I don’t know if you still have this confusion, same kind of tea, you can’t get the same flavor when drinking it at first time and second time, and also you can’t tell the reason, but you always have the feeling it lacks something, why? In fact, tea is the same tea, but different environment, different time, place and even different mood will influence the flavor of tea. So what factors will influence the flavor of tea?
Reason 1: Influenced by Weather and Environment
Even for the same people and same storage method, the storage of tea will be influenced by weather. If we meet the bad weather, for the same tea, different storage method and placement will change the texture of tea and then directly influence the flavor of tea. For example, green tea and Tie Guan Yin are suitable for storing in the refrigerator.
Reason 2: Influenced by Mood
When we drink tea, our mood is very important. When we are blundering, the process of making tea will be blundering; when we’re depressed, the way we make tea will be changed and maybe the spirituality of tea will pass by! Therefore, different mood will influence us to judge the flavor of tea. It’s like we eat food when we have a bad mood. Similarly, when you drink with relaxed and cheerful mood or with confused and blundering mood, taste will convey different information to you, and the tea will be changed with your mood.
Reason 3: Influenced by Water Quality, Water Temperature and Brewing Time
To make well a pot of tea, it is very important to choose the water quality and control the water temperature and brewing time. The three factors will influence the color, aroma and taste of tea. Meanwhile, for same tea, if the brewing time is different, the taste will be different. The brewing time is longer, the tea liquid will be thicker, on the contrary, the brewing time is shorter, the liquid will be lighter. Even a few seconds, the flavor will have different changes.
Reason 4: Influenced by Physique
People’s physique changes slightly from time to time, which also affects our feeling of tea flavor. For example, when we get cold, after smoking, or after meal, the sensitivity of our taste buds and smell is not good enough. So even the tea itself does not change, we may feel the flavor of tea is different.
Reason 5: Influenced by personality of Tea People
The flavor of a same tea varies from person to person. Outgoing people may brew tea in a rough and careless way, while introverted people may brew tea in a gentle and careful way. Therefore, the tea flavor will be very different. It definitely doesn’t mean who is right or who is wrong. The flavor of tea should be everyone’s self-presentation.
Reason 6: Influenced by Tea Amount
A same tea, with different brewing amount may also affect the flavor of tea. Like oolong tea, if we brew 7g last time, and 8g or 9g this time, the taste will surely be different.
However, does it mean we will never taste the same flavor we like? The answer is no. Though the flavors of tea changed, they will be very similar. Let’s just take our affection for tea with us, enjoy every surprising taste of journey that her bring to us.