At a glance
Guilin Maojian is a green tea associated with the tea-research institute at the foot of Yaoshan in Guilin. Its fine strands, pale hairs and fresh mellow flavour are the focus here. A regional selenium reputation is not a measured nutritional claim for every packet or brewed cup.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 桂林毛尖 |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Guilin, Guangxi; Yaoshan and local tea-research institute context |
| Leaf form | Fine, tight green strands with pale hairs |
Taste and appearance
The old table describes fine tight strands in the upper tiers and slightly coarser leaves in Grade 2. Green through yellow-green colour accompanies lasting clean fragrance and a mellow, brisk or full cup. The top liquor cell contains an apparent Chinese transcription error before clear; clarity is retained, but no exact colour is guessed from that garbled word.
The original liquor photograph is withheld because identical pixels were assigned to another tea name. Its named identity could not be confirmed; the original file is preserved.
The cover is the original dry-leaf illustration. These images are not TeaPlain tasting samples or proof of origin, grade, age, authenticity or image rights clearance.
Grade characteristics
This preserves the earlier Chinese edition’s sensory comparison. It is not a complete verified current standard table and does not grade your packet. Plant material, growing area, processing and grade are separate details. Decorative star rankings are omitted.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare the grades.
| Feature | Extra grade | Grade 1 | Grade 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry-leaf shape | Fine, tight strands; visible pale hairs | Tight, fairly fine strands | Fairly tight, slightly coarse strands; some pale hairs |
| Dry-leaf colour | Jade green | Yellow-green | Green-yellow |
| Liquor | Clear; original colour wording is garbled | Pale green and bright | Yellow-green, fairly bright |
| Aroma | Clean, high and lasting | Clean and lasting | Some clean fragrance |
| Taste | Full, mellow, fresh and brisk | Mellow and brisk | Fairly full and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Tender green and bright | Yellow-green, fairly bright | Pale yellow with green; fairly bright |
The old Extra/Grade 1/Grade 2 sensory comparison is retained as an editorial reference. It is not a complete verified current grade standard and cannot grade an individual packet.
Names and origin
The earlier account places development at the Guilin research institute near Yaoshan and the Jingjiang royal tomb landscape. A reviewed local reporting visit supports that association and dates development to the early 1980s; an older tourism description says the early 1970s. The exact first year is therefore not settled here. Reports repeat high-selenium claims without a packet-specific laboratory report, measurement basis or infusion extraction result; those claims are not converted into supplementation or cancer-prevention advice.
Everyday benefits
Brewed without added sugar, this is an ordinary tea drink that can be an alternative to sweetened drinks and contribute to fluid intake. It contains caffeine. These everyday properties do not establish that this named tea treats disease, lowers blood sugar or improves sleep. No TeaPlain clinical or brewing test is claimed here.
Who may enjoy this tea
It may suit someone exploring Guilin Maojian through its described flavour and leaf form. Try a traceable small packet and a complete preparation rather than a health promise or historical ranking.
When to take care
- Caffeine sensitivity or sleep problems: consider your total intake and timing if tea affects your sleep. A pale infusion is not a caffeine-free claim.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding or medicines: ask a clinician or pharmacist about your actual product, caffeine intake and relevant medicine instructions.
- Iron supplements: follow the medicine’s instructions about separating tea from the dose. Do not use tea as treatment for anaemia.
These are product and individual considerations, not a blanket ban based on traditional “hot” or “cold” labels, age, sex or a constitution category.
How to brew
Original prose: heat-safe glass
The earlier method uses a heat-safe glass, 1:50 tea-to-water ratio and 85–90°C / 185–194°F water. It says to refill when about one-third of the liquid remains, and describes roughly three infusions/refills. It supplies no first steeping time. Keep the retained illustration’s method separate below.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 3 g Guilin Maojian as an editorial arithmetic example |
| Actual water | 150 mL / about 5.1 US fl oz, measured water; 3 g at 1:50 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe glass with room for the leaves and actual water |
| Water temperature | 85–90°C / 185–194°F |
| First drinking infusion | No first steeping time recorded in the prose; follow a complete packet method |
| Refill | At about one-third liquid remaining; refilling is different from a full fresh measured batch |
These inherited directions and explicit ratio examples are awaiting hands-on testing. Nominal vessel capacity and a drawn fill fraction do not measure actual water. Three repeat cups is not a guarantee of equal strength. If leaves remain in the glass, extraction continues; transfer or strain if the cup becomes too strong. Let the drink cool enough to sip.
Read the original illustration separately
The graphic gives 3 g, 80–85°C / 176–185°F, 1:50 and a heat-safe glass or porcelain gaiwan. The ratio implies 150 mL actual water by arithmetic. It describes three infusions and purified or mountain-spring water, but supplies no first steeping time, vessel capacity, fill fraction or tea rinse. Use potable water; the wording does not certify untreated spring water. Keep it separate from the old 85–90°C glass prose.
For ordinary teaware options, see brew without a gaiwan. Keep each complete method together instead of selecting temperature, dose and time from different preparations.
Adjust your cup
| What you notice | One change to try |
|---|---|
| Too strong, bitter or drying | Separate the liquid from the leaves; shorten contact time or use less tea next time |
| Weak or watery | Keep the measured water fixed and try a longer infusion before changing the leaf dose |
| Later infusions become stronger | Check whether liquid was left sitting with the leaves |
| Different from a flavour description | Compare the actual product and method; a description is not a promise for every cup |
Change one variable at a time. For a fuller sequence, see fix a disappointing first cup.
How to buy
Check maker, actual growing source, harvest and storage. Ask for a traceable report if a seller charges more for a quantified selenium claim; do not infer an amount in the cup from a general regional description.
See buy your first Chinese tea for packet comparisons.
China price reference
Undated figures retained from the Chinese edition, in Chinese yuan (CNY). No original brand, batch, harvest or quotation date was recorded. These are not verified current retail quotes, a market average or manufacturer-suggested retail prices.
| Chinese-edition tier | CNY per 500 g (one jin) | Equivalent CNY per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Extra grade | 700 | 140 |
| Grade 1 | 450 | 90 |
| Grade 2 | 300 | 60 |
Per 100 g is an arithmetic conversion, not a quoted packet. Do not infer a missing sensory or price tier. Compare actual growing area, style, harvest, roast, weight and channel. A currency conversion does not make a UK or US retail offer comparable to a China historical figure.
How to store
Original storage method
The original method places green tea in a closed foil pouch, gently removes excess air, then puts the pouch inside a lidded iron or tin container upright for refrigerated storage, protected from light, moisture and smells. Check that a paper pouch is actually lined and moisture resistant; plain paper alone is not an airtight moisture barrier.
Its general reference was 12 months, with storage below 10°C / 50°F and below 50% relative humidity. It also described a cool, shaded room-temperature option for tea expected to be finished within two months. These are inherited conditions, not a verified expiry or a remaining-life prediction for an opened packet. Follow the actual maker’s label, package and specified conditions first.
In a UK or US kitchen
If following a product’s cold-storage directions, keep the pack sealed against fridge moisture and food smells, and let it warm while still sealed before opening. Keep a working portion away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, sunlight and spices; reseal after use. Do not apply a refrigerator recipe to another tea automatically. See storing an opened packet for handling.
The original green-tea handling note keeps a separate one-to-two-week working portion to avoid repeatedly warming and opening the bulk cold pack. Portion in dry conditions and seal each pack.
Origin, processing and history
The old map shows picking, spreading, heat fixing, rolling and drying. It does not identify the drying heat source or every modern factory operation. A local on-site reporting visit describes a specific product and preparation, not a universal selenium content or a verified standard for all packets. Conflicting early-1970s and early-1980s dates remain unresolved.
Common questions
Does Guilin Maojian guarantee a measured selenium dose?
No. A regional description or sales claim does not measure your packet or cup. No matching lot-specific laboratory report and infusion result were obtained for this entry. Choose it as tea, not as a supplement or treatment.
Can I move one number from this recipe into a different vessel?
Keep leaf form, measured dose and actual water, temperature, timing and separation together. Nominal capacity or a fill fraction is not a measured ratio.
Compare Lingyun Baihao, or browse the green tea overview.
Editorial notes and updates
Updated 16 October 2026. Valid original descriptions, sensory comparisons, prose and image methods, storage handling, China price figures and usable pictures are retained with their scope. Doubtful medical, ranking and exact historical claims are revised or omitted. Current full grade clauses and historical prices are not certified. Original Chinese-labelled graphics have English reading notes; no TeaPlain tasting or brewing test is claimed. Internal research and image audits record the decisions.