Explosive! What is Gunpowder Green Tea?
There are many different green tea varieties cultivated around the world. Although you may have heard of the basic green teas such as Sencha & Matcha, or heard discussed premium leaf tea such as Gyokuro, you may not be privy to Gunpowder Green Tea.
What is Gunpowder Green Tea?
Named after the form the leaf takes, Gunpowder tea are tightly rolled green teas leaves that resemble Gunpowder pellets. Referred to as zhu-cha, or pearl-tea, back in the Tang dynasty (618 - 907), Gunpowder green tea has since become the most versatile green tea in the world.
It can be used in your own tea blends & infusions, for summer cold brews or cocktails, & can be taken with milk as a bedtime drink. From Chinese Emperors to factory workers around the world, Gunpowder tea has never gone out of fashion due to its health benefits & affordability.
Where is The Best Gunpowder Green Tea Grown?
The jury is out on the best gunpowder green tea, as it depends on whether the customer enjoys a sweet or bitter green tea. There are two varieties of gunpowder tea customers can source from:
Pingshui Gunpowder Tea
Located in the Chinese province of Zhejiang, the Pingshui region is famed for producing the most flavourful gunpowder green tea on the market. Perched 2,000 meters above sea level, tea in Pinghui is grown & cultivated by smallholder tea estates, allowing time & effort to produce a quality gunpowder tea. Although ravaged by the second world war, Pingshui is now one of China’s leading tea producers & known for its bold, rich flavourful gunpowder green tea.
Formosa Gunpowder Tea
Grown in Taiwan’s northern region of New Taipei, formosa gunpowder tea is a more bitter brew than its Chinese counterpart. Fresh water rivers & high misty mountain ranges contribute to this fresh leaf with gorgeous aftertaste. New Taipei’s picking season lasts from April to December, consisting of 5 flushes, with our Formosa gunpowder being harvested in late spring, early summer for astounding results!
Where Can I Buy High-Quality Gunpowder Tea?
High quality gunpowder tea looks like tightly rolled, uniformed pellets. Due to this rolling, gunpowder tea lasts longer than most teas although tastes best a year after first harvested. Why? The tea leaf has had time to build up all of its flavour for that first sip. You can buy gunpowder green tea here in the UK from our shop, Porter Hill Tea Company. Staring at £5.70 p/100g, that works out at 11p a cup. Head down to our brewing guide to see how it works out cheaper when you re-brew gunpowder tea!
If you want to know what we think the top 3 Gunpowder green teas are for any budget, read our article here & see if you agree!
What are the Health Benefits of Gunpowder Green Tea?
Because gunpowder tea is a green tea it has all the famed antioxidant benefits. Clear up those free radicals with cups of green tea! But what are the other health benefits of gunpowder tea?
Energy boost
Gunpowder green tea is the most caffeinated green tea, due to its compact, rolled pellets. As we already know caffeine keeps us awake & alert, & tea’s naturally high amount of L-theanine amino acid delivers this caffeine smoothly & jitter free. Instead of coffee’s immediate caffeine hit, L-theanine slows down the caffeine release, making it a great afternoon tea for studying.
Healthy Hearts Club
Join the healthy heart club with green tea! Studies have shown that, in the short term, green tea drinkers reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Owing to green tea’s natural anti-inflammatory properties, blood vessel health is improved which can reduce risk of blood clots in the heart.
Digestion
Rich in polyphenols, bio-compounds in the tea leaf, green tea reduces inflammation in the digestive tract, easing digestion of food through the body.
How to Brew Gunpowder Green Tea
At Porter Hill we can help you brew the perfect cup of gunpowder green tea in 3 steps:
Weigh
Depending on taste (light or bitter) for a single brew we recommend 1-2 teaspoons of gunpowder tea
Boil
As gunpowder tea’s caffeine is on par with black & oolong tea, you are able to brew this tea at a higher temperature without ruining its flavour. Using 90 degree celsius water is perfect for gunpowder tea. If you are using a conventional kettle, let boiling water cool for a couple of minutes before the next step.
Brew
For the first two cups, brew gunpowder tea for only a minute. What you’re looking for is a pale, honey-like liquor. If you brew gunpowder tea for longer then it will become astringent & dry. For subsequent cups (up to 2 more) brew at the same 90 degrees celsius for a minute more. Between these 3 - 4 cups, you will taste the complexity gunpowder tea has to offer.
If you’re ever in Huddersfield, swing by Byram Arcade & up to Porter Hill Tea Company where you can try our gunpowder green tea before you buy! Imported from New Taipei, this Formosa Gunpowder tea is a sweet & honey-like cup of tea packed full of health benefits & caffeine. Brew for 1 minute & enjoy as an afternoon brew, as it’s slow release caffeine will get the work done as you complete yours!
T x