At a glance
Gulao is a historical Guangdong green-tea reference from Heshan. Its range includes descriptions of needle-like Yinzhen and rounded hooked forms. Silver Needle in a local name does not automatically identify a white tea.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 古劳茶 |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Gulao, Heshan, Jiangmen, Guangdong |
| Leaf form | Worked green tea; needle-like and rounded hooked forms occur in the historical account |
Taste and appearance
The earlier grade table describes rounded, hooked, douchi-grain-like leaves, dark-green colour and green bright liquor. High or tender fragrance accompanies a mellow cup, with returning sweetness in the upper tier. Douchi is a shape comparison, not a claim that fermented soybeans were added. Needle-like and rounded forms should not be collapsed into a single compulsory shape.
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 | Rounded and hooked, douchi-grain comparison; a few hairs | Rounded and hooked; a few hairs | Rounded and hooked |
| Dry-leaf colour | Dark green | Dark green | Dark green |
| Liquor | Green and bright | Green and bright | Green, fairly bright |
| Aroma | High and lasting | Tender, high and long-lasting | Tender fragrance |
| Taste | Mellow, returning sweetness | Mellow | Mellow |
| Infused leaves | Fine, tender and even | Fine, tender, fairly even | Even |
The three inherited sensory tiers are retained as an earlier editorial comparison. No complete current product-specific grade standard was verified for this table. They do not establish a universal ranking or certify a packet.
Names and origin
The old origin list gives Lishui, Chashan, Maishui and Xialu around Gulao in Heshan. Municipal material distinguishes green-budded Qingrui and red-budded Hongrui plant types and discusses Gulao Yinzhen; the agricultural encyclopedia separately distinguishes long needle and rounded hooked forms. Bud colour is plant material, not proof of black-tea processing. Exact ancient introduction stories remain historical accounts rather than a verified continuous product 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
It may suit someone exploring Gulao Tea through its described flavour and leaf form. Compare a complete packet method and an actual small sample, rather than treating a grade label or traditional reputation as a health recommendation.
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 Gulao Tea 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 original graphic uses a heat-safe glass, 3 g, 85°C / 185°F and 1:50, implying 150 mL actual water by arithmetic. Start with water to one-third of the glass, gently swirl, fill to seven-tenths and leave 2–3 minutes. Refill when about one-third remains; it describes roughly three infusions. No vessel capacity or tea-rinse step is supplied. A drawn fill fraction does not independently measure actual water.
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 whether the packet is needle-like Gulao Yinzhen or a rounded worked form, and check maker, growing source, harvest and processing. Qingrui and Hongrui describe bud types; neither is a universal retail grade.
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 | 450 | 90 |
| Grade 1 | 300 | 60 |
| Grade 2 | 220 | 44 |
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 map labels picking, spreading, heat fixing, hand rubbing/rolling, pan finishing and baking dry. Reviewed agricultural manufacture descriptions distinguish long needle-shaped and ordinary rounded Gulao styles, with different picking and working details. The three old table tiers are not silently equated with those historical product forms. Neither a red-budded plant type nor a local Silver Needle name determines a black- or white-tea process.
Common questions
Is Gulao Silver Needle necessarily a white tea?
No. The reviewed historical manufacturing description includes pan fixing and worked green-tea forms. The name Silver Needle alone does not identify white-tea processing. Check the actual maker and product description.
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 Yingde Green Tea, 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.