Brewing Method of Jin Jun Mei Tea
1. Vessel Selection for Jin Jun Mei
It is recommended to use Kung Fu tea white porcelain sets or transparent glass cups. This allows you to enjoy the elegant fragrance of Jin Jun Mei tea during brewing and also appreciate the beautiful posture of the tea buds unfurling in the water and the crystal-clear liquor.
2. Water Temperature Control for Jin Jun Mei
Controlling the water temperature for brewing Jin Jun Mei is very important. The suitable water temperature facilitates the extraction of the tea's aroma, taste, and rich内含物 (internal compounds). Jin Jun Mei tea should not be brewed with boiling water at 100 degrees Celsius, especially tea made from tender buds. Wait for the boiled water to cool to 80-90 degrees Celsius before brewing.
3. Amount of Jin Jun Mei Tea
How much tea should be used for brewing Jin Jun Mei? This depends on personal preference for strength. It is recommended to use 3 grams of dry Jin Jun Mei tea leaves, which can be brewed over 12 times. Using too much is wasteful.
4. Brewing Technique for Jin Jun Mei
After pre-placing 3 grams of Jin Jun Mei for a warm rinse to awaken the leaves, to protect the delicate down on the surface of the tender buds and avoid violent tumbling of the leaves in the cup, water should be poured gently along the wall of the white porcelain gaiwan or glass cup. This ensures the tea liquor remains clear and bright.
5. Key Points for Tasting Jin Jun Mei
After the first infusion of boiling water, let the Jin Jun Mei steep in the cup for about 5 seconds. Each subsequent infusion can be extended by 5 seconds. For infusions beyond the tenth, the water can be reheated to boiling.
6. Water Quality Selection for Jin Jun Mei
Use "soft water" with low calcium and magnesium content, such as mountain spring water, well water, or purified water. Fresh water, colorless, odorless, and with high oxygen content is ideal for brewing. It is not recommended to use tap water, otherwise, such a high-quality tea would be wasted.
Efficacy of Jin Jun Mei Tea
1. Refreshing and Relieving Fatigue: Medical experiments have found that the caffeine in Jin Jun Mei stimulates the cerebral cortex to excite the nerve center, promoting alertness, concentration, thereby making thinking反应 (responses) more acute and enhancing memory; it also excites the vascular system and heart, strengthening the heartbeat, thus accelerating blood circulation to aid metabolism. Simultaneously, it promotes sweating and diuresis. This dual approach accelerates the excretion of lactic acid (the substance that causes muscle fatigue) and other waste materials in the body, achieving the effect of eliminating fatigue.
2. Promoting Saliva Production and Clearing Heat: Drinking Jin Jun Mei in summer can quench thirst and relieve heatstroke because polyphenols, sugars, amino acids, pectin, etc. in the tea react with saliva and stimulate its secretion, causing the mouth to feel moist and producing a cooling sensation. Meanwhile, caffeine regulates the body's temperature center in the hypothalamus, adjusting body temperature. It also stimulates the kidneys to promote the excretion of heat and waste, maintaining the body's physiological balance.
3. Diuretic Benefits: Under the combined action of caffeine and aromatic substances in Jin Jun Mei, kidney blood flow increases, glomerular filtration rate improves, renal microvessels dilate, and the reabsorption of water in renal tubules is inhibited, thereby promoting increased urine output. This helps eliminate lactic acid, uric acid (related to gout), excess salt (related to hypertension), harmful substances, etc., from the body, and alleviates edema caused by heart disease or nephritis.
4. Anti-inflammatory and Bactericidal: Polyphenolic compounds in Jin Jun Mei have anti-inflammatory effects. Experiments have found that catechins can bind to single-cell bacteria, causing proteins to coagulate and precipitate, thereby inhibiting and destroying pathogens. Therefore, drinking Jin Jun Mei is quite beneficial for patients with bacterial dysentery and food poisoning. Folk practices also often use strong tea to apply on wounds, bedsores, and athlete's foot.
5. Detoxification: Experimental evidence shows that theophylline in Jin Jun Mei can adsorb heavy metals and alkaloids, and precipitate and decompose them. This is福音 (good news) for modern people where drinking water and food are contaminated by industrial pollution.
Introduction to Jin Jun Mei Tea
Jin Jun Mei tea belongs to a branch of the black tea variety Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong. It originates from Tongmu Guan in Wuyishan City, Fujian Province, and is known as a health-preserving fine tea alongside precious Lingzhi mushroom. The reason Jin Jun Mei is precious is that its entire production process is done manually by tea masters. Producing 500g of Jin Jun Mei requires tens of thousands of fresh tea leaf buds, picked from high-altitude, pristine, small-leaf tea plants within the Wuyi Mountain Nature Reserve. It then undergoes a series of complex processing steps including withering, shaking, fermentation, and rolling to complete. Jin Jun Mei is a rare treasure among teas, characterized by its small, tight shape accompanied by golden tea fuzz (茶毫), a golden liquor, and a sweet, refreshing taste.