At a glance
Rizhao Hongmei is a named Rizhao black-tea reference whose older profile highlights a honey-like and winter-flower aroma. It overlaps with the regional Rizhao Black Tea entry, but should not be assumed to identify every black tea from the city or to contain plum fruit.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 日照红梅 |
| Tea family | Black tea |
| Associated origin | Rizhao, Shandong; the old source names Houcun, now described in Donggang |
| Leaf form | Tightly worked, lustrous dark strands |
Taste and appearance
The preserved comparison describes tight, even dark strands, lustrous black colour, bright vivid red liquor and a high honey-like fragrance, with a distinctive winter-flower comparison in the top tier. The cup is thick, smooth, fresh and mellow; infused material is fine and tender. The old promise of more than seven infusions without a change in flavour is not treated as a tested guarantee.
The original liquor and infused-leaf 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 | Tight and even | Tight and clean | Tight, with broken stems |
| Dry-leaf colour | Lustrous black | Lustrous black | Dark, with ordinary lustre |
| Liquor | Vivid red and bright | Vivid red | Lustrous red |
| Aroma | High, distinctive honey and winter-flower fragrance | Honey-like fragrance | Honey-like scent |
| Taste | Thick, smooth, fresh and mellow | Full, mellow and smooth | Full and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Fine, tender and bright | Tender and even | Fine and tender |
The inherited Hongmei comparison differs from the broader Rizhao table and is retained separately. It is not a verified current exclusive brand standard or proof of added plum or flowers.
Names and origin
The original places Houcun in Lanshan; current district-origin reporting and local news identify Houcun as Donggang District, Rizhao. A 2015 company profile separately describes Lanrun’s own Rizhao Hongmei product series and development claims. That is a named company’s account, not proof that all Hongmei or regional black tea uses its technique. An exclusive current brand boundary and the claimed patent status have not been independently established here.
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 interested in a honey-like, floral-fragrant Rizhao black-tea style. A smooth cup or repeated infusions do not make it a treatment for stomach complaints or prove that every infusion stays equally strong.
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 Rizhao 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
This original graphic differs from the general Rizhao graphic: it gives 100°C / 212°F, 5 g per cup and a 1:50 ratio, which arithmetically means 250 mL actual water for 5 g. It names porcelain gaiwan or purple-clay pot and claims nine infusions, but supplies no first steeping time or vessel capacity. Do not borrow the separate prose’s 5-second timing or 1:20 ratio to fill those gaps. Use a complete packet method. Pure or spring water must still be potable.
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 maker, origin, ingredients, harvest and product grade. Distinguish a company’s named Hongmei series from generic regional wording. A patent, award or exclusive-brand claim needs its own evidence; it cannot be established from the tea’s aroma or the inherited comparison.
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 | 600 | 120 |
| Grade 1 | 400 | 80 |
| Grade 2 | 280 | 56 |
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 original map separates initial making—picking, withering, rolling, oxidation and drying—from refining: sieving, air sorting, stalk removal, reheating and blending/packing. It does not establish the parameters of a named maker’s claimed special technique or prove patent validity. The old promotional superlative and unchanged-flavour infusion promise are not used as verified conclusions.
Common questions
Does Hongmei mean the tea contains plum fruit or flowers?
The name and old fragrance comparison do not establish ingredients. Read the actual pack. This profile concerns black tea, not a recipe for adding fruit or blossoms. The exact maker and ingredients matter more than translating the name literally.
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 Rizhao Black Tea, 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.