White Tea, with its fresh and elegant young varieties and richer aged ones, is a delight to enjoy through the seasons. But how should different types of white tea be brewed to bring out their best flavors? Here are some key points for brewing three types of white tea!

Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yin Zhen)

Let the infusion rest slightly longer as Silver Needle is highly resilient to brewing.

Silver Needle is made entirely from buds and has a high tenderness. Therefore, the water temperature for brewing should not be too high; 85°C to 90°C is the most suitable range.

When brewing, avoid directly pouring water over the buds. Instead, pour water slowly along the sides of the vessel. Directly pouring water over the buds can damage the appearance of the Silver Needle and cause a large amount of down to fall off, making the tea soup cloudy and the taste more bitter and astringent.

When pouring out the tea, make sure to empty each infusion as much as possible without leaving any residue, to prevent the tea from becoming bitter due to prolonged soaking.

White Peony (Bai Mudan)

The key lies in the water temperature.

White Peony consists of one bud and two leaves, offering both the freshness of young buds and the sweetness of mature leaves. The tea soup is clear, sweet, and refreshing, with a lingering aroma, and its flavor is generally richer than that of Silver Needle.

The water temperature for brewing White Peony should be slightly higher than that for Silver Needle but still not too high; 90°C to 95°C is the most appropriate range. The temperature should not be too low either, as this would prevent the full release of the rich floral fragrance of White Peony.

Shou Mei (Lifelong Eyebrow)

Best brewed with boiling hot water.

Shou Mei is made from more mature leaves, resulting in a tea soup with a stronger floral and sweet flavor. When steeped for a long time, it develops a subtle medicinal fragrance. It is rich and smooth on the palate, with an aromatic nose even on the cup lid.

Most Shou Mei is aged, and while brewing is good, it's even better when cooked. Cooking brings out the full flavor of Shou Mei. Shou Mei contains more complex sugars, so it is sweeter when cooked compared to Silver Needle and White Peony.