Baihao Yinzhen facts for kids
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| Type: | White |
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| Other names: | Silver Needle White Hair Silver Needle Yinzhen |
| Origin: | Fuding and Zhenghe counties, Fujian Province |
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| Quick description: | The highest grade of White tea, Bai Hao Yin Zhen, should be fleshy, bright colored and covered with tiny white hairs. |
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Baihao Yinzhen is a very special type of white tea from Fujian Province in China. It's also known as White Hair Silver Needle or just Silver Needle. This tea is super popular and is one of China's famous teas.
What makes it so special? It's one of the most expensive white teas because it's made only from the very top, unopened buds of the tea plant. These tiny buds are covered in soft, white hairs, which gives the tea its name. Real Silver Needle tea comes from a specific type of tea plant called Da Bai (which means Large White).
Contents
The Story of Silver Needle Tea
This amazing tea has a long history! Baihao Yinzhen tea was first grown successfully around the year 1796. This was during the Qing Dynasty in China.
It used to be called Luxueya, which means "green snow shoots." People think of Luxueya as the very first white tea. You can even find the original "mother tree" of this tea on Taimu Mountain in Fuding.
Where Silver Needle Tea Grows
Baihao Yinzhen tea comes from two main areas in Fujian Province: Fuding and Zhenghe. These places are perfect for growing tea. They have a mild, warm climate and lots of rain.
Fuding, for example, has an average temperature of about 18.4 degrees Celsius (about 65 degrees Fahrenheit). It's surrounded by hills on three sides and the East China Sea on the other. This special location helps the tea plants grow strong and healthy.
How Silver Needle Tea is Made
Making Baihao Yinzhen is a delicate process because it's a white tea. This means it's only lightly oxidized. Oxidation is a natural process that happens when tea leaves are exposed to air.
The best Silver Needle tea is made from the first "flush" of new buds. This usually happens in late March or early April. Only the unopened leaf buds are picked. It's best to pick them on a sunny morning after any moisture has dried off the buds.
Sun Drying the Buds
Traditionally, the freshly picked buds are spread out in shallow baskets. They are left to wilt and dry under the sun for a long time. This old method still makes the best quality tea today.
Some tea makers bring the buds indoors to dry. They use warm air to wilt the buds. This helps protect the tea from sudden rain or strong winds. After wilting, the buds are gently piled up. This allows a little bit of oxidation to happen. Finally, they are baked at a low temperature to dry them completely.
Two Main Styles
The two main areas that make Silver Needle tea are Fuding and Zhenghe. They use different types of tea plants called Fuding Da Bai and Zhenghe Da Bai. These names come from where the plants originated.
This leads to two main styles of Silver Needle tea:
- Zhenghe style: This tea is usually darker. It's oxidized for a longer time. This gives it a fuller, stronger taste.
- Fuding style: This tea is generally lighter. It's oxidized for a shorter time. This makes it taste lighter and more delicate.
Both styles are loved by tea drinkers, as everyone has their own favorite taste!
The Picking Process
Baihao Yinzhen is grown in Fujian province, China
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Baihao Yinzhen is made from the tender, unopened buds of the tea plant. These buds must be picked before they open into leaves.
Hand-picking
Tea farmers carefully pick the buds by hand. They put the fresh buds into baskets. This is always done on dry, sunny days.
Withering (Sun Drying)
After picking, the leaves and buds are left to rest. They are allowed to dry naturally for up to three days. This process is called "withering." It takes real skill to do it just right!
Dehydrating
Drying the Baihao Yinzhen is a very important step. It needs a specific temperature. If the temperature is not perfect, the tea can lose its special taste.
How to Brew Silver Needle Tea
To enjoy Baihao Yinzhen, you need to brew it correctly.
- Water temperature: Use water that is not quite boiling. The best temperature is around 75 to 80 degrees Celsius (167 to 176 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Appearance: When brewed, it makes a slightly thick, shiny, pale yellow drink. You might even see tiny white hairs floating in it!
- Smell and taste: People say it smells like "fresh-cut hay." The flavor is sweet, fresh, and very delicate.
- Steeping time: You should steep this tea a bit longer than other white teas, up to 5 minutes per brew. You can also use a bit more tea than usual.
Its taste is unique, but it's somewhat similar to Bai Mu Dan. However, Bai Mu Dan is usually fuller, while Silver Needle is sweeter and more delicate.
Storing Your Tea
To keep your Baihao Yinzhen fresh, it needs to be stored in a dry place.
- Check for dryness: If you squeeze a bud and it turns into powder, it's dry enough. If not, you should brew the tea soon.
- Best containers: Good containers for this tea include tin foil cylinders, porcelain jars, and tinted glass bottles. Cans, wooden boxes, and bamboo boxes can also work.
- Storage tips: Always store your tea in clean, dry containers. Keep them in a well-ventilated area. Make sure the tea is not stored near strong smells. Things like camphor, medicines, cosmetics, or cleaning products can make your tea taste bad.
