At a glance
Bei Dou is a named Wuyi rock oolong. Its name appears in tea-growing and maker accounts, but does not by itself establish a famous mother-tree lineage, a precise cliff site or a superior grade. Read the producer’s actual product description.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 北斗岩茶 |
| Tea family | Oolong tea |
| Associated origin | Wuyishan, Nanping, Fujian |
| Leaf form | Tightly twisted strip-shaped rock oolong leaves |
Taste and appearance
The earlier comparison describes a rich aroma, orange-yellow liquor and a full cup with returning sweetness and a rock-tea character. Roast can change how those descriptions feel in the cup. The word rock does not mean stones are an ingredient or authenticate a growing site.
The original liquor image is withheld because identical pixels were assigned to another tea name; its named identity could not be confirmed. The file is preserved.
The cover above is the original dry-leaf illustration. Inherited images are not TeaPlain tasting samples or proof of age, origin, grade, 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 name, growing area, roast and grade are different details. Decorative star rankings are omitted.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare the grades.
| Feature | Extra grade | Grade 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Dry-leaf shape | Firm, tight strips | Tightly formed strips |
| Dry-leaf colour | Fresh, lustrous red-brown | Lustrous green-brown |
| Liquor | Orange-yellow and bright | Orange-yellow, fairly bright |
| Aroma | Rich | Fairly rich |
| Taste | Strong and full, returning sweetness and marked rock-tea character | Full and mellow, some rock-tea character |
| Infused leaves | Even green leaves with red edges | Fairly even green leaves with red edges |
Rock-tea character is a sensory term, not independent proof of a cliff location or a mother-tree connection.
Names and origin
This guide concerns Wuyishan in Nanping, Fujian. The old entry’s phrase Quanzhou Wuyishan was a geographical error. It names Beidou peak and the older Beidou No. 1 wording; those details are not proof that every packet was grown on that peak. The exact late-1960s cutting story and three surviving plants were not established by the material obtained and are not presented as verified genealogy.
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
You may enjoy comparing it with other Wuyi rock oolongs if you like substantial, aromatic tea. Choose by the actual roast and cup rather than a highest-quality slogan.
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: porcelain gaiwan or clay pot
The original prose gives a porcelain gaiwan or clay pot, 1:15 tea-to-water ratio, 100°C / 212°F, preliminary wetting/rinse and a 20-second drinking infusion before decanting. It does not specify a measured dose. The example below makes the ratio explicit; its amounts are editorial arithmetic, not measurements inferred from the picture.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 6 g of Bei Dou as an editorial example |
| Actual water | 90 mL / about 3.0 US fl oz, measured for the drinking infusion; 6 g at 1:15 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe porcelain gaiwan or suitable clay pot with room for leaves and actual water |
| Water temperature | 100°C / 212°F |
| First drinking infusion | 20 seconds, then decant completely; account for filling/pouring time |
| Preliminary wetting/rinse | Separate from the drinking infusion, not a validated disinfection step |
Use your actual packet’s complete directions first. These inherited methods and editorial examples are awaiting hands-on testing. The original seven-or-more-infusions statement is not a guarantee of equal-strength cups. Nominal teaware capacity is not actual added water after leaves displace space. Let the drink cool enough to sip; a steeping time is not a measured safe drinking temperature.
Read the original illustration separately
The image fills roughly one-fifth of the vessel with dry leaves, uses 100°C water and immediately discards the preliminary infusion. The first three drinking infusions are about 30 seconds, with later infusions extended by 10–20 seconds. It gives no gram dose, actual water or vessel capacity. A dry-leaf bulk fraction cannot establish a weight-to-water ratio, and thirty seconds differs from the prose’s twenty.
For ordinary teaware, see the brew-without-a-gaiwan guide. Keep each complete method together rather than transferring one high-leaf timing into a larger mug.
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
Keep Bei Dou, growing locality, maker, harvest and roast separate. A source story is not a grade certificate. The earlier price table has three tiers but the sensory table has only two; neither supplies missing details for the other.
Compare actual packets using buy your first Chinese tea.
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
For unopened small pouches, the source places the sealed pouches inside a tin. For bulk tea, it uses a foil pouch with excess air gently removed and the seal closed, followed by a lidded tin or porcelain container. Its vacuum-packing option is a packaging method, not an instruction to crush brittle leaves in a home vacuum sealer. Keep it cool, dry, away from smells, moisture and light.
The earlier tea-table or bookshelf example assumes those conditions; choose a cupboard if the shelf is sunny or near kitchen steam. The historical targets were below 25°C / 77°F, below 50% relative humidity, and a general 24–36-month shelf-life reference. These are legacy figures, not a freshly verified expiry or a remaining-life prediction for an opened packet. Follow the actual product label and seal/storage conditions.
In a UK or US kitchen
Keep daily use away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam and spice containers, and reseal after each use. Roast style and packaging vary; do not carry a different oolong’s refrigerator advice into this packet without checking its label. No home re-roasting or ageing guarantee is prescribed. See storing an opened packet for everyday handling.
Origin, processing and history
Bei Dou is covered here as a Wuyi rock oolong. This distinguishes its processing family from its tea-plant name and any lineage story. The original article supplied no process picture; no other tea’s diagram is borrowed to fill that gap.
Common questions
Is Bei Dou automatically mother-tree Da Hong Pao?
No such identity is established by the Bei Dou name alone. Ask the seller for its cultivar, growing area and production information. Do not turn an unverified cutting story into an authenticity test or pay for a genealogy the product cannot document.
Does a high-leaf gaiwan method transfer directly to my mug?
No. Keep tea amount, actual water, temperature, timing and separation together. Use the complete directions for your product and vessel.
Compare Da Hong Pao, or browse the oolong 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.