| Name | Báishā xī hēi zhuānchá/ 白沙溪黑砖茶 |
| English | Baishaxi Black Brick Tea |
| Region | Anhua, Hunan |
| Manufacture | Pu’er Tea (Black Tea) |
Baishaxi Black Brick Tea is the first branded tea on the Taobao Tea Trail. Founded in 1939, I first discovered this tea at the Shanghai Tea Expo last May.
Tea Tip – Tea Branding
One of the more interesting parts of living in China is watching how modern concepts, such as branding, get grafted onto traditional aspects of life here, such as tea culture. China has plenty of tea varieties (often linked to mountains), but few famous tea brands. The big benefit of branding is that it helps reduce search costs for consumers making it easier for them to find quality tea. Rather than having to hunt out good tea themselves, consumers can trust brands that have built strong reputations for quality over time. An additional benefit of branding is that most of these companies have corporate websites which allows you to better understand their brand narratives. Check out these three which are all members of the Shanghai World Expo Top 10 Tea list:
- Baishaxi Black Brick Tea (白沙溪黑砖茶)
- Yixiaotang Liuan Guapian (一笑堂六安瓜片)
- Zhangyiyuan Jasmine Tea (张一元花茶)
I could have accepted poor web design from Chinese companies ten years ago when I first came to China, but to have progressed so little in a decade. Really, guys?
I am still yet to develop a taste for Pu’er tea, but Baishaxi Black Brick Tea is a Taobao Tea Trail stop that points to a future where branding is increasingly more important.
More Information (from Baidu Baike):
Black tea bricks are exclusively produced by Baishaxi Tea Company in Anhua County, Hunan Province. They are made from black tea, a type of tea that is black in color; then compressed into a brick shape. Traditionally, there were protocols about the size of the tea bricks: each measures 35 cm by 18.5 cm, 3.5 cm in thickness and weighs 2 kilos. The shape and size resemble that of a book more than a brick. But smaller and more consumer friendly versions are also available nowadays.
Black tea bricks are a semi-fermented tea. Once brewed, the tea has a smooth and luscious texture. The aroma is that of a typical Puerh while the color is slightly darker, but not totally black. There are four grades in black tea bricks: “heaven”, “earth”, “people” and “harmony”, four pillars of Taoism. Although not a well-known tea nationally, the history of black tea bricks dates back to Ming Dynasty. Due to its advantages in transportation and long shelf life, black tea bricks have been very popular in the more remote areas in North West China amongst ethnic minorities who like to drink the tea with milk and sugar.
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
But many Chinese also see branded teas as “mediocre quality+fancy packaging=overpriced”. A lot of it has to do with negative experiences with branded teas. The old famous tea traders like Zhang Yiyuan or Wu Yuetai are more trustworthy, but people in China still tend to buy tea market style, i.e. from small vendors who claim they sell their hometown teas, although there is really no way to verify it.