What temperature should water be for Silver Needle?

167–185°F (75–85°C). Fresh Silver Needle is best around 175°F (80°C). Without a thermometer, boil the water and let it rest four to five minutes.

How long should you steep Silver Needle?

3 to 5 minutes. Silver Needle is slow to brew, so start around 4 minutes and adjust to taste.

How much Silver Needle should I use?

About 2–3 g per 8 oz (240 ml) cup, which is usually two heaping teaspoons because the buds are so light.

Does Silver Needle have caffeine?

Yes. Despite white tea's gentle reputation, buds can contain as much caffeine as other teas or more. A cup usually has about 25–50 mg, though cool water and the slow extraction often keep it lower.

Why is Silver Needle so expensive?

It's made only from unopened buds, hand-picked during a short window in early spring. It takes a very large number of buds to make a small amount of tea.

What's the difference between Silver Needle and White Peony?

Silver Needle is made only from buds and is the most delicate white tea. White Peony includes the bud and one or two young leaves, giving a fuller, fruitier cup at a lower price.

How to Brew Silver Needle

Steep time: 3m – 5m
Water temperature: 75°C – 85°C

About Silver Needle

Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yinzhen) is the most prized white tea, made only from the unopened leaf buds of the tea plant, picked in early spring. The buds are covered in fine silvery-white down, which gives the tea its name. Like all white tea, it's barely processed: the buds are simply withered and dried. It comes mainly from Fuding and Zhenghe in China's Fujian province.

What it tastes like

Delicate, sweet, and soft, with notes of melon, cucumber, hay, and honey, and a silky texture. The liquor is very pale gold. It has almost no bitterness when brewed well.

Step by step

Measure your tea Use about one teaspoon of Silver Needle leaves per 8 oz cup.
Heat the water Bring fresh water to 75°C – 85°C. Water that is too hot will scorch the leaves.
Steep Pour the water over the leaves and steep for 3m – 5m. Start at the shorter time and taste as you go.
Strain and serve Remove the leaves as soon as the steep is done so the tea does not turn bitter.

Brewing tips

Look for plump, whole buds covered in silver down, with few broken pieces or leaves.
Don't judge it by color. Silver Needle always brews pale; taste it before deciding it needs longer.
Brew it in glass if you can. Watching the buds stand upright and slowly sink is part of the pleasure.

Timer

Silver Needle steeps for 3m – 5m — start the clock as you pour.

Silver Needle

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Other ways to brew Silver Needle

In a mug or teapot

The buds are bulky, so use about two heaping teaspoons (2–3 g) per 8 oz (240 ml) cup. Heat water to 167–185°F (75–85°C) and steep 3–5 minutes. Silver Needle is slow to give up its flavor, and a short steep tastes like warm water.

In a glass

Put about 3 g of buds in a tall glass and pour in water around 175°F (80°C). The buds float, then stand upright and slowly sink as they absorb water. Drink when most have sunk, after about 4–5 minutes, and top up with hot water.

In a gaiwan

Use about 5 g in a 4 oz (120 ml) gaiwan with water around 175–185°F (80–85°C). Steep 45–60 seconds to start and add 15–20 seconds each round. Silver Needle is gentle enough to brew this way without bitterness.

Cold brew

Silver Needle makes a beautiful cold brew. Use about 5 g per 8 oz (240 ml) of cold water and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. It comes out sweet, silky, and very smooth.

Can you re-steep Silver Needle?

Yes, three or four times. The buds open slowly, so the second steep is often fuller than the first. In a mug, add a minute for each new steep. In a gaiwan, it can go five or six rounds.

If your Silver Needle doesn't taste right

Tastes like water? Use more tea and steep longer. Silver Needle buds are light and fluffy, so measure by weight or use generous spoonfuls, and give it at least 3–4 minutes.
Bitter or grassy? The water was too hot. Keep it to about 167–185°F (75–85°C), or let boiled water rest four to five minutes.
Musty or dull? Fresh Silver Needle should smell sweet and floral. A musty smell suggests damp storage. Aged Silver Needle is meant to taste woodier and honeyed, but shouldn't smell damp.

Ways to drink Silver Needle

Fresh Silver Needle

Light, sweet, and floral, with melon and hay notes. Brew at the cooler end, around 167–175°F (75–80°C).

Aged Silver Needle

Kept for several years, it develops notes of honey, dried fruit, and wood. It can take hotter water, up to about 195°F (90°C).

Jasmine Silver Needle

Silver Needle buds scented with fresh jasmine blossoms. Floral and sweet; brew it at about 175°F (80°C) for 3 minutes.