What does tea feel like to the touch

The hand feel of tea varies depending on the type and processing technology, usually characterized by dryness, crispness, flexibility, elasticity, or compactness. The tactile sensation of tea is mainly influenced by factors such as leaf moisture content, fermentation degree, and rolling process. Dry green tea or lightly fermented tea usually has a crispy and fragile texture, and is prone to breakage when lightly pressed by fingers. The edges of the leaves have a slight prickly feel, which is due to the extremely low moisture content after high-temperature withering. Tea leaves that have not been completely dried may have slight toughness, but overall they still maintain their brittle characteristics, and their aroma is released quickly when brewed. Black tea or oolong tea that has been heavily kneaded often presents a tightly knotted texture, with leaves becoming flexible due to fermentation and elastic rebound when rubbed by fingers. Old white tea or black tea may have slightly soft leaves due to later transformation, but the tea stem still maintains its hardness. Tea leaves that have become damp and spoiled will lose their brittleness, have a soft and damp texture, and may have an unpleasant odor. It is not recommended to drink these types of tea leaves.

When selecting tea leaves, the quality can be preliminarily judged by the touch: high-quality tea leaves are evenly dried without any dampness, with intact strands and few fragments; When storing, it is necessary to seal and avoid light to prevent moisture or odor absorption. Different types of tea are suitable for feeling the texture by gently twisting with fingertips or rubbing with palms, but hygiene should be taken into account to avoid contaminating the tea sample. If the tea leaves show obvious softness, stickiness, or moldy texture, they should be immediately stopped from drinking.