Biluochun Black Tea Explained: It’s NOT What You Think It Is!

Biluochun Black Tea? What is That?!

Just like you, the first time I saw “Biluochun + Black Tea” all together, I was really surprised and a bit confused. I mean, Biluochun is one of China’s most famous green teas, right? So, how can there possibly be a Biluochun Black Tea? It just doesn’t seem to make sense at first glance.

But let me tell you, after I did some serious looking and digging, it turns out there really is such a thing – and it’s a known black tea made in a very clever way! So, come along with me, and let’s learn all about this super interesting Chinese tea. Get ready to have your mind opened a little bit!

What Exactly is Biluochun Black Tea?

First things first, let’s get our facts straight. Biluochun Black Tea is exactly what its name suggests: it’s made from the very same fresh tea leaves that are used for Biluochun Green Tea. The big difference? It’s processed using black tea methods. This means the leaves go through a full fermentation process, which changes them quite a bit.

• The Original Legend: You see, Biluochun is usually a green tea. For a long, long time, it’s been known as one of China’s top 10 famous teas, just like West Lake Longjing. People love it because its leaves are shaped like little spirals, its color is a bright green, and it smells like fruit and flowers. It tastes fresh and smooth.
• A Brand New Idea: But “Biluochun Black Tea” is something new! In recent years, people started wanting more kinds of high-quality black tea. And tea makers thought, “Hey, we have these amazing high-quality tea plants for Biluochun. Why not try something different?” So, they got creative and made this new kind of tea.

So, Biluochun Black Tea is a truly innovative kind of black tea. It still holds onto some of the special natural tastes from the original Biluochun tea leaves. But through fermentation, it gains entirely new smells and flavors. This makes it really stand out in the tea market and offers something very exciting to try!

Where Did This Tea Come From? A Story of Innovation.

The story of Biluochun Black Tea isn’t about old traditions; it’s about new ideas and progress. It’s not a black tea that has been around for hundreds of years. Instead, it was created recently in the very same hometown of the famous Biluochun green tea. Local tea makers, who already knew tons about making green tea, decided to explore a new path.

• The Start (Around 2008): Biluochun Black Tea first came to life around 2008. At that time, tea farmers and masters started trying out new things. They took the same fresh Biluochun leaves but fermented them, just like you would for black tea. This was a huge change – going from only making green tea to trying to make a totally different kind of tea from the same plant!
• The First Pioneers (Dongshan Town Tea Factory): The Dongshan Town Tea Factory is often called the first place to make Biluochun Black Tea. As a top factory in the area, they were the ones who really started the research and development. Their hard work made this new tea possible and showed others what could be done.
• What Makes It Special? Combining the Best Parts! What makes Biluochun Black Tea unique isn’t just that it copies other black teas. Oh no! Its creation combines two really smart ideas:
  • Special Leaves: It uses the original small-leaf tea plants found only in that local area. This is super important because it guarantees high quality and gives the tea its special local taste. You can’t just pick any leaves and call it Biluochun Black Tea!
  • New Technique: It blends the traditional Biluochun frying skills (used for green tea) with modern light-fermentation methods usually for black tea. This mixing of old and new is the secret to its different flavor and smell. It’s a fantastic example of being new and exciting while still respecting history.
• The Idea Spreads (From 2013 Onwards): Starting around 2013, more and more local tea factories joined in. Besides Dongshan Town, others like Jishanghong Tea Factory also began making Biluochun Black Tea. This showed everyone that this new tea was becoming more and more popular and accepted. It stopped being just one factory’s experiment and became a shared effort for the whole area.

In short, the history of Biluochun Black Tea tells us how local tea makers were inspired by their green tea past. Through being creative and using new methods, they took a famous local product and made it big in the wider tea world. Pretty cool, huh?

How Does It Look and Feel? The Physical Features

Let’s look closely at this tea. Its physical features are part of what makes it so special!

• Dry Tea Leaves: When you look at the dry leaves, they are curled up tight, like small spirals. They look dark and shiny, very tightly rolled, and you can clearly see the tender tips. These tips, covered with fine, soft “furs,” are usually a really good sign of young, high-quality leaves.
• Tea Liquor (The Brewed Tea): Once you brew the tea, as you can see in pictures, it has a beautiful bright reddish-orange or amber color. It looks clear, bright, and kind of glossy in the cup. Very inviting!
• Wet Leaves (After Brewing): After soaking in hot water, the leaves open up. People describe them as soft, full of life, and having an even reddish-brown color. They look smooth and complete.

All these physical features together create the special beauty of Biluochun Black Tea and are super important when we judge its quality.

How is Biluochun Black Tea Made? The Secret Steps

The way Biluochun Black Tea is made is truly special. It cleverly brings together the careful steps of making Biluochun Green Tea with the full fermentation that black tea needs.

• Picking the Young Leaves:
  • Young and Tender: As you can see, the leaves chosen are incredibly young, often just a bud and maybe one or two tiny new leaves right next to it. This is the same very high standard used for traditional Biluochun Green Tea. No old, tough leaves here!
  • Best Season: These special leaves are usually picked in the spring. Why then? Because that’s when the buds are at their fullest and packed with all their natural goodness, making the tea the best quality.
• Withering:
  • Purpose: To let some of the water in the fresh leaves slowly dry out. This makes the leaves softer and gets them ready for the next steps.
  • Method: The leaves are spread out thinly on bamboo mats or special trays. They just rest there while the air flows around them at the right temperature.
• Rolling:
  • Purpose: To gently press and break the leaves a bit. This helps their natural juices come out, which is key for fermentation. It also shapes the leaves into those tight spirals we love.
  • Method: Workers roll and press the withered leaves, either by hand or using machines. This step also helps create the tea’s special look and smell.
• Fermentation:
  • Purpose: This is the most important step for black tea! It’s what changes the leaves’ color to that reddish hue and creates the distinct black tea taste and smell. Without it, you just have green tea!
  • Method: The rolled leaves are spread out in a warm, moist place for a specific amount of time. This step is super careful, as it controls the final color, taste, and aroma.
• Drying:
  • Purpose: To use heat to stop the fermentation process and remove any water still left in the leaves. This makes the tea stable so it can be stored for longer without going bad.
  • Method: The leaves are dried slowly, step by step, using low heat until they are completely dry everywhere. This helps make sure the tea stays good.
• Fragrance Enhancement (Sometimes!):
  • Purpose: Sometimes, the tea makers want to make the tea’s smell even better – cleaner and stronger.
  • Method: After the main drying, the leaves might be baked again at a very low temperature. This little extra step really helps bring out the best aroma.

The whole process is carefully connected, step by step. Everything aims to get the best out of those amazing Biluochun tea leaves and turn them into a rich, wonderfully scented black tea.

How to Brew Biluochun Black Tea & How It’s Different From Biluochun Green Tea

So, you’ve got your Biluochun Black Tea. Now, how do you make a perfect cup?

Brewing Biluochun Black Tea

Tools You’ll Need (Teaware):

• Clay Teapot: This is great for keeping the heat in and making the smell of the tea stronger. Perfect for drinking every day.
• Glass Cup or Gaiwan: Using these lets you see the beautiful red color of the tea and watch the leaves opening up. Super if you like watching your tea “dance”!

Water Matters!

• Use soft water, like filtered water or bottled water. This gives you a cleaner, truer taste.

Water Temperature:

• Heat your water until it’s very hot, about 90–95°C (194–203°F). Black tea is fully fermented, so it needs hotter water to really bring out all its flavors and smells.

How Much Tea to Use:

• Use about 3–5 grams of tea for every 150–200 ml of water. You can change this amount depending on how strong you like your tea. It’s all about what tastes best to you!

Simple Brewing Steps:

1. Warm the Cup: Pour some hot water into your cup or teapot to warm it up, then quickly pour it out.
2. Add Tea: Put your tea leaves inside.
3. Rinse the Leaves: Pour a little hot water over the leaves, swirl it around for just a second, and then pour it out very quickly. This “wakes up” the leaves and also gently cleans them.
4. Brew: Now, slowly pour hot water down the side of your cup or pot.
5. Steeping Time:
   1. First brew: Just 15–30 seconds.
   2. Second and third brews: Add another 10–15 seconds each time.
   3. Later brews: You can let it steep longer if you still want more flavor.
6. Enjoy! First, take a moment to smell that wonderful aroma. Then, look at its beautiful color. Finally, take small sips to truly enjoy its sweet, smooth taste.

The Big Difference from Brewing Biluochun Green Tea

This is where things get interesting! You brew black tea differently from green tea.

Feature	Biluochun Green Tea	Biluochun Black Tea
Water Temperature	Use cooler water, around 80–85°C (175–185°F). If the water is too hot, it can burn the leaves and make the tea taste bitter.	Use hotter water, between 90–95°C (194–203°F) or even boiling (100°C/212°F). This helps get its rich taste and strong smell out.
Adding Tea & Water	Often use the “top-down” method: pour water first, then add the leaves. This lets you watch the leaves slowly sink.	Usually use the “bottom-up” method: put the leaves in first, then add water. You can still see the spiral-shaped leaves open, but the main goal here is to get more flavor.
Steeping Time	Steep for a very short time – just a few seconds to 15 seconds for the first brew. This keeps the taste fresh and light.	Needs a longer time – about 15–30 seconds for the first brew. This lets more flavor come out.
How Many Brews?	Often only 2 to 3 brews before the flavor becomes much weaker.	Usually can be brewed more times – about 3 to 5 times, and the taste might change a little with each brew.

See? Even though it’s the same tea plant, the way you treat it makes a huge difference!

Oh, in case you forgot, here’s the detailed Biluochun green tea brewing guide! Enjoy!

What Does Biluochun Black Tea Taste Like? Aroma and Flavor!

This is where the real magic happens!

The Aroma: Elegant, Sweet, with a Hint of Nature

When you bring the cup close, you’ll first notice a gentle but lasting sweet smell – it’s not too strong or fake, but very natural, like honey. You might also catch soft notes of ripe fruit and flowers in the smell, making it really pleasant.

But here’s a hidden gem: what makes it extra special is a light, very quiet touch of pine smoke in the scent. Don’t worry – it’s not a harsh, strong smoky smell like a campfire. Instead, it feels more like the fresh, clean air in a forest after a gentle rain, with a little warm, earthy, and woody feeling. This adds a depth to the tea’s fragrance and brings a peaceful, natural feeling to your cup.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Smooth, Sweet, with a Lasting Sweetness

The very first sip is wonderfully soft, sweet, and incredibly smooth – it just glides over your tongue without any effort. You won’t feel any bitterness at all, so even people who are new to tea can enjoy it right away.

The tea has a really rich and full taste. A pure, natural sweetness slowly spreads in your mouth and stays there long after you’ve swallowed. This sweet taste blends perfectly with the fruity, floral, and light pine notes – creating a warm, cozy, and well-balanced experience that just makes you feel calm and happy inside.

To sum it up: The aroma of Biluochun Black Tea is rich and has many layers – a mix of floral, fruity, honey, and sometimes those unique smoky or baked scents. The taste is smooth, mellow, sweet, and leaves a lovely, long-lasting sweetness in your mouth after you drink it.

Good for You! The Health Benefits of Biluochun Black Tea

Drinking black tea isn’t just about enjoyment; it also offers some nice health benefits!

• Warms Your Stomach: Black tea is fermented, which means it’s usually kinder to your stomach than green tea. It also helps your stomach feel warm, which is really nice in cold weather or if you have a sensitive tummy.
• Boosts Your Energy: Yes, it has some caffeine! This helps wake up your brain and makes you feel more alert and less tired. It’s a gentle pick-me-up.
• Helps Digestion: During the fermentation process, special things in the tea change and can help your stomach work better. This can really improve how you digest your food.
• Anti-Aging and Antioxidants: Even after fermentation, this tea still has many antioxidants. These are like little helpers that protect your body’s cells from damage and might even help slow down aging. Pretty cool, right?
• Other Goodness: Drinking this tea may also be good for your heart, help lower bad cholesterol, and even fight off some germs and reduce swelling in your body.

So, what’s the difference from Biluochun green tea? Have a check the health benefits of green spring snail tea.

Growing Fast! Production of Biluochun Black Tea

As a newer product, Biluochun Black Tea has been doing really well! It has grown steadily and many people in the market now recognize its quality.

• Early Recognition (2012–2013): Even before a lot of it was made, this tea started winning big awards in national tea competitions. This is a very important sign!
  • March 2012: It won first prize at the National Tea Drinking Cup competition.
  • November 2013: It won first prize again at the National China Cup tea contest.
  • These awards really helped people trust the tea and learn more about just how good it is.
• Working Together (After 2013): From 2013, several local tea factories – including the famous Dongshan Town Tea Factory and Jishanghong Tea Factory – started making Biluochun Black Tea together. This teamwork really helped make more tea and improve its quality even further.
• Steady Jump in How Much Was Made (2015–2018): The total amount of black tea made in the town went up very quickly, which is a great sign of popularity!
  • 2015: 10 tons
  • 2016: 22 tons
  • 2017: 23 tons
  • 2018: 26 tons
  • In just three years, the amount made more than doubled! This clearly shows that the tea was becoming more and more popular and people wanted to buy more of it.
• A Growing Local Business: The numbers we see for production often refer to the “whole town.” This means Biluochun Black Tea has become a super important product for the local area. This shared effort helps make new techniques better and builds a stronger local tea brand for everyone involved.

In short, Biluochun Black Tea has really taken off! It started by winning big awards, grew through local teams working together, and kept making more and more tea. It has become a very promising part of the local tea business.

Possible Confusions and Why We Should Understand Them

While I was looking for information, I saw some interesting talks online, especially with people sharing their thoughts on Reddit. It’s pretty normal for new things to cause a bit of head-scratching!

• “Biluochun Black Tea” – What a Name! The name itself caused a lot of discussion because it’s super easy to mix it up with the very famous Chinese green tea, “Biluochun.” It’s like hearing “Apple Orange” – you immediately wonder what’s going on!
• Common Ideas Online:
  • Many people thought it wasn’t a real traditional Biluochun green tea, but just a black tea that borrowed the famous name and cool spiral shape. They sometimes called it “Black Gold Biluochun” or “Black Gold Spiral.”
  • Some also thought this tea didn’t really come from Suzhou (where original Biluochun is from). Instead, they believed it mainly came from other areas like Yunnan, Guangxi, or Anhui, and was just a type of Yunnan black tea.
  • A few people even said this naming might just be a “marketing trick” – using the popular Biluochun name to make more sales.
• But Here’s the Real Story: However, I want to gently say that these views are not completely accurate. From all that I’ve learned, Biluochun Black Tea has been made since around 2008 and was even talked about by CCTV, which is a major official news channel in China. So, it’s definitely a real and recognized tea! (You can even watch a video about it below!)

Still, I don’t think these misunderstandings are totally “wrong.” Why? Because they show us how tea lovers went from being confused by the name to wanting to learn more about the tea – like where it really comes from, how it tastes, and how it’s made. This is a very natural step of being curious and wanting to discover new things.

Even if the answers people found weren’t exactly right or complete, it’s understandable. Chinese tea has so many different kinds, and new teas keep showing up all the time. It’s totally normal to feel a little bit confused sometimes!

Conclusion

The arrival of Biluochun Black Tea is more than just adding another kind of drink to our tea shelves. It’s like starting an interesting mix of what is old and what is new, all in one cup! It gently challenges what we thought we knew about the well-loved traditional Biluochun.

This tea is a great example of how new ideas and old traditions can work together in China’s amazing tea culture. It reminds us that even in a country with such a long and deep history of tea, there are always new surprises waiting for us.

So, the next time you find a new tea that seems a little different but also really interesting, try to keep your mind open. Let your curiosity lead the way! Every new tea, and every new idea, can open a door to a fresh and exciting experience.

It’s not just a drink in your cup. It’s a way to explore history, understand nature, and even catch a glimpse of the future – all from a simple, wonderful brew.