Drinking tea, especially Pu-erh tea, is certainly not a simple matter. For many newcomers to Pu-erh, two very common descriptors for tea liquor are “strong” (nong) and “thick” (hou). In particular, the word “thick” can be somewhat confusing. Have you truly understood the difference between these two?
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\nWhat does “strong” mean?
\nWhen drinking tea, we often hear descriptions like: “This tea is really bitter \u2014 is it too strong?” “Too many leaves were used \u2014 it’s brewed too strong.” “It steeped too long \u2014 the tea is too strong.” Is tea with bitter, astringent flavors from excessive leaf quantity or steeping time what we mean by “strong tea”? The answer is about to be revealed.
\nFirst, let us look at the literal meaning of “strong.” In the dictionary, “strong” (nong) is defined as: dense; containing a high amount of some component, the opposite of “light.” When we describe tea as strong, we are actually expressing our perception of the intensity of the tea liquor’s flavor. At its root, the strength or lightness of tea liquor is determined by tea polyphenols \u2014 the higher the polyphenol content, the “stronger” the tea feels to us. Some people associate “bitterness” with “strength,” also because tea polyphenols are the source of bitterness in tea liquor.<\/p>\n
Let us now understand tea polyphenols more closely. Tea polyphenols are a collective term for a group of substances composed of multiple compounds, each with its own flavor characteristics: catechins that express bitterness and astringency, flavonoids that bring astringency, anthocyanins that bring bitterness, and phenolic acids that bring mild astringency and slight sourness. From this we can see that bitterness and astringency are the dominant notes composing tea polyphenols. But the “bitterness” brought by polyphenols is one that changes in perception as the concentration shifts. Tea liquor with high polyphenol concentration will have a sour taste sensation, with very strong astringency; as concentration gradually decreases, it presents a slightly sharp bitterness and astringency, but a “sweet” return emerges in the mouth; at lower concentrations, it becomes more of a sweet feeling with weaker stimulation. So when we speak of strong versus light, it is actually the taste sensation that tea polyphenols deliver to our tongue tips.<\/p>\n
2
\nWhat does “thick” mean?
\nIf you can already use “thickness” to describe a tea, then you are clearly a tea drinker with some tasting foundation. But although many people can say the word, their understanding of “thick” as a sensation remains ambiguous, and they may even confuse it with “strength.” What exactly does “thickness” feel like? What kind of bodily sensation qualifies as “thick”?
\n“Thick” is the opposite of “thin.” On a literal level, it conveys a sense of richness and fullness. Unlike “strong,” “thick” acts not so much on our sense of taste as on our sense of touch. Specifically, a tea’s “thickness or thinness” is our tongue tip’s tactile perception of the tea liquor.<\/p>\n
\u2014<\/p>\n
Author: Old Tea Head \u00b7 Lin Shen (LamSam)
\nZen Tea Manor ZENTEA MANOR
\nTianying Supply Chain Company
\nwww.zentea-shop.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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