Keemun Tea
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A Black Tea with an Orchid Frangrance

Keemun tea, with an orchid fragrance that will leave a lasting impression in your memory, is ranked as among the most well-known of Chinese black teas.

This tea provides you with a fruity and wine-like flavour that will thrill your senses, keep your mind alert and memory fresh. This along with balancing energy and serenity throughout the day are just a few of the wonderful health benefits of black tea that you can enjoy when drinking Keemun.

So come and discover more about this interesting tea.

Keemun, the English spelling for Qimen red tea during the colonial era, is a sweet beverage native to Qimen County, in Anhui Province in China. It found its way to the world in 1875 by the hand of a young civil servant named Yu Quianchen. After being dismissed, Quianchen travelled to Fujian eager to know more about black tea processing.

He began producing black tea in Qimen County where, until the mid 1870’s, only green tea was produced. It soon became extremely popular and it is still today an important ingredient in the blend known as English Breakfast.

Keemun tea originates from a singular sub-variety of the tea plant Camellia Sinensis, named zhu-ye-zhing, which contains a unique essential oil, myrcenal, plus aromatic elements that adorn this drink.

Zhu-ye-zhing finds the perfect growing conditions in Anhui Province. Tea gardens are placed in a mountainous area covered by forest, where the low temperature, high humidity and frequent fog come together to create a remarkable loose leaf black tea.

The lack of sun changes the chemical composition of the leaves by increasing the chlorophyll content, much like the Japanese green teas, Matcha tea and Gyokuro tea. All of this will allow you to experience a fruity, sweet and mellow taste and an incredible floral fragrance.

These thin twisted black tea leaves are withered, rubbed and twirled to gain that dark brown colour and then baked dry. Depending on the way it is processed, Keemun tea may offer you several varieties, each with its own characteristics. Let’s have a look:

• Keemun Gongfu or Congou leaves are thin, dark bright and tight shaped, with an enduring aftertaste and an orchid fragrance.


• Keemun Mao Feng surprises you with slightly twisted leaf buds and smoother taste. If you wish to discover all of its different tones, try brewing less tea and let it steep longer, up to seven minutes.


• Keemun Xin Ya is made from an early bud variety, with a less bitter taste.


• Keemun Hao Ya offers beautiful fine buds and it is often considered the highest grade.

Remember that every sip you take of this fruity beverage guides you through a world of health benefits. Come with us and discover the immense power of black tea leaves.

Benefits of Keemun Tea

• Burn fat, build muscle
  
  If you are trying to lose some extra pounds in a healthy way, Keemun tea may be a good weight loss aid. This Chinese weight loss tea has a mellow taste full of antioxidants and low caffeine content, which will accelerate your metabolism, allowing you to burn fat much faster and build muscle.
  
  Nevertheless, combine the health benefits of black tea with a balanced diet and regular exercise to get the results you wish. Feel healthy and enjoy this moment of pleasure.


• Stronger Heart
  
  Those same powerful antioxidants will help you protect your heart by improving your blood flow and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It will also lower cholesterol (LDL) and your blood sugar levels, thus aiding you against diabetes. It is worth a try!


• Coffee Alternative
  
  We understand it isn’t always easy to get up in the morning and that coffee is the fastest solution to get you going. However, the caffeine in coffee is stronger than this and not very healthy. Drinking black tea could be a great coffee alternative for you.
  
  It will give you the boost you need in the morning, while keeping you alert and relaxed at the same time. The caffeine in tea will be gradually released during the day, stimulating your heart and respiratory system.


• Cancer Fighter
  
  Keemun tea has the ability to fight cancer cells, due to the presence of antioxidants, namely polyphenols and catechins. These great allies will inhibit the growth of cancer cells and the development of rheumatoid arthritis, caused by free radicals. So why not try this amazing tea and enjoy the health benefits of black tea right from the start?


• Digestion Aid
  
  Whether you prefer tea bags of loose leaf black tea, Keemun properties will improve your digestion by dissolving excess acidity. Try drinking it during or after meals. Your stomach will thank you and you will feel much better.

Try this Chinese Orchid Tea now!

or check out the selection of keemun tea at amazon.co.uk

Keemun Tea Side Effects

Being a black tea, it also offers you some amount of caffeine which may cause you some side effects. If you overdo it, you may experience insomnia, skin rashes, anxiety, headache, irritability, blurred vision or dizziness.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should also be careful and reduce your caffeine intake, since it has been related to spontaneous abortions, intrauterine growth retardation, low birth weight and birth defects. Always consult your physician to better help and guide you through this important stage of your life.

Now it is time to get to work. To truly savour its fruity and earthy tones and enjoy its health benefits you must brew Keemun tea correctly. Join us while we guide you step by step into the art of brewing.

Drinking Keemun Tea

To fully enjoy this deep red fragrant tea, let’s look at how to brew Keemun tea:

• Begin by choosing the water for your tea. If available, choose spring water. Chemicals and minerals in your tap water may ruin the flavour of your tea.


• Preheat your teapot and cups by rinsing with hot water. Since this is only to help maintain the temperature of your tea, tap water will do fine for this step.


• Now, bring your spring water to a boil (100ºC or 212ºF). Place in your teapot 1-2 teaspoons of Keemun black tea for each 150ml of water.


• Pour the boiling water over your black tea leaves and let them steep for 3 minutes. You may let your Keemun brew a while longer, but remember that this is a black tea, so expect a rather strong taste. We recommend that you first start with short steeping times and progress until you find the flavour that best suits you.


• One of the best things about this tea is that you may reuse the tea leaves. For each additional brew, let your tea steep for a longer period of time.


• Keemun tea is usually drunk simple, without milk or sugar. Always try a new tea without these two additional elements to get a sense of exactly what the tea tastes like, then, if you wish, go ahead and add milk and see how this suits you.

Here’s a tip: Consider purchasing purple clay or porcelain teapots and teacups. It is said that these materials enhance the flavour of your tea.
Take something as simple as water, if you drink it from a glass it will taste differently than if you drink it from a mug. With tea, it’s the same thing.

Discover this tea by yourself or with friends. If you are thinking about hosting a tea party, Keemun tea could be one of your choices. Plunge in this adventure and find out if this beverage is your best black tea.

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”In the Taste of a single cup of tea you will eventually discover the truth of all the ten thousand forms in the universe.”
- Attributed to Kyongbong Sunim, Ch'an (Zen) Master