Huoshan Huangya (霍山黃芽)

tea imagery: Little Buddha

Huoshan Huangya comes from Huoshan County in Anhui’s Dabie Mountains. It is made from a bud with one or two young leaves just beginning to open. The yellow-tea version tastes fresh and gently sweet, sometimes with notes of flowers, chestnut or grain.

History

Huangya means “yellow buds”, but the material includes tender leaves too. After a short resting period, the shoots are heat-fixed, shaped and dried in stages. For yellow tea, the drying stages include men huang: resting with retained warmth and residual moisture. Its duration affects flavour, so ask how the particular batch was made. The name has a long history, while modern production methods have changed; an old name does not mean an unchanged recipe. Look for a stated harvest, a fresh, clean aroma and storage protected from damp and unwanted odours.

The little Buddha in our illustration is an artistic image of a quiet tea break. The tea’s own name refers to Huoshan and its young leaves.

Terroir

Huoshan county, Dabie Mountains, Anhui. Mountain gardens at varying elevations; ask about the plot. Acidic hillside soils; composition depends on location. Humid climate with seasonal rain and cooler temperatures at elevation. Dahuaping is one well-known production area. Ask for the harvest date as well as the place.

Leaf

dry leaf: Small pointed shoots with buds and leaves, often downy; green with yellowish tones.

aroma in a warmed vessel: Fresh vegetal, floral or chestnut notes.

aroma after brewing: Gentle vegetal aroma, sometimes sweet grain notes.

taste: Fresh and gently sweet, sometimes with notes of chestnut, flowers or grain. Long steeps bring more astringency.

finish: Check that the taste remains pleasant as it cools.

Properties

Traditional descriptions: Traditional descriptions often give yellow tea a gentle character.

What to know: Warmth and moisture during yellowing change composition and flavour; a sweet-tasting infusion does not tell you its sugar content.

Over a cup of tea: A tea for a daytime break, with gentle flavours to explore at your own pace.

Caffeine: Contains caffeine. The amount depends on leaves, dose and brewing.

How to brew

A 200 ml teapot or mug with a roomy filter. 3 g per 200 ml at 85 °C; try 90 °C for a fuller flavour. Time for each infusion: 60 s, 90 s, 120 s.

When to drink

Morning or daytime. Year-round. When you want freshness with gentle sweetness. Biscuits or baked apple; taste the tea on its own first. Over tea at home

What to notice

Find the bud and young leaves on one shoot.
Smell the liquor before your first sip.
Try the next infusion a little cooler and compare sweetness.

Questions and answers

How do you brew Huoshan Huangya?

A 200 ml teapot or mug with a roomy filter. 3 g per 200 ml at 85 °C; try 90 °C for a fuller flavour. Time for each infusion: 60 s, 90 s, 120 s.

What does Huoshan Huangya taste like?

Fresh and gently sweet, sometimes with notes of chestnut, flowers or grain. Long steeps bring more astringency.

How much caffeine is in Huoshan Huangya?

Contains caffeine. The amount depends on leaves, dose and brewing.

What else should I know about Huoshan Huangya?

Warmth and moisture during yellowing change composition and flavour; a sweet-tasting infusion does not tell you its sugar content.