Keemun Tea

Keemun tea (Also called Qi Men Hong Cha in China), or Qihong for short, is a traditional Chinese tea and one of the world's three major high-aroma black teas. It is produced in and around Qimen County in Anhui Province, China, using fresh leaves from the Camellia sinensis tea bush as raw material, and is refined through processes such as withering, rolling, fermentation and hot air drying. Keemun tea has a tight, fine and even appearance, a dark lustrous color, and a bright red, brilliant-looking brew. It has a rich, long-lasting aroma that is similar to flowers, fruit and honey, and a mellow, thick and sweet aftertaste. It is known as the “Queen of Black Teas”. Not only does it taste excellent, it also has certain stomach-nourishing and stomach-warming benefifs, and is very popular with consumers at home and abroad.

Keemun Tea Details:

Product name: Keemun tea
Place of origin: Anhui Province, China
Net content: 100g
Shelf life: 1825 days
Storage: Protect from moisture, odors, and direct light

Keemun Tea Picking:

Our picking standards for Keemun tea mainly include the following aspects‌:

Picking time‌: Keemun tea is picked from mid-March to early April each year. At this time, the tea buds are young and green, rich in polyphenols and aroma substances‌.

Picking method‌: Keemun tea is picked using the “one bud and one leaf” or “one bud and two leaves” method. The picking is done in the morning after the dew has disappeared and there is plenty of sunshine‌.

Picking criteria: Only healthy, young, uniform shoots and leaves are selected for picking. The tea leaves should be fresh and tender, with an intact leaf shape. The tea buds should be fully expanded, the leaves bright green and intact, without yellow leaves, pest damage or mechanical damage.

Picking tools: We use manual picking for Keemun tea. When handpicking, the pickers are required to use clean, sharp scissors or fingers to avoid damage to the tea leaves.

Picking environment: The picking area is selected in a tea garden with no pollution, fresh air and fertile soil. At the same time, care is taken to avoid contamination of the tea by dust, odors, etc. during the picking process.

Keemun Tea Production Process:

The production process of Keemun tea mainly includes two stages: primary processing and refinement.

Primary processing:

Withering: The fresh tea leaves picked from the Tea bush are dried in the sun. The thinner and more even the tea leaves are dried, the better. The leaves are turned regularly during the process so that they dry evenly in the sun. The leaves are considered to be ready when they are a dark green colour, the edges are brown, and the petioles are wrinkled, soft and have lost their elasticity. If it is rainy, the withering process can only be carried out indoors in a well-ventilated area.

Rolling: Once the withering process is complete, the tea leaves can be rolled to break up the tea cell structure, so that the enzymes can bind to the substrate and prepare the leaves for the next step, fermentation. Rolling is a key step in forming the tight, slender and beautiful appearance of Keemun tea.

Fermentation: The rolled tea leaves are placed in a bamboo basket, wooden bucket, winnowing basket or special fermentation bed, compressed firmly, covered with a thick, damp cloth, and left in the sun to ferment. The heat and humidity promote fermentation until the tea leaves turn red and release their tea aroma. The fermentation time of the tea depends on the thickness of the pile. Generally speaking, the fermentation time for spring tea is 3-5 hours, and for summer tea 2-3 hours.

Hot air drying‌: Finally, the excess water is removed by drying to achieve the appropriate dryness of the tea.

Refining Processing:

Screening: The raw tea is graded through different types of tea sieves to ensure uniformity.

Picking: Light leaves, broken leaves, yellow leaves, tea stalks and other impurities are removed.

Re-drying: The sorted tea is dried again to achieve the desired color and dryness.
Piling: The re-dried tea is mixed well, formed into a square high pile, and then packaged and sealed.

How To Brew Keemun Tea:

The method of brewing Keemun tea is actually not complicated. The key is to get the amount of tea, water temperature and brewing time right. Here is a simple brewing procedure:

1. Warm the cups: Use boiling water to heat the tea set (such as a white porcelain covered bowl, a fair cup, tea cups, etc.) to maintain the temperature.
2. Add tea leaves to the teapot: Add the right amount of Keemun tea leaves to the teapot. It is generally recommended to use 4–5 grams of tea leaves, but this can be adjusted according to personal taste and the size of the teaware.
3. Pour in the water: Bring the water to a boil and then pour it slowly along the edges of the teaware to fully immerse the tea leaves. Take care not to use too hot water, as this will destroy the aroma and taste of the tea.
4. Brewing: The first brew is a warm infusion, also known as Washing tea or Waking tea. After pouring in the water, steep for about 10 seconds and then discard the water. The second brew is the official brew, which should take about 60 seconds. After that, the brewing time can be extended appropriately for each subsequent brew to maintain the concentration and taste of the tea broth.
5. Tasting: The Keemun tea broth after brewing is bright red and has a strong, lasting aroma. First, you should smell the aroma, then taste the flavor, and savor the endless charm of the tea that remains in your mouth and soothes your heart.

When brewing Keemun tea, you can also choose suitable tea sets, such as glass tea sets or white porcelain tea sets, which can better display its bright red broth. When drinking, it is recommended that you first smell the aroma, then taste it, and savor the lasting aroma and sweet taste of Keemun tea.

Keemun Tea Characteristics:

Beautiful appearance: Keemun tea leaves are thin, evenly shaped, with a beautiful tip, dark in color, with visible golden hairs.

Bright reddish brown liquid: After brewing, the Keemun tea liquid is bright reddish brown, clear and transparent, like a bright red gemstone, giving a noble and elegant visual experience.

‌Aromatic‌: Keemun tea has a long-lasting, high-pitched aroma that is unique to Keemun tea. This aroma is a heady blend of floral, fruity and honeyed notes.

‌Mellow and thick‌: Keemun tea has a fresh, mellow and thick taste that lingers on the tongue and in the mouth after drinking. Premium Keemun tea even has a fresh, light, young fragrance that is unforgettable.

Keemun Tea Benefifs:

Refreshing‌: Caffeine and the amino acid theanine in Keemun tea stimulate the central nervous system, improving alertness and concentration, and thus refreshing the mind and relieving fatigue.

‌Stomach-soothing‌: Keemun tea is fully fermented, making it a mild tea with minimal stomach irritation. It not only keeps the cold at bay, but also nourishes and protects the stomach. During the fermentation process, the content of polyphenols is greatly reduced, which reduces the irritation to the stomach. At the same time, its rich antioxidant substances can also promote digestion.

‌Anti-oxidation and anti-aging: Keemun tea is rich in antioxidant substances such as polyphenols and caffeine. These ingredients can effectively remove free radicals in the body, thereby slowing down the process of cell aging. Long-term consumption of Keemun tea can not only maintain the firmness and luster of the skin, but also prevent the occurrence of chronic diseases such as cancer to a certain extent.

Improves blood circulation: Certain ingredients in Keemun tea can help promote blood circulation, which is effective in relieving the discomforts caused by colds.
Diuretic and anti-edema: Keemun tea also has the benefifs of diuretic and anti-edema, helping to expel excess water and toxins from the body.