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Brewing White Tea - White teas are made from buds and young leaves, which are steamed or fired to inactivate polyphenol oxidase, and then dried. Thus, white tea retains the high concentrations of catechins present in fresh tea leaves.
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When brewed, white teas give hardly any color and infuse a very delicate flavor into the water. We have brewing instrictions for the following types of white tea: Ceylon, Darjeeling White Tip, Silver Needle, Sowmee, White Needle.
Green tea is made from more mature tea leaves than white tea, and may be withered prior to steaming or firing. Although they are also rich in catechins, green teas may have different catechin profiles than white teas. For white tea the little buds that form on the plant are covered with silver hairs that give the young leaves a white appearance. The leaves come from a special varietal tea bush called Narcissus or chaicha bushes. According to the different standards of picking and selecting, white teas can be classified as Yin Zhen Bai Hao (Silver Needle), Bai Mu Dan (White Peony), Gongmei (Tribute Eyebrow), and Shou Mei (Noble, Long Life Eyebrow). All of these white teas are widely produced in China and are available in America.
The highest-quality white teas are Silver Needle and White Peony, both of which have various grades and are primarily produced in the Fuding and Zhenhe districts of Fujian, China. Silver Needle is carefully hand selected from the tender fleshy sprouts of the "Big White" or the "Narcissus" tea bush. If the buds are selected with two leaves intact, then the resulting selection will be made into White Peony tea. The leaves and other material left over from the selection of Silver Needle and White Peony will be processed into Noble, Long Life Eyebrow. Gong Mei is made from "chaicha" bushes and is processed slightly differently than other white teas. Both Gong Mei and Shou Mei are considered lesser forms of white tea compared to Yin Zhen Bai Hao and Bai Mu Dan.
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Our Adam's Peak White Tea (Rare Ceylon White Tea) is a rare white tea with only the best fresh shoots selected and then withered and sun dried. The aroma is unlike other teas and somewhat piney. It has light liquoring with peach-like overtones. |
(1oz) -$ 27.99- BUY NOW |
Processing: Grown, harvested and rolled by hand with the leaves dried and withered in the sun.
Regions: Nuwara Eliya region of Sri Lanka near Adam's Peak 7800 - 8200 feet above sea level
Popularity: A highly prized delicate white tea
Tea: Ceylon White (Adams Peak Silver Needle) For: 3 persons
Amount of Tea Leaf: 10g (0.35 oz, light 3 tsp.)
Water Temperature: Boiling
Water Amount: 650ml (22 fl.oz)
Brewing Time: 3 minutes
Temp. When Served: 80’C (180’F)
Amt. of Brewed Tea/ Cup: 120ml (4 fl.oz)
Whole Amt. of Brewed Tea: 600ml (20 fl.oz)
Step by Step Brewing Instructions:
Place tea leaves in a pot. Pour boiling water that has been cooled to the correct temperature into pot and allow tea to steep for about 2-4 minutes (to taste).
Stir (virtually all the leaves will sink). Pour into your cup but do not add milk or sugar since this tea is enjoyed ‘straight-up’.
When preparing by the cup (This tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times):
Place about 1-1 1/2 teaspoons in your cup. Let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment. Do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the tea is exhausted. Look at the pattern of the leaves in the brew - they foretell life.
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Our Darjeeling White Tips (Rare Indian White Tea) A very rare tea from the Darjeeling area where each leaf is hand selected. The taste of this distinct and limited crop is faintly muscatel with a hint of white wine notes. |
(2oz) -$ 19.99- BUY NOW |
Processing: Grown harvested and rolled by hand with the leaves dried and withered in the sun.
Regions: Darjeeling, India - 6500 feet high in a temperate, but rainy climate.
Popularity: A hand-picked, highly prized delicate white tea with full flavored Darjeeling taste.
Tea: Darjeeling White Tip For: 3 persons
Amount of Tea Leaf: 10g (0.35 oz, light 3 tsp.)
Water Temperature: Boiling
Water Amount: 650ml (22 fl.oz)
Brewing Time: 30 sec.
Temp. When Served: 80’C (180’F)
Amt. of Brewed Tea/ Cup: 120ml (4 fl.oz)
Whole Amt. of Brewed Tea: 600ml (20 fl.oz)
Step by Step Brewing Instructions:
Place tea leaves in a pot. Pour boiling water that has been cooled to the correct temperature into pot and allow tea to steep for about 2-4 minutes (to taste). Stir (virtually all the leaves will sink). Pour into your cup but do not add milk or sugar since this tea is enjoyed ‘straight-up’.
When preparing by the cup (This tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times):
Place about 1-1 1/2 teaspoons in your cup. Let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment. Do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the tea is exhausted.
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Our 2 Doves Silver Needle (Yin Zhen Bai Hao White Tea) is a premium tea that has exquisite haunting hints of peach with a fresh lingering finish. This is one of China's best white teas. An exceptional and rare tea. |
(1oz) -$14.99 - BUY NOW |
Processing: Naturally withered. The very best Yinzhen are picked between March 15 and April 10 when it is not raining and only using undamaged and unopened buds.
Regions: Fujian Province (almost exclusively), China
Popularity: Amongst white teas this is the most expensive variety and the most prized as only top buds are used to produce the tea. Yinzhen tea is considered to be good for health, as it is extremely low in caffeine.
Tea: Sliver Dove Tips For: 3 persons
Amount of Tea Leaf: 15g (0.50 oz, light 4 tsp.)
Water Temperature: Boiling
Water Amount: 650ml (22 fl.oz)
Brewing Time: 5 minutes
Temp. When Served: 75 ’C (167’F)
Amt. of Brewed Tea/ Cup: 120ml (4 fl.oz)
Whole Amt. of Brewed Tea: 600ml (20 fl.oz)
Step by Step Brewing Instructions:
Place tea leaves in a pot. This tea is best prepared with below boiling water (at about 75 degrees Celsius). Pour boiling water that has been cooled to the correct temperature into pot and allow tea to steep for about 5 minutes (to taste). Stir (virtually all the leaves will sink). Pour into your cup but do not add milk or sugar since this tea is enjoyed ‘straight-up’.
When preparing by the cup (This tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times):
Place about 15-20 silver tips into your cup. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes. Then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment Do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on - until the tea flavor is exhausted. Look at the pattern of the leaves - they foretell life.
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It is plucked later than Bai Mu Dan the tea may be darker in color, but it should still have a proportionate green color. Some lower grades of Shou Mei may be golden in color with a lot of black and red leaves, making a darker brew with more depth.
Processing: Produced from naturally withered upper leaf and tips, with a stronger flavor remeniscent of lighter Oolong teas.
Regions: Mostly grown in the Fujian Province or Guangxi Province in China.
Popularity: A lower grade popular white tea
Tea: Ceylon White (Adams Peak Silver Needle) For: 3 persons
Amount of Tea Leaf: 10g (0.35 oz, light 3 tsp.)
Water Temperature: Boiling
Water Amount: 650ml (22 fl.oz)
Brewing Time: 30 sec.
Temp. When Served: 80’C (180’F)
Amt. of Brewed Tea/ Cup: 120ml (4 fl.oz)
Whole Amt. of Brewed Tea: 600ml (20 fl.oz)
Step by Step Brewing Instructions:
Place tea leaves in a pot. Pour boiling water that has been cooled to the correct temperature into pot and allow tea to steep for about 2-4 minutes (to taste). Stir (virtually all the leaves will sink). Pour into your cup but do not add milk or sugar since this tea is enjoyed ‘straight-up’.
When preparing by the cup (This tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times):
Place about 1-1 1/2 teaspoons in your cup. Let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment. Do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the tea is exhausted. Look at the pattern of the leaves in the brew - they foretell life.
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A delicate lingering fragrance and a fresh mellow sweet taste devoid of astringency or grassy flavor with a shimmering clear infusion. You will notice a very mild peony aroma when brewing the tea and a floral aroma, the tea is best brewed with good mineral water and at 70°c (158°F) to 80°c (176°F). The brew is a very pale green or golden color. Fruity and darker then Silver Needle, yet not as strong as Shou Mei. The finest quality should have a shimmering clear infusion with a delicate lingering fragrance and a fresh, mellow, sweet taste devoid of astringency and grassy flavors.
Our Peony White Needle (Bai Mu Dan White Tea) has a delicate lingering frangrance & fresh mellow sweet taste taste faintly reminiscent of fresh apples and devoid of astringency. This Peony White Needle Superior is the top grade available of Bai Mu Dan. |
(1oz) -$14.99- BUY NOW |
Processing: Naturally withered Peony White Needle Superior grade, (a.k.a. Yin Zhen Bai Hao). There are two intact grayish white leaves that surround a silver bud covered with a silvery white down. The processing rules require this tea only be picked between March 15 and April 10. It is not picked on days that may be raining or if the dew has not dried or if there is frost on the ground. No purple buds are allowed and the stems must not be too long or too short. Leaves damaged by wind, handling, insects or partially open are rejected and put into a lower grade.
Regions: Chongqing Province, China
Popularity: A highly prized delicate white tea. Bai Mu Dan White Needle tea that is a cheaper version of Yinzhen (silver needle) with less buds and more leaf.
Tea: Peony White Needle (Bai Mu Dan) For: 1 person
Amount of Tea Leaf: 120ml (10-15 silver tips in your cup)
Water Temperature: Boiling
Water Amount: 650ml (22 fl.oz)
Brewing Time: 3 minutes
Temp. When Served: 80’C (180’F)
Amt. of Brewed Tea/ Cup: 120ml (4 fl.oz)
When preparing by the cup (This tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times):
Place about 10-15 silver tips into your cup. Pour boiling water that has been cooled to the correct temperature. Let the tea steep for 3 minutes. Then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment Do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on - until the tea flavor is exhausted. Look at the pattern of the leaves - they foretell life.
