How to brew Silver needle
Bai Hao Yin Zhen, all buds.
Whole buds release slowly, so the first steep is long even at moderate heat.
Starting recipe
| Setting | Western (mug or teapot) | Gongfu (small pot or gaiwan) |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 176–194°F (80–90°C) | 176–194°F (80–90°C) |
| Leaf | 1.5–3 g per 100 ml | 5–7 g per 100 ml |
| Steepdial starts at | 185°F (85°C) · 5 g · 250 ml | 185°F (85°C) · 5 g · 100 ml |
| First steep | 2:00–6:00 | 0:15–0:45 |
| A whole session | 4:00 · 5:00 · 6:00 | 0:25 · 0:20 · 0:25 · 0:35 · 0:45 · 1:00 · 1:30 |
The details
Rinse
Not needed. Start with the first steep.
Drinking window
Keeps well: at its best for about 12 months once opened. Fresh aromatics fade, but white tea can also be aged on purpose: put it on the Aging Shelf if that's your plan.
Caffeine
Contains caffeine. How much depends on the leaf, the water temperature and the steep time; the style alone is a poor guide.
Iced and cold brew
Cold brew: 1.3 g per 100 ml of cold water, in the fridge for about 6 hours. Keep it cold and drink it within a day or two. For iced tea now, brew a concentrated hot cup (the same leaf in half the water) and pour it over an equal weight of ice; Steepdial accounts for the ice in the total water.
How Steepdial adjusts
After a session you tap what you'd change: more flavor, less bitter, less drying. Steepdial changes one thing at a time, staying near the ranges above, and remembers what worked for that tea.
Short steeps and pour time
The first gongfu steep is 0:25. If your pot takes several seconds to empty, start pouring a little early, or turn on the pour cue in Steepdial.