Shoumei Tea

Shoumei tea refers to white tea products made from the young shoots or thick, old tea leaves of the Da Baicha, Shuixian, or group-cultivated tea bush varieties using the white tea processing technique. Shoumei tea originated in the Qing Dynasty and was a type of high-quality tea picked by tea farmers in the Gongshan area. This tea was known as ‘gong cha’ (imperial tribute tea) and was one of the tributes to the imperial court. Today, Shoumei tea has become one of the important representatives of Chinese white tea and enjoys a high reputation in domestic and foreign markets.

Shoumei Tea Product Details:

Product Name: Fuding Shoumei Tea
Place of Origin: Fujian Province, China
Net Weight: 250g
Production Process: Traditional Craftsmanship
Storage: Keep away from light, dry, and odours. It is best stored refrigerated at around 5 °C.

Shoumei Tea Picking:

The picking time of Shoumei tea can be roughly divided into spring and autumn. Our Shoumei tea is all picked in spring because the tea bushes have undergone winter dormancy and accumulated rich nutrients, and the tea leaves are more full of substances. The quality of Shoumei tea picked in spring is particularly excellent. Our Shoumei tea picking requirements are relatively strict: when picking Shoumei tea, the fresh leaves must be intact, even, and fresh, avoiding picking too old or too young tea leaves to ensure the quality of the tea. The freshly picked leaves need to be spread out and processed promptly to maintain their freshness and the stability of their contents.

Shoumei Tea Processing:

Spreading: The freshly picked leaves need to be spread out to allow the water in the tea to dissipate naturally and to promote the transformation of the tea's contents. The spreading time should be appropriate so that the leaves become soft, emit a greenish aroma, and the moisture content drops to about 60%.

Fixation: Fixation is one of the key steps in the production of Shoumei tea. By killing the enzymes in the tea at high temperatures, it prevents the tea from continuing to ferment and turn red. The temperature and time of fixation need to be strictly controlled. It is generally carried out in a wok at 120-180°C for about 7-8 minutes. After fixation, the tea leaves turn a darker green in colour, are soft, straight, stick together in a tight bundle, and have a light fragrance when squeezed in the hand.

Rubbing the strips: After fixation, the tea needs to be processed by rubbing the strips. Rubbing the strips can cause the tea to lose water further and become tightly bound into strips, while also causing the fine hairs on the surface of the tea to become visible. The temperature for rubbing the strips needs to be controlled at around 80℃, and the force needs to be moderate to avoid damaging the tea. When the tea has reached about 70% dryness, reduce the pan temperature to about 50℃ and prepare to move on to the next step.

Stir-frying: Stir-frying is the final step in the formation of Shoumei tea. By stirring the tea leaves slowly, the leaves can be further shaped and reshaped so that the tea leaves achieve the required shape and are sufficiently dry. The temperature of the wok needs to be controlled appropriately, and the tea leaves should be stirred constantly during the frying process to ensure that they are evenly heated. When the tea leaves give off a lasting, fresh fragrance, the tea is ready to be turned into powder. When the moisture content has dropped to below 6%, the tea can be removed from the wok, spread out to cool, and stored.

How To Brew Shoumei Tea:

Whether it is young Shoumei or aged Shoumei (two to three years old) tea, a white porcelain cup with a lid is the best choice for brewing Shoumei. The surface of the white porcelain cup with a lid is covered with a smooth glaze that does not absorb flavours or aromas. This allows the pure, fresh fragrance and taste of young Shoumei or the mellow, smooth flavour of aged Shoumei to be fully restored. When brewing, you can choose a white porcelain lid bowl with a capacity of about 110 ml, which is more convenient for water to come out, and it is best to use it with 5 g of dry tea.

Shoumei Tea Characteristics

Mellow and rich: With the passage of time, the taste of old Shoumei tea will gradually transform from the initial freshness to a mellow and rich, full-bodied, smooth taste, accompanied by a sweet aftertaste.

Multi-layered aroma: The aroma of old Shoumei tea is rich and includes aged, medicinal, and dates aromas. The aroma is multi-layered, and you can taste different flavours when you savour it.

Deepening colour: As the years of storage increase, the polyphenols in Shoumei tea continue to oxidise and aggregate, producing tea pigments. The colour of the tea broth continues to deepen, gradually changing from orange to dark yellow or reddish.

Shoumei Tea Benefits:

1. Shoumei tea has the same benefits as rhino horn, including cooling and detoxifying, improving eyesight, and reducing internal heat. It can treat ‘excessive internal heat’ and is an effective medicine for reducing high fevers in children in Vietnam.
2. Shoumei is neutral in nature, neither cold nor hot. Antioxidant; it helps to expel toxins and promote metabolism. It is a good health tea.
3. Shoumei has the benefits of reducing fever and relieving summer heat, making it a great drink for the summer. It is mentally invigorating and relaxing, and the tea is rich in amino acids, polyphenols, minerals, various vitamins, and trace elements such as zinc and selenium that the body needs. It has the benefits of generating body fluid to quench thirst, clearing the liver and improving eyesight, refreshing the mind and clearing the brain, etc. It is a safe and nutritious green and healthy drink that is recognised today.