevity eyebrows can be compressed into cakes to obtain a unique jujube aroma. This aroma is like handmade steamed red date cake, both warm and sweet. But whether it’s loose tea or cake tea, they all have their own flavors and are irreplaceable.

White tea pressed cake is never meant to be unique, but rather another way of shaping white tea through craftsmanship. A high-quality white tea cake requires both exquisite craftsmanship and gradual sedimentation over time. Whether it is the freshness of loose tea or the warmth of tea cakes, they are different manifestations of the charm of white tea. As long as it is a good tea, it can bloom with unique charm in time.