Formosa Sanxia Biluochun Green Tea

TG0501
Formosa Sanxia Biluochun Green Tea

Origin: Sanxia, Taipei, Taiwan 三峽，台北，台灣
Style: None oxidized, light roasted, fresh fruit and flowery aroma
Loose leaf style: Curly slender
Loose leaf color: Dark green
Wet leaf style: Drass green
Tea color: Honey green

This is another Taiwanese take on world famous Biluochun Green Tea. Among many legends about the origin of the name, this one is easier to understand: the yellow green color of tea (碧, Bi), spiral shell shape (羅or螺,luo), and it can only be harvested in spring (春, chun). The tea leaves contains many beautiful furry tea buds. Only new tea leaves (one bud one leaf or one bud two leaves) can be made into this tea. The tea starts with a decent cane sweetness, and soon brings out the fresh flowry aroma. Sanxia Biluochun has a special fried “kelp” sweetness.

Biluochun Green Tea belongs to the category of 「Fried Green Tea」 (chao-qing-lu-cha 炒青綠茶), which means it undergoes the process of pan or cylinder frying as a process of stopping oxidization and partial dehydrating.

Brewing: Green tea is better with lower temperature infusion. For roasted green tea, water temperature around 80℃ – 85℃ (176F-185F) can reduce the dryness and bitterness of tea. For steamed green tea, try lower temperature around 70℃ (158F) for starting.
Biluochun Green Tea is curly shaped, use about 2 tsp with 120c.c. (4oz) 80℃-85℃ (176F-185F) water (or try lower), steam about 50 seconds for the first brew to unroll the leaves, add 10-20 seconds for the following infusions. Provides at least 3 infusions. The tea leaves need to be fully expanded in the container, remember not to put too much loose tea to avoid over packed and bitterness. Once you get familiar with the tea, you may explore your own brewing method.