What Kind of Tea Is Lu'an Melon Seed? Imperial Tribute Tea Price per Jin and Brewing Method

Lu'an Melon Seed, called “Luzhou Lu'an tea” in the Tang dynasty, was a famous tea; in the Ming dynasty it began to be called “Lu'an Melon Seed”, and was a top-grade and premium tea; in the Qing dynasty it was an imperial tribute tea. In recent years tea culture has flourished, and Lu'an Melon Seed has attracted the attention of many tea lovers. So, what kind of tea is Lu'an Melon Seed? How much is Lu'an Melon Seed per jin? What brewing methods are there for Lu'an Melon Seed?

1. What Kind of Tea Is Lu'an Melon Seed

Lu'an Melon Seed is actually a type of green tea, except that after this tea leaf is processed, its appearance closely resembles sunflower seeds, and local tea farmers like to call it melon seed slices; because this tea is mainly produced in Lu'an, it got the name Lu'an Melon Seed. This tea has it all - color, aroma and taste; after brewing, the tea liquor is clear and bright, with an inviting aroma.

Because of different places of origin, each has its own characteristics. The tea's appearance is flat and spreading, the tea buds are plump and strong, the leaf edges curl slightly upward, the leaf texture is soft, and the size is uniform. The color is emerald green and glossy, the aroma is high and clear, the taste is fresh and mellow, with a sweet aftertaste; the liquor is clear and sparkling, and the brewed leaves are tender green. Tea produced in Qiyun Mountain is further divided into “inner mountain” and “outer mountain”; “inner mountain” refers to places such as Huangshi and Lichong, and “inner mountain” tea is superior to “outer mountain” tea.

“Lu'an Melon Seed tea” is renowned in ancient and modern times, at home and abroad, and also benefits from its unique place of origin, craftsmanship and quality advantages. The main producing area of Lu'an Melon Seed tea is Jinzhai County, an old revolutionary base area; the whole county lies at the northern foot of the Dabie Mountains, surrounded by high mountains, shrouded in mist and clouds, with a mild climate and good ecological vegetation, making it a truly green beverage nurtured in nature. At the same time, the picking of “Lu'an Melon Seed” is also different from others: tea farmers take the tender shoot and strong leaves from the tea branches, so the leaves are thick and mellow in texture and highly nutritious. It is the only slice tea among Chinese green teas that does not pick stems or buds, only leaves.

2. How Much Is Lu'an Melon Seed per jin?

The price of Lu'an Melon Seed tea is affected by various factors, and prices vary greatly; the cheapest is thirty to fifty yuan per jin, and there are also very expensive ones at seven or eight hundred, or even more expensive. Generally, three to five hundred yuan per jin is more common, and there are still great differences among different packaging, brands and qualities.

The most core producing area of Lu'an Melon Seed is Bat Cave, whose quality is the best. At the same time, its price is also relatively high. However, prices also differ greatly. Like loose tea. If it is brand tea. Perhaps the same tea. Different packaging. Different brands. Sometimes the price can be 5000 to 8000 per box or per jin. So sometimes the price of tea is really hard to say, it just depends on how you understand it. Or what use it has; sometimes price cannot represent the quality of the tea or your personal preference. Some teas are hyped up to thousands or tens of thousands per box, but in fact it is not as others say, that the better the tea, the better it tastes; if it is really too early a tea, its juices are not yet that full.

3. Brewing Method for Lu'an Melon Seed

Prepare the tea utensils: a 200ML glass cup, 80 degree boiled water, 5g of Lu'an Melon Seed

Brewing method for Lu'an Melon Seed: first rinse the glass cup with a small amount of hot water, then put in the Lu'an Melon Seed. Next, gently swirl the cup so that the Lu'an Melon Seed awakens in the slightly warm environment. Finally, pour boiled water that has cooled to about 80 degrees into the glass cup (note: pour from high above and lower the kettle when finishing), and a cup of delicious Lu'an Melon Seed is brewed.

For the brewing method of Lu'an Melon Seed, you can first use a small amount of water to moisten the tea leaves; of course, the water temperature is generally around 80 degrees C, because spring tea leaves are relatively tender, and if 100 degrees C is used to brew them, the tea leaves will be damaged, the tea liquor will turn yellow, and the taste will become bitter and astringent; “shaking the aroma” can fully bring out the tea's aroma and allow the contents of the tea leaves to fully dissolve into the tea liquor.

Wait until the tea liquor cools to a suitable temperature for drinking, then taste the flavor of the tea liquor; it is best to sip in small mouthfuls and swallow slowly, so that the tea liquor fully contacts the taste buds on the tongue, and you can carefully appreciate the charm of this famous tea. At this point, using both tongue and nose, you can taste the fresh tea aroma from the liquor, and suddenly feel refreshed and delighted. This is called the first infusion, focusing on tasting the first fresh flavor and tea aroma; when about one third of the tea liquor remains in the cup (it is not advisable to drink it all in the first infusion), add more boiled water, which is called the second infusion.