China Xinyang Maojian Green Tea
Slender, downy needles and a mellow chestnut sweetness: Maojian brewed small and strong.
Xinyang Maojian's slender, needle-like leaves are covered in fine white down. Brewed in a small cup with 3 to 4 g of leaf per 150 ml at 80°C, it is mellow and slightly sweet, with chestnut, a sweet aftertaste and a light floral note.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 40 mg in one serving (5–6 oz cup (150–180 ml)), a concentration of 24.2 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
Related gear
Related reading
| Brewing method | Teapot or Tall Glass |
|---|---|
| Brew ratio | 1:42 |
| Dose & yield | 3.9g → 165g |
| Grind size | Slender Needles |
| Water temperature | 176°F / 80°C |
| Target brew time | 2:00-3:00 |
| Serving | 5–6 oz cup (150–180 ml) |
What you need
- 3.9 g loose-leaf green tea
- 165 g filtered water at 80°C
Required gear
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Warm the pot with hot water and pour it away, so the brewing water does not lose heat to cold ceramic.
- 0:10Add 3.9 g of leaf to the pot or basket, leaving room for it to open.
- 0:20Pour 165 g of water at 80°C over the leaf and cover. Start the timer.
- 2:50Remove the leaf or decant completely. Leaf left in the pot keeps extracting and turns the last cup bitter.
What it may be good for
How strong is it?
We list about 40 mg for a 5 to 6 oz (150 to 180 ml) cup, made with a generous 3 to 4 g of leaf per 150 ml.
Small cup, good leaf
A small, generous dose suits fine leaf like this. If you pour into a larger cup, add leaf rather than steeping longer, or the downy leaf will turn bitter.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much tea is right for you.
Xinyang Maojian's slender, needle-like leaves are covered in fine white down. Brewed in a small cup with 3 to 4 g of leaf per 150 ml at 80°C, it is mellow and slightly sweet, with chestnut, a sweet aftertaste and a light floral note.
Origin & Story
Everything about Maojian is small. The best leaf is picked in mid-April, before Grain Rain, in a grade called Yu Qian, and it takes an estimated 50,000 buds to make 500 grams. The finished leaf is thin, round and straight, glossy, and covered in abundant white hairs. Chinese descriptions call it thin, tender and evenly shaped.
The leaves are withered, pan-fired, rolled and dried, steps that fix the green color and shape the leaf into its slender needle. The result is a dark green, fuzzy-tipped leaf that sinks slowly in a clear glass.
Maojian, fur tip, is also the name of a style. Several regions make a fuzzy-tipped green tea of that name, among them Duyun in Guizhou, and Xinyang's is the best known.
In the cup it is mellow and a little sweet, refreshingly brisk, with a long aftertaste: chestnut, a sweet aftertaste, a trace of fresh greens and a light floral note. This page is written for a small cup of 150 to 180 ml, with 3 to 4 g of leaf per 150 ml of water at 80°C for two to three minutes, in a teapot or, better, a tall clear glass. Many guides use 3 to 5 g of leaf in 150 to 300 ml, so there is room to adjust to your taste.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 65/100 |
| Acidity | 35/100 |
| Bitterness | 25/100 |
| Body | 45/100 |
| Aroma | 80/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in China Xinyang Maojian Green Tea?
One serving, 5–6 oz cup (150–180 ml), contains approximately 40 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for China Xinyang Maojian Green Tea?
Target 80°C (176°F).
How long should China Xinyang Maojian Green Tea be extracted?
Timing: 2:00-3:00. Method: Teapot or Tall Glass. Ratio: 3–4g per 150ml water. Grind or leaf format: Slender Needles.
When is Xinyang Maojian picked?
The best leaf is picked in mid-April, before Grain Rain, and is called Yu Qian tea. It takes about 50,000 buds to make 500 grams.
What is Xinyang Maojian made from?
Young shoots of the tea plant, withered, pan-fired, rolled and dried into slender needles covered in white down.
Who should avoid China Xinyang Maojian Green Tea?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much tea is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
Borosilicate Glass Teapot with Infuser
In this recipe: Teapot with room for the leaf to open
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