At a glance
Jiuqu Hongmei is a Hangzhou black tea associated with Shuangpu in Xihu District. Its name includes Hongmei, or red plum, and older alternative names include Jiuqu Wulong. These names do not by themselves make it plum-flavoured tea or an oolong processing style.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 九曲红梅 |
| Tea family | Black tea |
| Associated origin | Shuangpu, Xihu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang |
| Leaf form | Fine, tight, curved strands likened to small hooks |
Taste and appearance
The original profile describes fine, tightly curved strands resembling small hooks, dark lustrous leaf with some golden hairs, red to bright orange-red liquor and a rich fragrant cup. The higher tier is described as fresh, mellow and lingering in the mouth; lower tiers are mellow and brisk with some sweetness. The plum comparison belongs to the inherited name and fragrance account, not an ingredient guarantee.
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 resembling small silver hooks | Fine, tight strands with tender stems | Tightly curled strands with tender stems |
| Dry-leaf colour | Lustrous black with golden hairs | Lustrous dark leaf | Moderately lustrous dark leaf |
| Liquor | Vivid red | Vivid red | Orange-red and bright |
| Aroma | Rich and fragrant | Rich and fragrant | Clean and sweet |
| Taste | Rich, fresh and mellow, lingering fragrance | Mellow and brisk | Mellow, reasonably brisk |
| Infused leaves | Vivid red, intact sets | Vivid red, intact sets | Tender, even, red and bright |
The price list below uses five inherited picking/season labels, while this sensory comparison has three tiers. No one-to-one equivalence is invented.
Names and origin
The old source names Hubu, Shuangling, Zhangyu, Fengjia, Lingshan, Shejing, Renqiao, Shangyang and Xiayang around Shuangpu, highlighting Dawushan near Hubu. Keep this as the source’s regional account rather than a current authorised-origin register or proof that one hill is always best. Jiuqu Hong, Jiuqu Wulong and Longjing Hong are retained for name recognition. None means every red tea made from a Longjing-associated cultivar or place is automatically this product.
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 curious about Hangzhou black tea beyond the region’s better-known green tea. Choose an identified packet for its actual flavour rather than the prestige of an alternative name or a comparison of fame with Longjing.
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: short gaiwan infusions
The earlier Chinese prose gives a white porcelain gaiwan, 1:20 tea-to-water ratio, 95–100°C / 203–212°F water and a 5-second pour after adding water. It does not specify a tea dose. The example below makes the ratio explicit; its amounts are an editorial illustration of the prose, not measurements inferred from the separate graphic.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 5 g loose Jiuqu Hongmei as an editorial example |
| Actual water | 100 mL / about 3.4 US fl oz, measured; 5 g at 1:20 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe porcelain gaiwan with room for the measured water and leaves |
| Water temperature | 95–100°C / 203–212°F |
| First infusion | 5 seconds, then decant completely; account for filling and pouring time |
| Leaves | Kept separate from the liquid after each pour |
Use your packet’s complete directions first. These inherited methods and editorial examples are awaiting hands-on testing. The earlier five-to-seven-infusion statement is not a guarantee of equal-strength cups. The prose does not specify a leaf rinse; any rinse shown in the separate image is not added silently to this version and is not a validated disinfection step. Let the drink cool enough to sip.
Read the original illustration separately
The original photographs show preheating, about 5 g of tea filled to roughly 80% of the pictured gaiwan’s leaf space, 95°C / 203°F water and a 10-second infusion before decanting completely into a pitcher and serving cups. Actual water and gaiwan capacity are not stated. Leaf-space fraction is not a mass or water ratio; do not infer 1:20 from it. No leaf rinse is shown. Let the tea cool enough to sip; the depicted sipping ritual is cultural guidance, not a health claim.
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
Ask for the actual locality, maker, harvest, ingredients and whether it is a plain or scented product. A hook-like leaf is useful sensory context, not proof of the garden. The old first-picking, pre-Qingming and pre-Guyu price labels are not interchangeable with the three sensory grades.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fine first picking | 2,580 | 516 |
| Pre-Qingming extra grade | 1,320 | 264 |
| Pre-Qingming Grade 1 | 980 | 196 |
| Pre-Guyu Grade 2 | 690 | 138 |
| Pre-Guyu Grade 3 | 380 | 76 |
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 earlier entry uses a sealed foil or kraft-paper pouch inside a closed, dry container such as a tin, kept cool, dry and away from light and smells. Its casual tea-table or bookshelf example assumes those conditions: use a suitable cupboard if a shelf is sunny or near steam. Reseal the inner pouch after taking tea. Plain paper without a moisture-resistant lining is not equivalent to a sealed foil pouch.
Its historical targets were below 25°C / 77°F and below 50% relative humidity, with a 24-month general shelf-life reference. These are legacy figures, not a freshly verified expiry date or a remaining-life prediction for an opened packet. The actual product label, seal and storage conditions take precedence. The earlier ordinary-storage method does not require refrigeration; follow any different instruction for your own product.
In a UK or US kitchen
Keep the packet away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, direct sun and spice containers. A decorative outer tin does not replace the inner seal. Keep a small daily portion separate if that helps resealing the main supply. Do not assume a long shelf life from the tea’s dark colour. For opened-packet handling, read storing an opened packet.
Origin, processing and history
The inherited map shows shaded spreading, withering, rolling, oxidation and baking. It describes a simplified black-tea route despite the older Jiuqu Wulong alias. Local reporting and a merchant’s identified Hangzhou black tea support this family and regional context. Regional cultural history does not prove every retail packet comes from one specified hill or carries a historical award.
Common questions
Is Jiuqu Hongmei an oolong or tea with plums added?
This guide concerns a black-tea style. The older Wulong alternative does not determine the processing family, and Hongmei in the name does not establish added plum. Read the actual ingredients; named regional products can also have separately described scented versions.
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 Longjing, or browse the black 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.