BiLuoChun Green Tea: Origin, Picking Season, and How to Brew It
What is BiLuoChun?
BiLuoChun (碧螺春, "green snail spring") is a classic Chinese green tea. Its leaves are rolled into small, tight curls and covered in fine white down. The cup is sweet and floral, with a soft finish that stays after you swallow.
Origin: Dongting Mountain
Cha Wu's BiLuoChun comes from Dongting Mountain, the traditional home of the tea, on Lake Tai near Suzhou in Jiangsu province. In Dongting Mountain tradition, tea is often grown near fruit trees, and that landscape is part of how people talk about BiLuoChun's floral-fruity character.
Picking season: spring tea only
We make BiLuoChun from spring tea only. BiLuoChun is traditionally picked very young in early spring, as tender buds with a small first leaf, which is why it takes so many shoots to make a small amount of dry tea.
What it looks like: curls and white down
- Shape: tightly curled, small spirals
- Color: green and white
- Touch: dry and crisp
- Down (tea villus): plenty of fine white hairs. Some will fall off and collect in the bag. That's normal tea down from young spring buds, not mold or dust.
What it tastes like
- Aroma: sweet, flower-like, fresh
- Liquor: smooth and thick
- Taste: sweet, with a little astringency
- Finish: a floral note lingers in the mouth, and lasts longer at higher grades
Expect the first infusion to look a little cloudy. That's the down lifting into the water.
How to brew BiLuoChun (cup and gaiwan)
Green tea wants gentle water: 80–85°C / 176–185°F, never a rolling boil.
Simple cup or glass
- Leaf: about 3 g
- Water: 300–350 ml at 80–85°C / 176–185°F (about 1:100)
- Time: start tasting at 1 minute. Wait another 2–3 minutes if you like it stronger.
Gaiwan (gongfu style)
- Leaf: 3–4 g
- Water: 100–120 ml at 80–85°C / 176–185°F
- Infusions 1–3: about 5 seconds each
- Infusion 4 onward: 8–10 seconds
- Resteeps: about 6
Avoid: too much leaf plus long, very hot steeps. Our own test (5 g in 100 ml at 100°C for 15+ minutes) gives a very bitter cup.
Tip (optional): in a glass, some people add the water first and then drop the leaves on top. The downy curls sink slowly and open evenly.
How Cha Wu grades BiLuoChun
Cha Wu grades by Tea-Feel Fullness (茶感饱满度): how complete and lasting the feel of the cup is, from the front of the mouth toward the throat, on our C · B · A · S · X scale. Our BiLuoChun is offered in B (everyday, full and satisfying) and A (smooth across the whole palate, reaching the base of the tongue). The floral flavor describes the tea's character. It doesn't set the grade.
Storing BiLuoChun
Keep it dry, sealed, and out of sunlight. For longer storage we suggest the refrigerator or freezer (around −18°C), well sealed. Let the bag reach room temperature before opening. Every bag includes a sealing clip.
→ Shop BiLuoChun Green Tea Loose Leaf
→ In the US: BiLuoChun on Amazon · Cha Wu WarmSun Amazon store
FAQ
Where does BiLuoChun tea come from?
BiLuoChun comes from Dongting Mountain on Lake Tai, near Suzhou in Jiangsu province, China. Cha Wu's BiLuoChun is sourced from Dongting Mountain.
When is BiLuoChun picked?
BiLuoChun is a spring tea, picked as very young buds and first leaves in early spring. Cha Wu makes its BiLuoChun from spring tea only.
What water temperature is best for BiLuoChun?
Brew BiLuoChun at 80–85°C (176–185°F). Hotter water can make the cup bitter and flatten the floral sweetness.
How much BiLuoChun should I use?
Use about 3 g of BiLuoChun for 300–350 ml of water in a cup, or 3–4 g for 100–120 ml in a gaiwan. Start tasting after 1 minute in a cup, or after 5-second infusions in a gaiwan.
Why is there white fuzz in my BiLuoChun?
The white fuzz is tea down (villus), fine hairs on young spring buds. It's normal for BiLuoChun, and some falls off into the bag. It isn't mold.
What does BiLuoChun taste like?
BiLuoChun tastes sweet and floral, with a smooth, thick liquor, light astringency, and a floral aftertaste that lingers.