Semi Handmade Mao Feng

I'll first start by saying we are splitting hairs here. When I see someone calling the following process "handmade" I don't correct them. That being said, as I do offer teas with the label 100% Handmade, I feel its important to make the differences clear. 

When you watch the video above it will jump to about 8:30 where you will see them use the machine featured in the thumbnail. 

This wood fire machine is the most common way to make Mao Feng. It works just like a clothes dryer. There is a wood fire beneath that heats the inside and kills the green. The people working the wok must use their skill to know just when to pull out the tea. They do this by listening to the sound the tea makes when it falls. As the leaves get more and more dry there is more and more of a crispy sound as they fall. Feeling the tea is also another important way to judge.