Can Anyone Tell Me What Type of Tea this is?

I bought the following tea from Taobao recently, but I’m not certain what type of tea it is or, more importantly, exactly how to brew it.

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=2013.1.0.0.80Nyer&id=36776227404

Google’s translation of the teas listed name is, ‘New Pu’er tea gift moonlight beauty premium single bud tea Pu’er raw tea Oriental Beauty Tea’. So, I am assuming it is pu-erh, yet it looks like silver needles. The ‘Tea Type’ on the webpage simply states, ‘Other / other’. In large part I bought it because of the beautiful pictures of it on the website. I don’t know why the name translation has descriptors like ‘Oriental Beauty’ and ’ moonlight beauty’.

I am going to first try brewing it as if it were a delicate white tea, at approx. 170F. And then try brewing it as if it were pu-erh, at boiling. I will start small on the steep times (30 seconds) and then increase them.

Does anyone have any ideas?

5 Replies
yyz said

It looks like aged silver needles. The steeping instructions I found varied ranging from the same temperature you would use for whites (low to mid 70’s) To 80 degrees Celsius +. Recommended brewing to as were one to 2 minutes ( I prefer starting off at one). Increasing steeping time in later steeps. The first steep may be a little thin but I find later steeps are quite creamy and flavourful. http://store.thechineseteashop.com/Moonlight_White_Pu_Erh_Tea_Loose_Leaf_2011_Green_p/pugl-11-mlw.htm
Recommendations seem to vary with some advocating using boiling water and longer steep times.

http://www.banateacompany.com/pages/puerh_teas-Moonlight-Jingmai.html

Thank you yyz! I believe the first link is indeed the type of tea this is.

I actually steeped my tea in boiling water for my first go at it (accidental, because I let the water get to boiling before I realized it). And, so far, what I am getting out of this tea (I’m on the third steep: 30’, 60’, 90’) seems to jive with your own experience (I am assuming with the Moonlight White tea you gave the link to above): very light tasting at first, with a very light straw color, progressing to stronger flavor with more of an orange color on the third steeping.

I loved reading the description of the tea on the link to thechineseteashop.com. The farmers pick it at night in the moonlight! That explains the ‘moonlight beauty’ descriptors. And, the description mentioning that the flavor progress towards the taste of on oolong probably explains the ‘Oriental Beauty’ descriptors. The picture looks like my tea as well, with the blackened leaves and buds (my teas has only buds, though). And the price, wow. I had a sense that this tea bought elsewhere, like from an English-language tea website, would be quite a bit more expensive than when bought on Taobao (it was even a little pricy on Taobao).

It looks like Bana Tea Company’s version is about as expensive as The Chinese Tea Shop’s version. I see Bana recommends steeping it at boiling. Interesting that they both say something to the effect that this tea is a great way to introduce pu-erh tea to someone who is new to pu-erh or who doesn’t like the stronger, earthy taste of standard pu-erh.

Thank you again, yyz, for the info and the links!

yyz: I have been perusing The Chinese Tea Shop’s website, and started reading some of Daniel’s guides in the Library tab, and found some great articles, especially the one titled, ‘How To Store Pu-Erh Tea’. I will be making some changes in how I plan to store my pu-erh (I hadn’t previously looked into how to store pu-erh). I just wanted to post here to say, thanks again! : – )

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boychik said

I would do like Garret recommends to treat it like white tea
http://steepster.com/teas/mandala-tea/37871-mandala-tea-silver-buds-raw-2011

Thanks boychik for the link!

scribbles reviews calls the tea, ‘silver tip pu’er’. I like the simplicity in that name.

I brewed it this time at boiling, but, based on the info I’m reading, next time I will try it with much lower temps.

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