Baihao Yinzhen, created in 1796, is one of the six major types of Chinese Tea, known as White Tea. Its origin is in Fujian Province, with main production areas including Fuding, Zherong, Zhenghe, Songxi, and Jianyang. It bears the title of being one of China's top ten teas and is often referred to as the “beauty” and “king” of teas. Its distinctive feature is its needle-like shape, covered in white down, resembling Silver or snow.
Due to using only tea buds as raw material, after processing, the finished tea resembles needles, densely covered with white down and a color like silver, hence its name Baihao Yinzhen. The needle-shaped finished tea measures approximately three centimeters in length. As one of the six major types of Chinese tea, how many bud tips are used to make one pound of Baihao Yinzhen?
How Many Bud Tips Are in One Pound of Baihao Yinzhen?
A bud tip refers to the very top 1 to 2 most tender leaves on a tea branch, extremely fresh and delicate, not yet fully grown into leaves but rather in their embryonic form. They are typically light yellow or light green and are best harvested in the morning when they are at their freshest and have an incredibly delicious and flavorful taste.
Bud tip teas have an attractive appearance; the fine and tender bud tips, rich in amino acids, offer a fresh and smooth taste and a more abundant aroma.
There are several types of Fuding white tea made from bud tips. White tea made purely from bud tips is called Baihao Yinzhen; made from young leaves (one bud with one or two leaves) it is called Pai Mu Dan; and made from young leaves and large stems (often one bud with three or four leaves), it is called Shoumei.
To be more precise, we will conduct a simple experiment today: how many bud tips are needed to produce one pound of high-quality Baihao Yinzhen?
According to experimental results, 1 gram of dried Baihao Yinzhen requires 50 to 98 bud tips. Therefore, for one pound (500 grams) of dried Baihao Yinzhen, 500 x 98 = 49,000, or about 50,000 bud tips are required. If a tea picker picks one bud tip at a time, then for a 5-gram serving of Baihao Yinzhen, they would need to pick 98 x 5 = 490 times, and for one pound, they would need to pick 49,000 times.
Tips for Selecting Baihao Yinzhen
“Baihao Yinzhen” is a treasure among white teas. It is named due to its plump and robust bud tips, covered in white down, straight like a needle, and with a color like silver.
Baihao Yinzhen has a robust and plump appearance, covered in white down, with a silvery-gray luster. The infusion color is apricot-yellow, the taste is rich and sweet, and when brewed, the tea buds slowly descend and settle at the bottom of the cup, standing upright. Baihao Yinzhen is cool in nature and has the effect of cooling and detoxifying.
The finished product of Baihao Yinzhen has plump bud tips, entirely covered in white down, and straight like needles.
The shape, color, quality, and charm of Baihao Yinzhen are unparalleled among all teas, truly making it a rare gem. Drinking it offers a unique experience. When selecting Baihao Yinzhen, the inch-long bud hearts shimmer in silver; when brewed in a cup, each stands upright like spears lined up; gently blowing and sipping reveals the rising and floating of the buds, adding to the enjoyment of both viewing and tasting.
After brewing, Baihao Yinzhen stands straight in the water like slender needles. Its bud tips, covered in white down, together with the green buds, are indeed a sight pleasing to the eye.