China Gunpowder

Water Quantity

200 ml

Tea Quantity

1 tbs / 2 grams

Water Temperature

70°C

Steeping Time

2-3 minutes

Short History: Gunpowder was originated in the Zhejiang province, in the capital Hangzhou on the Eastern coast of China during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD). The tea was first named 'Pearl Tea' or 'Zhu Cha', because the rolled-up tea leaves resembled the spherical gemstone where each leaf has been individually rolled into a small pellet. It's English name came either from some resemblance of the pellets of gunpowder, or from a phrase in Chinese that phonetically resembles the word "gunpowder". Pingshui,Zheijing Province,China was the main gunpowder tea producing area. In the past,local factories in Pingshui town collected dried tea leaves from neighbouring areas and just went through preliminary processing and that would have made production process easier before selling abroad. Thant's how this region in China won the reputation of ,, the hometown of gunpowder''.
Now,gunpowder's producing area has expanded to the majority of southeast China, while Zhejiang province remains still the largest one which is a wide area surrounded by Kuiji Mountain,Siming Mountain and Tiantai Mountain.
Another intersting fact about Gunpowder is that tea is exported to the Maghreb where it is used in the preparation of traditional North African mint tea. The Maghrebi tea ritual is at the heart of any social gathering, from an informal visit to a neighbor to lavish soirees with dignitaries. Mint tea is made by adding mint and sugar or honey to gunpowder tea while brewing.

About China Gunpowder tea: The leaves are withered first, then steamed, rolled into pellet shape, and dried.In the past individual leaves were formerly rolled by hand, today all but the highest grades of gunpowder teas are rolled by machine. Rolling renders the leaves less susceptible to physical damage during packaging and storage, and allows them to retain more of their flavor and aroma.The pellets are dried or "heat-fixed" by pan-firing, sometimes multiple times. Heat-fixing is a typical part of green tea processing and stops oxidation.
The infusion is one kind of green with a thick,strong taste like soft honey. It usually gives a smoke-like flavor and a slight copper aftertaste. Most gunpowder tea have a taste reminiscent of grass,although some may have a minty or pepper-like taste.

Food pairing:Stir-fry, fried rice, or some of your favorite hard and semi-hard cheeses,roast meats like beef, lamb and venison or heavy pasta dishes like lasagna.

Origin: Zheijing Province,China

Tea Type: Green

Taste flavour: Robust and slightly smooth, smoky with a nutty flavor, sometimes vegetal in the earthy notes.

Caffeine: medium

Number of servings: use 1 tbs/ 2 grams per cup -50 grams pouch =25 cups

Using with: glass infuser mug, teapot with infuser, infuser & strainers, paper filer bag.

Preparation: 1 tbs loose tea -into an infuser/pot/paper tea bag
200 ml water boild at 70 degrees
Infusing time 2-3 minutes

Ingredients: Green tea. Suitable for vegans and vegetarians;