Astringency vs. Bitterness

[abnyc]

I'm interested in the difference between astringency and bitterness.

For example, the 2017 silver needles from YS ends with a pleasant strong astringency, dryness and tightness in the mouth, but isn't bitter at all. In contrast, the Jin Lan Xian from Verdant is intensely bitter, at any water temperature. It's also got an astringency to it, but it's hard to feel behind the wall of bitterness.

Obviously these are two very different teas, but I've experienced similar qualities in others. What makes a tea bitter, and what makes it astringent? Soil, varietal, processing, water minerality?

[kyarazen]

I'm interested in the difference between astringency and bitterness.

For example, the 2017 silver needles from YS ends with a pleasant strong astringency, dryness and tightness in the mouth, but isn't bitter at all. In contrast, the Jin Lan Xian from Verdant is intensely bitter, at any water temperature. It's also got an astringency to it, but it's hard to feel behind the wall of bitterness.

Obviously these are two very different teas, but I've experienced similar qualities in others. What makes a tea bitter, and what makes it astringent? Soil, varietal, processing, water minerality?

weather, climate, processing contributes.

the difference between astringency and bitterness can be akin to biting into the skin of green raw fruit or mango, the sappy, coating on tongue feel, and a sharp persistance in its existence is astringent. bitter is something that goes away faster, those that instantly go away give a sensation of a liquorice sweet brew, those that take more time to go away, results in a throat hui-gan feel as it fades, etc

[Muel]

Water source could be another reason as well.

Over steeping may also cause the tea become bitter.


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[Muel]

I'm interested in the difference between astringency and bitterness.

For example, the 2017 silver needles from YS ends with a pleasant strong astringency, dryness and tightness in the mouth, but isn't bitter at all. In contrast, the Jin Lan Xian from Verdant is intensely bitter, at any water temperature. It's also got an astringency to it, but it's hard to feel behind the wall of bitterness.

Obviously these are two very different teas, but I've experienced similar qualities in others. What makes a tea bitter, and what makes it astringent? Soil, varietal, processing, water minerality?

weather, climate, processing contributes.

the difference between astringency and bitterness can be akin to biting into the skin of green raw fruit or mango, the sappy, coating on tongue feel, and a sharp persistance in its existence is astringent. bitter is something that goes away faster, those that instantly go away give a sensation of a liquorice sweet brew, those that take more time to go away, results in a throat hui-gan feel as it fades, etc

I really like the way you explain astringency, you described very well. But hui-gan and bitter are two different taste. Bitter "ku"in Chinese is more like an unpleasant taste. I personal enjoy the hui gan taste a lot but definitely not the ku taste.


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