Getting to Know Anji Bai Cha

Our fresh batch of Anji Bai Cha has arrived and Don reveals his love/hate relationship with this tea.
To taste our Anji Bai Cha: meileaf.com/p/tea-ajgc

[@clairesstitchingcorner8910]

Can't strop watching these videos really good depth of tea knowledge love to learning about tea 🍵

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks for binge watching us!

[@Phatell]

I forgot a pot of AAA topgrade An ji bai cha to steep for near 10 minutes, it was still amazing, very impressive tea.

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes the high quality stuff is impossible to overbrew which is why we are always suspicious of people saying that you have to brew delicately.

[@GlennHigley]

I've just gone through my very first infusions of this marvelous Mei Leaf tea. There is nothing I can say about it that Don hasn't stated in this video. I highly recommend it.

[@rjw318]

Amazing explanation. I have been drinking it for 5 years and didn't know all these wonderful facts!

[@FlandraLabs]

My parents gave me a big tin of Anji bai cha last year for graduation, and I've been pretty reluctant to drink it. It's a great tea, but imo not up to the par of the Xihu Longjing tea that I grew up with in Hangzhou

[@JohnnyLightningYoutube]

getting a pouch this year for graduation too homie!!!

[@shaundascott104]

I enjoyed this so much because I ordered some at just the right time early picked also. they just prepared it and shipped it

[@titoudoun]

Thanks for sharing your love with this tea. I have some quite experience with it, and it's nice to see I'm not the only one. You're actually right, there are many others beautiful and high quality teas far less expensive. But the anji bai is probably the most "relaxing" tea I've tasted, and the feeling is always the same each time I get the chance to brew it. Your video reminded me that. Thanks a lot again !

[@worldofwarcraft011]

Just bought some of your 2017 batch! Top quality green tea right here!

[@marcodiubaldo9751]

Very enjoyable tea! Thank you for the informations about it!

[@srslywhattf]

Great video.... Probably my favorite tea

[@cameronbanks434]

fantastic video! Tea looks incredible! What is the water kettle you're using here? couldnt help but notice it.

[@HanChinesemuslim]

U r really professional of tea,when u say pumpkin seeds flavor,OMG,the tea Finally Found their owner,u r the One.btw,Im from Anji,Im not the big fan of tea,but I love White tea,my Dad Makes Special White tea every year.

[@TheZynk5]

best tea videos on youtube :) thank you will order as well.

[@MeiLeaf]

:) THANKS!!!

[@davidpunk1]

Wow, this video is amazing, you really do an excellent job at explaining tea with so much depth.

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks!

[@saultopaul3981]

Anji is the best tea I’ve had! 😋

[@gfrp3]

Don, you mention a good quality huang shan mao feng having a similar flavor profile for lots less money. Have you given any thought to stocking one? I love the Anji Bai Cha, but it is pricey.

[@Oisilky]

I bought this tea and tasted it and never knew how good a green tea could be. It was worth the international shipping! I hope by next pay check some is left so I can stock up in case you don't get more in! I would ask my Chinese friend to get me some when she visits Zhejiang, but if the price is like you say it is I can't have her do that and feel good about it.

[@MeiLeaf]

Thank you for grabbing some of this tea and we are thrilled that you love it as much as we do! We are about to sell out and talking with the farmers about getting more of this batch, trying to do the deal for everyone! It might be worth asking your friend to go hunting in Zhejiang but make sure it was picked before April ideally from an original Anji plantation - then it is a matter of price but do not spend over the odds for April picked tea.

[@Oisilky]

chinalife Tea House I feel like I would be imposing to do that with her, but I did place an order for more just now from your website! Along with other things I needed/wanted. ^.^

[@MeiLeaf]

Great stuff Dayle!

[@Contessamy]

I didn't know about Anji Bai Cha, but you did pick up my interest with your video.I bought it today and it is delicious! Don, I am really happy you managed to bring this tea.

[@MeiLeaf]

Thank you for picking some up! We are happy that you enjoyed it and we will keep working to bring in more of the good stuff!

[@davanzo305]

Have you ever tasted Zhu Ye Qing green tea Don? I’ve personally found that a high quality version of this tea is so visually beautiful, and the taste and character can compete with just about all of the famous Chinese green’s. In fact, I would I say it’s my favorite Chinese green tea!

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes, I do enjoy the bright spring taste of Zhu Ye Qing and it is beautiful dry and in water.

[@davanzo305]

Mei Leaf That’s awesome. Thank you for replying to me, I appreciate it!

[@onixtheone]

can you do the same 212 degree test with other early spring picked green teas?

[@EpicMafioso]

Hi Don! Just wondering what and where you got that beautifully amazing gong dao bei from! A reply is much appreciated

[@MeiLeaf]

This was something bought from a Chinese tea market so I cannot give a link to the seller. Sorry!

[@EpicMafioso]

Hey Don, this tea was absolutely amazing! A bit expensive for a daily drinker. What would you recommend as a close 2nd to this delightful tea that has some of the same qualities of this Anji Bai Cha.

[@MeiLeaf]

Try a Huangshan Maofeng or Tian Mu Bai Cha.

[@spiegel311]

I have an Anji Bai Cha picked in May. Is that so bad?

[@a.g.9847]

I find that when I brew the Anji Bai Cha that I have at home (not yours) the empty cup on the first infusion smells really strongly of strawberries. It is only the empty cup and only on the first infusion. Is this unusual? (It isn't a very good quality tea)

[@TTBOn00bKiLleR]

don is so happy to sit next to a bag of anji bai cha

[@EpicMafioso]

are you going to be getting some of this tea for the 2017 early spring harvest?

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes!

[@mackie9588]

I'm just wondering why the highest quality greens are picked at that lower elevations?

[@MeiLeaf]

Excellent observation Mackie and it is true that some of the highest quality greens in the world come from relatively low elevations. We think that it is not a direct correlation and that higher altitude green teas can be equally high quality but is a demonstration that the other factors such as soil, aspect and microclimate play a larger part in determining quality than elevation alone. Since good quality green teas are very early spring picked there is less opportunity for the extra levels of sun and heat at lower altitude to affect the leaves as they are always picked before May.

[@Postfrogish]

Hey, love these educationals. You've really helped me up my tea game. One question here: The tea you mentioned that have very similar taste to anji bai cha, but is free of the "snob pricing", what was the name? I cant seem to decipher it.

[@MeiLeaf]

Sorry I speak quite quickly! The name is Huangshan Maofeng: chinalifeweb.com/shop/product/tea-mspc/

[@Postfrogish]

Super, thanks for your quick answer. I'm now looking forward to taste-testing the differences between a cup of anji bai cha and a cup of Huangshan Maofeng.

[@MeiLeaf]

Postfrogish Interested to hear your thoughts.

[@Postfrogish]

So I got both through the mail. The Anji bai cha turned out to be of bad quality. Didn't order from you, and so it goes. It were brown-ish, olive green in colour - even after brewing. So far you were right on snob pricing... The Haung shan mao feng on the other hand were great, grassy and light green. A light aromatic and fresh tasting brew. The comparison wasn't fair, but I got 500g of super-delicious green tea from your recommendation. :)

[@MeiLeaf]

Postfrogish Ah that is unfortunately the way it goes with a lot of Anji Bai Cha but don't give up on it if you can find a quality one.

[@mariannefleur6671]

First, I love ALL your videos, Don! Entertaining, informative, and full of passion for good tea - and you’re just the perfect person to bring it across on screen! I just did a comparative tasting of your march 2017 batch vs. a batch I brought back from a fujian teahouse owner on the outskirts of Shanghai. I don’t remember the price, but it wasn’t terribly expensive (30 dollars together for a 60g bag of anji bai cha and a 60g bag of Lapsang Souchong unroasted.) this was before I learned much via your you tube channel - but just went by taste. So comparing mine & yours: congrats, the mei leaf batch is very good. An excellent tea. However, the tea I brought back was a tad more “white” and delicate - really fantastic and a bit softer/velvetier on the tongue. You could see the lighter color also on the dry and wer leaf. Maybe its because the teahouse in china stored their tea in large plastic bags in the freezer? I bought it in November. However, yours was delicious and lasted 1 brew longer - but was a also slightly greener and stronger in taste (robust) than the chinese batch. The one from Shanghai was a tad more delicate and fruitier/more sweet in taste. My husband and I loved the taste test - and enjoyed both teas extremely well. Your Anji Bai Cha will definitely be the follow up for the one from Shanghai. :) Continue the good work and keep the videos coming! Thank you for the tea education you’re giving me! :)

[@KerkukTurk42]

Awesome video!! I wish you talked more about the benefit of the tea, is it okay to eat the leafs after as I always do lol, also I'm looking for some tea that makes you lose wight or fat, which tea you recommend, thanks in advance :)

[@DaNZealand]

Don, what do you mean by minerality?

[@pindrusha]

I have wanted to ask you for a while, where can I get such a beautiful tea tray? :) also love your videos ;) very educative and entertaining ♡

[@will8574]

if I remember correctly, they have been sold on the chinalife online shop but are temporarily unavailable right now due to manufacturing defects. Don and co, any updates on that situation?

[@MeiLeaf]

Hi Guys. Yes the Gong Fu Guru was meant to be released last year but we found that the bamboo top could bend slightly when exposed to boiling water so we did not release it until we could find another solution. We have been working hard on it and we have made these metal ones which we have been testing out and we love them (this is the one in the video). They will be arriving in August and we have not announced it yet but you guys get the inside info - the gong fu guru will be available for purchase in August and you can click to receive an email when they are in at chinalifeweb.com/shop/product/guru/192/ Thanks!

[@pindrusha]

+chinalife Tea House So happy to hear it! :D I shall start saving some $€£

[@will8574]

+chinalife Tea House thank you for the info! Will the tray be available separately or only as a part of the set?

[@MeiLeaf]

The tray will only be sold as part of the whole set including a Yixing clay pot, glass pot, Porcelain Gong Dao Bei, 4 Porcelain cups, tea tools, tea towel and teapet with bamboo storage box.

[@curlyhairdudeify]

I am drinking matcha iri genmaitcha while watching this video 😌🍵

[@ooSLEEPWALKERoo]

that sounds horrible

[@DahliaLegacy]

Is this why I always feel crabby before I've had a pot? I know I'm most likely highly addicted to caffeine. XD That and don't worry you can see the color in the clear glass.

[@MeiLeaf]

The Theanine has a powerful ability to improve mood so it is probably a combination of Theanine and Caffeine which you love about tea.

[@JB-sz4wy]

Like with black tea, a lot of green tea also varies widely in quality. Standard green can get pretty cheap in teabags, yet good ones are a whole different story. Lots of green tea in supermarkets nowadays can get pretty cheap. And the people who make it do it all wrong. In fact very low quality greens Ive seen now can be worth 10 cents a bag value (Lipton green) With green tea, the loose leaf grades make a big difference, like they do with blacks where bagged ones are cheap but where good loose one are great teas