What is Gunpowder Green Tea?

January 13, 2020

If you ever visited an

Asian grocery store in
search for green tea,
you may have
stumbled upon
Gunpowder tea.
Together with Chinese
sencha, Gunpowder is
a green tea that
almost every tea lover
tried at least once in
life. Today,
Gunpowder is
available in many tea
shops around the
world, and still enjoys
popularity because of
its flavor, versatility
and potential benefits.
What exactly is
Gunpowder tea?
Facts:
1. Gunpowder is one
of the most versatile
green teas in the
world–you can drink
 it with milk, it’s great
for blending, you can
add it to cocktails, or
cold-brew it
2. The original name
of this tea is “pearl
tea”
3. The most similar
tea to Gunpowder is
Chun Mei or Zhen
Mei tea.
 4. Some tea
traditions around the
world are based on
Gunpowder tea
5. Gunpowder is one
of the older green
tea types

Is gunpowder tea a type of green tea?

Yes, Gunpowder, just

like all real teas, is
made from camellia
sinensis plant. It’s one
of the most popular
green teas in the
western countries. It’s
origin is the Chinese
Zhejiang and it has
a very unique and
recognizable leaf
shape and flavor.
Today, Gunpowder is
produced in other
provinces as well, and
even in other countries
too.
Gunpowder tea is one
of the best examples
of an everyday
affordable tea that will
never go out of
fashion. There are
different grades of
Gunpowder tea, and
just as any other
type, it can be
made from younger or
more mature leaves,
from different harvests
and in different regions
and countries.
Today, Gunpowder is
still a staple green tea
in many households.
In the past, it was one
of the most important
export teas. Even the
tea traditions in some
countries in the world
are based on
Gunpowder. For
example, famous
Moroccan mint tea is
made with Gunpowder
tea and fresh mint.
Pinhead
Gunpowder green tea

What is gunpowder green tea?

Gunpowder is a
Chinese green tea
with leaves tightly
rolled into little pellets.
Chinese word for this
tea is zhu cha – or
pearl tea. In western
countries it’s always
called Gunpowder,
also because of the
leaf shape. It’s
believed that
Gunpowder first
appeared during Tang
Dynasty, more
than 1000 years ago,
making it one of the
oldest green tea types
in the world and one of
the first green teas
exported from China.
Nowadays,
Gunpowder is one of
the first green teas tea
drinkers try. As the
drinking preferences
changed over time,
this green tea is now
more often replaced
by much lighter and
delicate teas.
However, it’s still
irreplaceable in some
cultures. For
example, Moroccan
Mint tea would never
had such a refreshing
and unique flavor
without gunpowder
tea. Light green
teas would not be able
to hold the flavor of the
mint so well.

Caffeine content of gunpowder tea

Caffeine content of
Gunpowder tea will
depend on many
factors. For example,
if a tea is made from
older, more mature
leaves, it’s likely to
have less caffeine
than the one made
from younger
leaves. High quality
tea is usually
made from younger
leaves, so it should
naturally have a
bit more caffeine.
You may be able to tell
if your tea has more or
less caffeine by
looking at how green
and small the pellets
are. Smaller pellets
may indicate fresher
younger leaves,
while darker bigger
pellets are usually
made from more
mature leaves that
have less caffeine.

Gunpowder tea health benefits

Gunpowder is not only

one of the most
popular green teas in
the western countries,
it’s one of rare teas
that was a subject of
many scientific
studies. Studies have
shown that
Gunpowder may have
antiviral, antibacterial
and anticancer
properties[1].
One study showed
that Gunpowder green
tea may have a higher
antioxidant capacity
than Dragon Well or
even Japanese
sencha[2]. The same
study showed that
teas from Chinese
Zhejiang may have a
higher anti oxidative
ability than those from
other regions. The
total amount of
catechins will depend
on many
factors – from the
growing area to
the type of leaves and
brewing method. To
extract the most
catechins from green
tea and still get a
pleasant cup, brew tea
for 3-5 minutes with a
water temperature of
around 176°F.
Moreover, green tea
has been studied
against many viruses,
bacteria and fungi,
including Influenza
virus, Herpes simplex,
Candida albicans and
Helicobacter pylori,
where it showed
inhibitory properties
and reduction of side-
effects[3].
Potential benefits of
Gunpowder green
tea include:
1. Antiviral activity [4]
2. Antimutagenic
activity[5]
3. Strong chelating ac
tivity[6]
4. Anti-inflammatory
properties
5. Antifungal
activity[7]
6. Strenghtening
immune system[8]
7. Increasing bone
density[9]
8. Increasing fat
oxidation
9. Anticancer activity
10. Lowering
cholesterol
 11. Antibacterial
activity
12. Lowering blood
sugar
13. Protecting
against heart attacks
and strokes

How to brew Gunpowder green tea?

Boil fresh spring water

in a clean kettle.
Preheat your teaware
by pouring hot water in
and out. Measure
about 3-4 grams of tea
leaves per cup of
water. Wait until the
water temperature
drops to around 176°F
and steep for about 3
minutes. Strain and
drink. Gunpowder
blends amazingly well
with fresh ingredients
like mint and
lemongrass so try
making your own
blend if you are in the
mood for
experimenting. You
can add a spoon of
honey if needed, but
avoid adding milk to a
regularly brewed tea.
Gunpowder is one of
the strongest green
teas in the world. It
has a deeper yellow
color and stronger a
light smokey note. It
can become bitter if
over-brewed, so pay
attention to the water
temperature and
steeping time.
However, that’s what
makes it ideal for iced
tea too – a cup that
will have enough
green tea flavor, is
strong enough to carry
other notes too, and
goes well with a
natural sweetener or
lemon.
Extra idea:

Gunpowder is perfect
for making Pink Milk
tea. Because of the
high levels of
chlorophyll, this tea
will develop a vibrant
pink color in contact
with the bicarbonate of
soda. All you need is a
small saucepan,
bicarbonate of soda
and some spices
(optional). Make sure
to boil the tea leaves
for at least 20-30
minutes and add very
cold water later. Find
the recipe here.

Best Authentic Milk Tea Recipes

October 3, 2019
Is there anything more
soothing than a cup of
warm milk tea during
cool autumn days? Or
any days in fact. From
China to Malaysia,
India and Oman,
Somalia and the tops
of the Himalayan
Plateau, milk tea is the
ultimate warming and
soothing drink in the
world. Learn about
different types of milk
tea and try out our milk
tea recipes to make
the best authentic cup
at home.

Milk Tea Recipes from around the World

Boba Tea

The most popular milk

teas come from
Taiwan and India-
Boba or Bubble Milk
Tea and Indian Chai
Tea are already a
common assortment of
many cafes, tea shops
and restaurants. Boba
Milk Tea was invented
only about 30 years
ago in Taiwan and
managed to win over
hearts of many tea
and drinkers. It’s
available in all colors,
contains tapioca
pearls, real tea, milk
and usually fruit
syrups. Options for
making Boba Milk tea
are countless, and you
can use almost any
type of tea and any
fruit flavor you wish. In
fact, nowadays,
Bubble Teas don’t
always include real
tea. Even tapioca
pearls may be
replaced with other
ingredients like fruit
jelly. Boba Milk Tea
can be served hot or
cold, with cold types
very popular during
summer.
Chai Tea

Unlike Boba Tea, Chai

Tea should be hot.
The only ingredient
authentic types share
is the real black tea.
Chai is always made
with milk, while for
Boba Tea you may
use may different
creamers, milk or half
and half. The tea for
making those two teas
is also different. While
Chai needs a strong
black tea like Assam,
Boba might taste
better with milder
black leaves. When
Chai Milk Tea is made
with a mix of traditional
spices, it is called Chai
Masala, although
nowadays, the word
Chai usually implies
spices too. An
important part of
making a real
authentic drink is
adding the right
amount of spices,
whole milk and sugar.
However, India is not
the only country with
the tradition of drinking
chai. Many countries
have their own
authentic and
traditional versions–
from Kenya to Yemen.
Yemen Milk Tea is
usually made with
evaporated and
condensed milk, and
Kenyan with more milk
and sugar than Indian
Chai, and often
without spices, served
at room temperature.
Teh Tarik

Teh Tarik is the

Malaysian take on
pulled tea, with strong
black tea and
condensed milk. It’s
very similar to Chai,
however, it contains
condensed or
evaporated milk and
no spices.
Hong Kong Milk Tea

Hong Kong milk tea is

a tasty drink made of
evaporated milk and
several types of black
tea, sometimes
including pu’erh tea
too. The common
blend includes Orange
Pekoe, Broken Leaf
and Earl Grey. Not
surprisingly, milk tea
offer in Hong Kong
doesn’t stop here.
Another unusual tea is
a blend of milk, tea
and coffee called
Yuenyeung, made by
mixing a part of coffee
with almost two parts
of milk black tea. As
Yuenyeung is not an
old traditional recipe
but quite a new
invention, the choice
of milk ranges from
fresh whole milk to half
and half and
evaporated milk.
Other Milk Teas from Around the World

The most popular

milk green tea is
Japanese Matcha
Latte. It’s often served
in a latte style, with
foam on the top.
Matcha Latte doesn’t
need any sugar,
because the green tea
powder has a lot of
flavor and freshness
that don’t need any
sweetener. Butter Tea,
a traditional Tibetan
drink, is made with
pu’erh tea, salt and
yak butter, or
sometimes yak milk.
Similar version
appeared a few years
ago in the U.S., called
Bulletproof Tea, with
tea, oil and butter
blended into a brew
very popular for keto
dieters.  Another type
of Keto Milk Tea uses
heavy cream, an
ingredient that is rarely
used for other milk tea
types. The most
beautiful milk tea in
the world is very likely
Kashmiri Chai, a pink
milk tea made
with Gunpowder green
tea and baking soda.

Pink Kashmiri Milk Tea

How to Make the Best Milk Tea

To make the best Milk

Tea, you will need to
choose both tea and
milk carefully. Strong
broken leaf black teas
are usually the best
choice because their
robust flavor will blend
well with additional
ingredients. CTC types
with very small leaves,
or even tea dust in tea
bags can be used too.
A great option for
making a herbal
caffeine free milk tea
is rooibos, also with a
strong robust flavor,
but a lot of sweetness
and no bitterness at
all. Unlike most herbal
teas, rooibos can
handle both milk and
spices.
Boba Milk Tea Recipe (Bubble Tea)

Ingredients
 1 cup of water
 3-4 teaspoons
of black tea
 A few spoons of
sugar syrup
 A cup of black
tapioca pearls
 Water for boiling
tapioca
 1-2 cups of whole
milk
 Ice cubes
Recipe
Cook tapioca pearls
following instructions
on the packaging.
Although you may use
different pearls, opt for
medium-sized ones.
When they all floated
to the top, strain and
put under running cold
water. Either mix them
with sugar syrup or
leave as they are and
add all ingredient
separately. You can
replace sugar syrup
with a mix of brown
sugar and water,
honey, fruit syrups,
etc.
Steep the tea in one
cup of boiled water for
around 5-10 minutes
and strain. You can
adjust the amount of
tea leaves or choose
other tea types.
Flavored teas are a
wonderful option for
making Boba Milk Tea,
as they will give you a
chance to try hundreds
of different flavors
combined with milk.
Pour the tea evenly
into two-three cups
evenly. Add syrup if
you haven’t mixed it
with pearls. Add milk
and 1-2 spoons of
tapioca pearls. If you
want your Boba Tea
cold, add ice cubes
before adding tapioca
pearls. Serve with a
big straw.
Best for:
  If you are looking for
tea that’s less of a
drink and more of a
dessert,
 if you want to
experiment with
flavors, milk types,
tea types or tapioca
pearls or
 prefer to drink your
milk tea cold
Teh Tarik Recipe
Ingredients
 2 teaspoons
of Nuwara Eliya
black tea
 2 cups of water
 2-4 spoons of sweet
condensed milk
Recipe
In a saucepan, bring
water to a boil and add
tea leaves. Cover and
steep for about 5-10
minutes. Strain and
add condensed milk.
As this is a pulled tea,
pouring from one cup
to the other is
important to create the
perfect texture and
foam. Pour the milk
tea from one cup into
another for at least 4-5
times before serving.

Teh Tarik
Best for:
  if you want a very
simple sweet milk
tea
 if you don’t have too
much time
Best Chai Milk Tea Recipe

Ingredients
 1 inch of fresh ginger
 2-5 cloves
 5-8 cardamom pods
 1 teaspoon of
crushed cinnamon
bark
 2 spoons of Assam
black tea
 2 cups of water
 1 cup of whole milk
 1-3 spoons of brown
sugar
Chai Milk Tea with Spices

Recipe
With Chai, there are
many authentic
recipes, with each
region having different
ratios and types of
spices. You may
replace fresh ginger
with the powdered
one, but fresh
ingredients will always
give a better flavor.
Use a pestle and
mortar to crush the
spices to extract as
much flavor as
possible.
Add water to a
saucepan and bring to
a boil. Reduce the fire
and add spices and
tea leaves. Simmer for
a minute or two, then
add milk. Simmer for
around 20 minutes.
Add sugar and stir
until it’s dissolved.
Remove from fire and
strain.
Best for:
 If you want the most
warming milk tea in
the world
 If you love spices
Need more ideas on
how to make Chai Tea
Latte? Find them
here: 5 Easy
Homemade Chai Tea
Latte Recipes
Hong Kong Milk Tea Recipe

Ingredients
 2 ½ to 3 cups of hot
water
 3 teaspoons
of Orange Pekoe tea
and 3 teaspoons
of Blue Lady Grey or
 a combination of
other strong Indian
or Sri Lankan black
teas
 ¼-1/3 cup of
evaporated milk per
serving
 ½ – 1 teaspoon of
condensed milk per
serving or
 sugar/sweetener to
taste
Recipe
The choice of tea
leaves for Hong Kong
Milk Tea is very
important. This tea is
the boldest, the
strongest and the
darkest of all
mentioned milk teas.
Choose tea types with
broken small leaves or
crush the leaves
yourself. Add about 2
½ to 3 cups of hot
water into a saucepan
and bring to a boil.
Reduce the fire and
add tea leaves.
Simmer for about 15
minutes. Strain the tea
and mix with milk. You
can enhance the flavor
by pouring the tea
from one cup into the
other.
Best for:
 If you want a strong
and bold milk tea
 If you want to
experiment with tea
types
Loose Leaf Tea