2023 1st Grade Taiping Houkui (太平猴魁) Green Tea 5g Mini Bags

People who see Taiping Houkui(Monkey King) for the first time, it is hard not to be attracted by its appearance. The tea leaves about 5 to 7 cm long are pressed flat and straight, and the color is dark green and oily. If you look closely through the light, you can still distinguish the fine grid lines between the veins. The stretched tea leaves gradually show a "spring vegetable" posture with 2 leaves and 1 bud in the water, swaying in the cup like green algae. The taste is rich and the aroma is restrained.

Taiping Houkui is made from1 bud and 2 leaves. It is famous for its peculiar shape. It is a very special green tea with an orchid fragrance.

Taste

Dry tea: Straight, dark green color

Fragrance: Orchid Fragrance

Soup: Light green bright

Taste: Fresh and sweet

Wet tea: The leaf shape is completely stretched and dark green

Storage method: Store in a cool, dry, dark place. For long-term storage, it is recommended to place it below 0°C to keep the green tea fresh.

Materials

Picking time: April 15(Pre-Gu Yu Spring Tea )

Net content: 5g

Grade: 1st Grade

Origin: Huangshan, Anhui

Caffeine: Caffeined

Brew Guide

Taiping Houkui should be brewed in a glass.

1. After warming the cup, put the tea root side down（5g）
   2. Add 85-90℃ water
   3. Wait for 2-3 minutes for the tea leaves to gradually stretch in the cup, and the roots are distinct and very beautiful.

More About Taiping Houkui

Why is it called Taiing Houkui?

During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, Wang Kuicheng, a tea farmer in Hougang, Taiping County, made tea in his hometown and made tea that was superior to the local tea. He was the leader in Jiancha, so it was named after the founder and place of origin, and called it "Taiping Houkui".

Why is this green tea so big?

Most of the green teas in China are made of buds, which are delicate and small. The shape of Taiping Houkui is different, like a sun-dried vegetable. This is due to its growing environment and the variety of tea trees.
Taiping Houkui originated from Houkeng Village, Taiping County, Anhui Province. Due to the overlapping peaks and lack of direct sunlight in the local area, the tea tree grows for a long time, even if it grows to 7-10cm, it is still fat and tender. The tree species of Houkui is "persimmon tree", which is of good variety. The two leaves that grow out hold one bud, and they are still not warped, scattered or bent, that is, the characteristics of Houkui's "one stand and three no". However, it was not acclimatized to the soil and water outside Taiping County and could not be planted, so the output was extremely limited.

How does it taste?

Houkui's tea soup is neither bitter nor astringent, but sweet and refreshing with a faint orchid fragrance. The annual harvesting period is only 15 days before Grain Rain. It is rare and precious, so it is also called the "green gold" in tea. The standard one bud and two leaves are picked by tea masters in the early morning. After drying and drying, they are straightened and flattened one by one, showing the shape of two pointed ends, flat and straight, and the leaves are neither warped nor scattered, with faint red veins. , slightly tea cents. Fragrant but not flamboyant, elegant but not vulgar.

How is the workmanship?

As a roasted green tea, the traditional production process of Houkui includes picking the tip, finishing, first roasting, second roasting, third roasting and tube loading.

Take a small amount of green tea and stir-fry first. During the whole process, the tea leaves should not be bent or folded.

After frying, spread the buds and leaves thinly on the baking tray based on the principle that the buds and leaves do not overlap each other, and press once when it is half dry. Bake again, turn it over again, and repeat it several times until the buds and leaves form a bundle.

Click here to view photos of Houkui making process