Mei Zhan Jin Jun Mei

Xiao Zhong black tea is typically harvested in early May, picking one bud and one leaf, or one bud and two to three leaves.

The production process of Xiao Zhong black tea includes:

Withering: Mainly consists of indoor heated withering and sunlight withering.

a. Indoor heated withering: Heated withering takes place in specialized "qing" rooms, also known as "withering rooms." It's a three-story building with upper, middle, and lower floors. The ground floor has no flooring and is used for fire-making. The middle and upper floors have wooden beams with bamboo mats laid across them, where fresh leaves are placed. Hanging racks are installed 30cm below the middle floor's beams, with water sieves for smoking the leaves. Pine wood chips are burned on the ground floor in a "T" shape arrangement. Room temperature is maintained at 20-30°C. Fresh leaves are spread evenly on bamboo mats, 3cm thick (about 2.5kg per square meter), and turned every 20 minutes.

b. Sunlight withering: Withering racks are set up in sunny areas near the primary processing factory, with wooden boards and bamboo mats laid on top. Fresh leaves are evenly spread on the mats about 3cm thick, turned every 10-20 minutes. After 2-3 turns, when leaves become soft and lose their shine, withering is complete.

The best utensils for brewing black tea are white porcelain Gaiwan or white porcelain teapot, with bone china being the ideal choice, which can be paired with a glass serving pitcher and white porcelain tea cups. When the luminous, translucent bone china cup is filled with the bright red, gorgeous tea liquor, one can experience the rising fragrance amidst the ascending mist.

First prepare 5g of dry tea leaves and a pot of boiling water. Rinse the tea ware with boiling water first, discard the water after cleaning, then put 5g of black tea into the Gaiwan. The tea-to-water ratio should be 1:40 or 1:50, with water temperature at 95°C.
For the first infusion, steep for 10-50 seconds. For each subsequent infusion, add one minute to the steeping time.

Generally, Xiao Zhong black tea can be infused 3-4 times. The number of infusions relates to steeping time - longer steeping times result in fewer possible infusions, while shorter steeping times allow for more infusions.

The quality of black tea is determined during the fermentation
process, and if stored properly, its quality remains relatively stable. Black tea has a long shelf life that can last for several years.
The key principles for storing black tea are: avoid light exposure, keep sealed, maintain room temperature, and prevent moisture.

1. Storage Container Selection
Although tea often comes with canisters or bags when purchased, it's best to use professional containers for long-term storage. The ideal containers for tea are made of porcelain, stainless steel, or tinplate. Before placing black tea inside, wrap it in plastic bags and remove air from the bags to better preserve the tea's aroma.

2. Storage Environment Conditions
The storage environment directly affects the quality of tea preservation. The optimal storage environment for tea should be dry, room temperature, and away from light. Additionally, avoid humid conditions, as black tea can easily absorb moisture and deteriorate. Direct sunlight will destroy vitamin C in tea leaves and alter their color and taste; high temperatures will accelerate the breakdown of effective components, reducing nutritional value.

3. Storage Duration
Although black tea can be stored for long periods, even under optimal storage conditions where it can maintain its flavor for 3-5 years, it is still recommended to consume it within 1 year.