Why Yan Cha (aka Rock Tea) are categorized in Oolong Tea type, but not a black tea type (aka red tea in Chinese)? Today I will share this with you.

From previous article, we had already discuss on What is YanCha aka Rock Tea and how many types of them and how to categorize the different (there are link below about article). Today, I would like to share the differentiate between this Oolong Tea and Black Tea (which is known as Red Tea in Chinese) since there are some confused among some tea lovers between this two types.

Basically, The process in which making Rock Tea (Yan Cha) is following the QingCha (青茶系)or Oolong Tea “ Making Method”. First of all,the level of the oxidation is about 50% – 60%, which is stand in “Semi-Oxidation Tea” (半发酵). Also, One important Oolong making technique “bruising technique” that is describe as shaking tea leaves for floral has been apply to “Rock Tea” duringtheprocess like most Oolong Tea does. Whereas Black Tea (aka Red Tea in Chinese) is “Fully oxidation” types(全发酵). 

Why YanCha’s tea leaf color look black in color and tea soup color is kind of woody red?

The dry black color leaves of Rock Tea are come from the charcoal roasted that known as one of the most important part of processing YanCha. This charcoal roasted is also one of time consuming process, which require the Rock Tea processors have well & enough experience to take care of this step. What’s more, “Charcoal Roasted” process has normally done at least 3 times or more. The result of these has made the outcome of dry loose leaf become black to dark color, as well as the tea liquor red in color. 

So how can we divide differentiate between Rock Tea & Black Tea (also known as red tea)?  

• 

• 

This can be done in several different ways. Lets me demonstrate:

1. Smell the Dry Leaf: Rock Tea’s dry leaf as well as most oolong tea types has got the floral aroma & elegant fragrant, whereas black tea (aka red tea) provide light to mid honey sweet aromatic. 
2. Tea Soup: both may look similar and hard to see differentiate if we do not have both of them compare side by side. Try to steep these 2 in 2 different pot and pour into 2 different fair cups. You will see the different in color; Rock Tea has got those clear woody Red in color, but Black Tea like lapsang souzhong has orange red in color.
3. Tealeaf after steeping: you will notice that Rock Tea that got light to medium roasted, around the leaf got red like resulted after hitting and green in the middle, These come from the “bruising process”. However, Black tea has full in dark red color or black.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Are there any Black Tea (aka Red Tea) produce around WuYi Mountian?

Yes!! Overall, there are 2 main Tea Productions, which has Produce over there: WuYi YanCha (武夷岩茶) which categorized in Oolong Tea and WuYi HongCha (武夷红茶) which categorize in Black Tea (aka Red Tea).

The black tea production from WuYi Mountain is also the 1^st black tea that had been made. I would call it as the “OG” of Black Tea “LapSang SouZhong or 正山小种”. There are also several types of WuYi HongCha that traditionally and contemporary are produced. 

Noted: Rock Tea or YanCha (岩茶, Black Oolong from Northern Fujian), Black Tea (红茶, Red Tea in Chinese). *Lapsang SouZong aka ZhengShan XiaoZhong (正山小种).

All Rights Reserved for TEATIMEGUY

រក្សាសិទ្ធគ្រប់យ៉ាងដោយ TEATIMEGUY

Contact us (teatimeguy@gmail.com) for permission to reuse any of our content.

Yan Cha or Rock Tea Related article:

Black Dragon Tea Oolong: https://teatimeguy.com/2020/06/05/1st-part-black-dragon-tea-oolong/

Rock Tea “Yan Cha”: https://teatimeguy.com/2021/01/19/rock-tea-yan-cha/

Rock Tea Type，”岩茶类”: https://teatimeguy.com/2021/01/19/rock-tea-yan-cha/