At a glance
Xiaobu Rock Tea in this entry is a green tea associated with Xiaobu in Ningdu, Jiangxi, combining pan working and baking. The Rock Tea name does not make it a Wuyi oolong, and a maker’s wider product range may include other tea families.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 小布岩茶 |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Xiaobu, Ningdu, Ganzhou, Jiangxi |
| Leaf form | Slightly flat, curved eyebrow-like green shoots with pale hairs |
Taste and appearance
The old comparison describes curved eyebrow-like shoots, slightly flat in the upper tiers, visible pale hairs and yellow-green colour. Orchid-like clean rich fragrance and full fresh mellow taste accompany yellow-green liquor. Orchid is a sensory comparison, not an added flower ingredient established by the name.
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 | Fine eyebrow curve, slightly flat, visible pale hairs and elegant tips | Fine eyebrow curve, slightly flat, some pale hairs | Fine eyebrow curve, some pale hairs |
| Dry-leaf colour | Yellow-green, visible hairs | Yellow-green, visible hairs | Yellow-green, some hairs |
| Liquor | Yellow-green and bright | Yellow-green, fairly bright | Yellow-green |
| Aroma | Orchid-like clean fragrance, rich and lasting | Clean and lasting | Clean and lasting |
| Taste | Full, mellow, fresh and brisk | Full and mellow, fairly fresh | Full and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Tender green, even and clean | Tender green, fairly even and clean | Tender green, some mixed leaf material |
The three inherited sensory columns remain a partial comparison. The lower mixed-leaf cell is not advice to accept non-tea contamination, and the reviewed maker profile is not a complete current grading standard.
Names and origin
A reviewed heritage-brand account describes the Yanbeinao hills of Xiaobu and this shaped green-tea route. Independent county material documents Xiaobu Rock Tea as a local product, distinct from another Xiaobu tea brand. The old 1969 planting statement differs from the brand account’s 1962 tea-garden history and 1991 brand field; these describe different events and do not establish one agreed creation year. Historic awards and certification for a named maker do not certify every current packet.
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 an eyebrow-shaped Jiangxi green tea with fuller flavour descriptions. Start with a traceable small packet and a complete method.
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 Xiaobu Rock 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 warms a glass and uses 3 g, 85°C / 185°F and 1:50, implying 150 mL actual water by arithmetic. Add water to one-third, gently swirl, fill to seven-tenths and wait 2–3 minutes. Refill at one-third remaining; roughly three infusions are described. Vessel capacity and a separate tea rinse are unspecified.
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
Check Xiaobu/Ningdu source, actual product family, maker, harvest and any current certification. Keep a historical brand profile separate from the packet’s current claims.
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, fixing, initial rolling, second pan working, re-rolling, initial drying/strand work, cooling, hair working and final baking. The maker’s reviewed technical account describes corresponding stages and distinguishes traditional charcoal baking from temperature-controlled baking. These are described alternatives, not proof of smoke flavour or a requirement for all current makers. Its separate black/dark product lines do not reclassify this green-tea entry.
Common questions
Does Xiaobu Rock Tea mean Wuyi oolong, and is every product from the maker green tea?
This entry concerns the green-tea style. The reviewed maker account also discusses later black and dark teas, so confirm the actual packet’s processing family instead of inferring it from the company or Rock Tea name alone.
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 Tongtian Rock 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.