When tasting tea liquor, we often hear different descriptors. Some say “concentrated,” others say “thick.”
On the surface, “concentrated” and “thick” seem to mean roughly the same thing. But in fact, “concentration” and “thickness” in tea liquor are two entirely different concepts, arising from completely different principles and mechanisms.
So what is the relationship between “concentrated” and “thick”? How should we scientifically distinguish them and accurately express or convey our tasting experience of a tea?
What Does “Concentrated” Mean?
When drinking tea, we often hear descriptions like: “This tea is really bitter; is it too concentrated?” “Too much leaf was used; it brewed too strong.” “It steeped too long; the tea is too concentrated.”
Is a bitter, astringent tea brewed with excess leaf or time necessarily a “concentrated” tea? The answer is about to be revealed.
First, let us look at the literal meaning of “concentrated.” The dictionary defines it as: dense; containing a high proportion of a certain substance; the opposite of “dilute.”
When we describe tea as concentrated, we are actually sensing the intensity of the tea liquor’s flavor.
At its root, the concentration or dilution of tea liquor is determined by tea polyphenols. The higher the polyphenol content, the more “concentrated” the tea feels to us.
People who associate “bitterness” with “concentration” do so because tea polyphenols are the source of bitterness in tea liquor.
Tea polyphenols are a class of compounds composed of multiple components, each with its own taste characteristics: catechins that express bitterness and astringency, flavonoids that contribute astringency, anthocyanins that contribute bitterness, and phenolic acids that contribute mild astringency and slight sourness. From this we can see that bitterness and astringency are the dominant notes composing tea polyphenols.
However, the “bitterness” brought by tea polyphenols is one that undergoes sensory changes as concentration shifts. A tea liquor with high polyphenol concentration will bring an acidic sensation, with strong astringency; as the concentration gradually decreases, it presents a slightly stimulating bitterness and astringency, but with a “sweet return” in the mouth. At lower concentrations, the sensation is more of a gentle sweetness with weaker stimulation.
So when we speak of concentration and dilution, we are really talking about the taste sensations that tea polyphenols deliver to the tip of the tongue.
What Then Is “Thickness”?
If you can already use “thickness” to describe a tea, then you are certainly a tea drinker with some tasting foundation.
Yet many people, though they say the word, have only a vague sense of what “thickness” actually feels like, and may even confuse it with “concentration.” What exactly does “thickness” feel like? What bodily sensation qualifies as “thick”?
“Thick” is the opposite of “thin.” Literally, it conveys a sense of richness and depth. Unlike “concentration,” “thickness” acts not primarily on our taste but on our sense of touch. Specifically, the “thickness” of tea is our tongue’s tactile sensation of the tea liquor.
The explanation of “body” in coffee tasting theory can accurately describe this tactile sensation: “the perception of the weight or fullness of the beverage in the mouth. It also refers to the coating sensation on the tongue as the liquid is swallowed.” A coffee with low body flows smoothly with little resistance; a coffee with high body is the opposite. The same principle applies to tea.
What substance determines thickness in tea liquor? The answer is the soluble, viscous substances in the tea leaves, such as soluble sugars.
Soluble sugars include not only the obviously sweet glucose and fructose but also soluble pectin, starch, and other substances. These increase the viscosity and density of the tea liquor to some degree, producing a thick, adhesive tactile sensation. Besides soluble sugars, amino acids also play a synergistic role, making the tea liquor feel “thicker.”
The amount of soluble substances is determined by both raw materials and processing methods.
Regarding raw materials: autumn teas contain more soluble sugars than spring teas, and older trees tend to contain more soluble sugars and amino acids.
Regarding processing: during withering and air-drying, hydrolytic enzymes increase soluble sugar content; during rolling, highly viscous pectin coats the twisted leaves, greatly increasing the extraction rate of viscous substances during brewing; additionally, fermentation processes produce large quantities of soluble sugars, so ripe Pu-erh and black teas tend to have relatively greater “thickness.”
What Does “Thickness” Signify?
We now know that whether a tea has thickness depends on the tea’s essence: whether its inner substances are rich enough to yield a full, layered flavor when brewed.
When evaluating a Pu-erh tea, the expression of thickness is typically a key reference point. High-quality Pu-erh teas generally possess the characteristic of “thickness,” which represents not only the richness of the tea’s inner substances but also determines its capacity for post-production aging, and whether it has the potential to “improve with age.”
So as consumers, choosing a quality tea product requires learning to discern “thickness.”
To assess whether a tea has thickness, first examine its raw materials. Teas from older ancient trees tend to have greater “thickness.” Autumn-harvested teas contain more inner substances. One can also consider the general characteristics of the raw material’s production region.
Teas with thickness have rich, strongly coating flavors. As the liquor moves in the mouth, the sensations are more clearly defined.
We can learn to use our tasting experience to discern Pu-erh tea’s “thickness.” During tasting, let the liquor roll across the tongue, focusing on the tongue’s surface and the two sides near the tip, temporarily downplaying feedback from other areas.
If you feel a heavy, solid sensation penetrating inward through the tongue’s surface, reaching deeper layers, with fullness and viscosity, then you have a tea with “thickness.”
Originally published in “Pu-erh” Magazine, September 2020 issue. Author: Wang Yaran
Author: Old Tea Head · Lin Shen (LamSam)
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