Gong Mei
贡眉 · Tribute Eyebrow
White
Two careless brothers in Nankeng picked their garden without sorting anything, buds and big leaves tumbling into the basket together. The rough tea that came out was called shou mei, longevity eyebrow.
An official liked it enough to send some to the emperor, and tea sent to an emperor needs a grander name, so gong mei it became. Tribute eyebrow. The carelessness stayed in the leaf.
White tea rewards patience more than any other kind. There is an old line about it here. One year a drink, three years a medicine, seven years a treasure. It is dried flowers and honey, creamy and calm.
- dried flowers
- honey
- creamy
- Origin
- Zhenghe / Zhangdun, Fujian, China
- Water
- 95°C / 203°F
- Ratio
- 5 g / 100 ml
- Caffeine
- Low
- Rinse
- Not needed
white-tea grade canon; Zhangdun GI
How much leaf
Gong fu brewing is leaf-heavy and short. Set your gaiwan or pot size and this is what to weigh out.
Vessel volume
100 ml
Recommended dose
Use ~5.0g of tea
The session
6 infusions, about 5m of total contact time.
- Steep 130sA dried-flower calm, waking.
- Steep 235sA dried-flower hush, waking.
- Steep 340sHoney warms the faded flowers.
- Steep 450sA creamy sweetness fills out.
- Steep 51m 5sFruit and herb round the honey.
- Steep 61m 20sA calm sweetness settles long.
Also sold as
Gongmei, Gong Mei White
Nearby in the family
- Shou Mei · grade sibling
Steaper times this session for you
A countdown per infusion, a gong when each one is up, and the whole library in your pocket. Coming to iPhone.
Get notified at launchThese numbers are a median of independent gong fu sources, not a law. Leaf age, vessel and water all move them. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.