Finally, a white tea that everyone can appreciate! Silver Needles are plucked from the freshest buds of the tea plant. The silvery-white hairs on the new growth give this tea it´s name. Flavorful and savory, Silver Needles is described by our tasters as having pleasant grassy notes.
Production Information: Menglai & Mengjiao Tea Garden, of Menglai Towhship, Cangyuan County, Lincang Prefecture, Yunnan, China, is roughly 1km (0.62mi.) south of Menglai Township. Currently, there are 255 households and approximately 1060 people, of the Wa Ethnic Group, who are mainly farmers. The mountains around the village are populated with tea bushes.
The tea garden covers 106.67ha (263.58ac) and is ~1800m (5905.5ft) above sea level. Its year-round average temperature is about 17.3℃ (63.1°F) and yearly average rainfall about 1750mm (68.9in). The low altitude area to which it belongs enjoys a South Asian tropical monsoon climate, being mountainous, with wide forest covering and nourishment by an almost continuous sea of clouds.
Beginning in 1987, the commercial harvest has been comprised of Mengku Cultivar, Yunnan Large Leaf Tea, with an annual output of 421 metric tons (464.07 tons) of fresh tea leaves, yielding 94 metric tons (103.6 tons) of made tea.
Ingredients
Hand-Plucked, Unopened Chinese Tea Buds.
Brewing Instructions
8 oz Cup
- Scoop a heaping tablespoon of tea into infuser.
- Heat water to 200° F (just before boiling).
- Pour 8 oz. of water over tea leaves.
- Steep tea for 3-5 minutes (depending on taste preference).
- Remove infuser and enjoy tea. Can be steeped multiple times.
Potful
Simply add to your infuser one heaping tablespoon of leaf per 8 oz. of water and place it in your pot, then add the appropriate amount of 200° F water and let it steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the infuser and enjoy. Can be steeped multiple times.
Brewing Iced Tea
Our opinion is that a cooled concentrate works best, as regular-strength brew tends to become watery as the ice melts. So, use the above leaf quantities, but half the water, allow it to cool, then pour it over ice and enjoy! The brew will dilute down to proper strength as the ice melts.
