Chinese Famous Green Tea – Biluochun, Step-to-Step Brew Guide

Biluochun also calls Bi Luo Chun, was originally grown in the Dongting mountain region near Lake Tai in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. Also known as Pi Lo Chun, it is renowned for its delicate appearance, fruity taste, floral aroma, showy white hairs, and early cropping. The name literally means Green Snail Spring. Major harvest time is around September annually. Shap of leaves normally shown tightly rolled.

Should Know Before Brew Biluochun Tea

As one kind of Chinese green tea, Biluochun tea should be steeped with not too high-temperature water, that’s different from black teas or oolong teas.

The best temperature should be between 80°C (176°F) to 85°C (185°F), so how to make sure you have the right temperature? You can boil the water and then let it cool down naturally for about 2~3 minutes. 

Chinese likely brew Biluochun in a glass cup( about 250~300ml, 8.5~10oz). In many formal scenarios,s for example, brewing and drinking teas with friends, normally will gaiwan with a lid. Here we also use gaiwan for this brew guide. 

Brewing Instructions

Step 1. Use hot water to pre-heat the gaiwan (or glass cup). This process is important to activate the aroma of Biluochun tea leaves. Pour 1/2 hot water into the gaiwan then rotate it in hand, then pour out the water.

Step 2. Scoop 1 teaspoon of Biluochun tea leaves (about 2~3g) and put into gaiwan. then pour hot water again. As mentioned, the water temperature should be between 80°C (176°F) to 85°C (185°F). The ratio of tea and water should be 1:50~1:80 depending on your favor.

Step 3. Place the lid on gaiwan then steep for 1~2 minutes.

Step 4. Pour tea soup into a Gongdao cup, it’s also called a dispenser.

Step 5. Dispense to small tea cups and enjoy with friends.

Tips

1. Once you get down to about 1/4 of the tea soup, refill it with hot water of the same temperature as before and let it steep for 3 minutes.

2. You can get 3-5 infusions out of most Biluochun teas. Increase the steeping time from 30 seconds to 1 minute after each infusion. 

3. Increase or reduce the grams of tea leaves if you feel the Biluochun soup is too weak or strong. Meanwhile, increasing or decreasing the steeping times also can adjust the flavor until you are satisfied. Sometimes once you feel the tea is too bitter, reduce the temperature of the water to around 80°C (176°F).

Where To Buy Pi Lo Chun Tea

In China, Biluochun is very easy to buy. But if you want to buy them outside China, the easy way is to find a tea shop or go to an online shop vendor.

Here I recommend TEASBAY.COM, the vendor not only sells online variants of Chinese Green Teas including Biluochun but also provides a free tea sample for a trial.