Classic China Organic Pinhead-sized Gunpowder made of tiny tightly-rolled grey green leaves.
Gunpowder tea or "pearl tea" is made by rolling dark green tea leaves into small pellets which resemble gunpowder.
It is a nice, strong green tea with a distinctive nutty-oak taste. Also known as "Temple of Heaven" Gunpowder. A traditional favorite of meditating Buddhists (and non-Buddhists).
The cup is deep amber with a slightly fruity, smoky-spicy flavor. Medium astringency which can be fully mediated with a shorter steeping time. Makes a very good iced tea - try with mint and agave nectar!
This tea responds well to a short steep.
Also called "Temple of Heaven gunpowder" this is the highest grade Organic Gunpowder available.
USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified
7.0 oz Tin - $12.50 - 98 Servings - 13¢ per cup
8.0 oz Pouch - $12.50 - 113 Servings - 11¢ per cup
Other Names: Gun Powder, Lo Chu Ch’a, Zhu Cha, Temple of Heaven Gunpowder.
Hint: A short steep yields superb results.
Water: 195°F | Leaves: 1 tsp per 6 ounce cup | Infusion Time: 1.5-2 minutes
Basic Steeping Tips
- Use filtered or spring water, whenever possible
- Don’t overboil water
- Remove leaves after recommended time (adjust to taste)
- If you want stronger tea, use more leaves instead of steeping for a longer time
Leaves can be resteeped 2-3 times resulting in various flavor differences. Don’t throw out those leaves until they have given it all up!
Green tea has been researched a great deal over the last 20 years. Results indicate that the catechins in green tea are responsible for a lowered risk of heart disease, lowered risk of cancer (especially prostate and breast), and potential reduction in onset of Alzeheimer's.
The history of tea in China is long and complex. The Chinese have enjoyed tea for millennia. Scholars hailed the brew as a cure for a variety of ailments; the nobility considered the consumption of good tea as a mark of their status, and the common people simply enjoyed its flavor.
Tea was first discovered by the Chinese Emperor Shennong in 2737 BC. It is said that the emperor liked his drinking water boiled before he drank it so it would be clean, so that is what his servants did. One day, on a trip to a distant region, he and his army stopped to rest. A servant began boiling water for him to drink, and a dead leaf from the wild tea bush fell into the water. It turned a brownish color, but it was unnoticed and presented to the emperor anyway. The emperor drank it and found it very refreshing, and cha (tea) was born.
