Fuding Shou Mei
Fuding Shou Mei
Fuding Shou Mei
Fuding Shou Mei
Fuding Shou Mei
Fuding Shou Mei
Fuding Shou Mei
Fuding Shou Mei
Fuding Shou Mei
Fuding Shou Mei
ValleyGreenTea

Fuding Shou Mei

$13.90 AUD
  • 50g
  • 100g
  • 200g
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Shou Mei — The Everyday White Tea

Also known as: Shou Mei, Shoumei, Sow Mee, Tribute Eyebrow, Shou Mei White Tea

Every tea shelf needs a good everyday tea — and in white tea, that's Shou Mei.

It's the most down-to-earth of the white teas: fuller, hardier and easily the best value. The one you can drink by the potful without a second thought.


What Is Shou Mei?

Shou Mei is made from more mature leaf, picked a little later in the season than Silver Needle or White Peony.

More leaf, fewer buds — that's the whole idea. It gives a darker, fuller tea with real body and a lower price, which is exactly why it's so loved as an everyday drink. In Cantonese-speaking regions like Hong Kong it's a tea-house staple.

Ours is grown in Fuding, in north-east Fujian — the birthplace of white tea and the region regarded as the best in China for it.


What Shou Mei Tastes Like

Shou Mei is the cosy one.

Where Silver Needle is delicate, Shou Mei is warm and full — smooth, mellow and gently sweet, with a soft honey-and-hay character. No sharpness, no fuss. Just an easy, comforting cup that's happy to be made strong or light.


The Four Types of White Tea

White tea is graded by how much bud and leaf goes into the pick. This is where Shou Mei sits — at the fuller, leafier end:


Silver Needle is buds only; White Peony adds a leaf or two; Gong Mei and Shou Mei use more mature leaf (Gong Mei traditionally from the smaller "cai cha" bushes, Shou Mei the one you'll see most often). More leaf means more body — and a friendlier price.


Great Value, Ages Beautifully, Even Simmers

Three reasons people keep a bag of Shou Mei around:

  • Value. It's the most affordable white tea we carry, and it drinks well every single day.
  • Ageing. Shou Mei has the most ageing potential of any white tea — over the years it deepens into a rich old white tea with dried-plum and honey notes. Buy a little extra and let time work.
  • Simmering. Unlike the delicate grades, Shou Mei can be gently simmered in a pot — wonderful in cooler weather, filling the room with a sweet, warming aroma.


How to Choose Your White Tea

Want the finest? Go for Silver Needle. 

Prefer certified organic? We have an Organic Shou Mei. 

Prefer aged? Aged Shou Mei 2014

Or explore the whole white tea collection.

 

Brew this Shou Mei the right way

— check out our professional Brewing Guide, Storage Care and The Origins below 👇
🍵 Brewing Guide

How to Brew Shou Mei

Shou Mei is a hardy, full-leaf white tea, so it's the easiest of the family to brew — happy with hotter water and forgiving if you're not precise. You can steep it, or simmer it.

The Vessel: Gaiwan, Glass Infuser or Pot

  • The Gaiwan: the traditional choice, with close control over the pour.
  • Our Recommendation: our Glass Tea Infuser. All glass, inside and out — watch the leaves open, and lift the inner glass any time to separate the leaf from the liquor.
  • For simmering, a stovetop or kettle pot works beautifully in cooler weather.

Follow this for the perfect cup:

  • Temperature: 95°C. Shou Mei's mature leaf can take near-boiling water — it draws out the full, mellow flavour.
  • Leaf to water: about 5g to 110ml.
  • Step 1 – Warm the Vessel: Rinse with hot water and discard.
  • Step 2 – The Inhale: Add the tea, shake gently, and breathe in the soft honey-and-hay aroma.
  • Step 3 – The Awakening: A quick 10-second rinse to wake the leaf, then pour off.
  • Step 4 – The Infusion: Pour gently down the inner wall.
  • Step 5 – Timing:

    1st and 2nd brews: 15–20 seconds.
    Each brew after: add about 10–15 seconds. Good for 6–8 steeps.

To Simmer: After a few steeps, tip the used leaf into a pot of water, bring to a gentle simmer for 1–2 minutes, and pour. It's the cosiest way to enjoy Shou Mei — sweet, thick and warming.

📦 Storage & Care

Storage Care for Shou Mei

White tea is easy to keep — and Shou Mei ages better than any of them. Store it well and it slowly turns into something special.

  • Room temperature is best. Somewhere cool, dry and dark. No need to refrigerate — a steady pantry shelf is ideal.
  • Seal it, but let it breathe. Airtight against damp and odours, but don't vacuum-seal — white tea needs a little air to keep maturing over the years. A Tea Bag Sealer is handy for resealing between sessions.
  • Away from light, damp and smells. An opaque tin, ceramic jar or its sealed pack protects the aroma best. Keep it clear of coffee, spices and anything strongly scented.
  • Keep it dry. Moisture is the one real enemy — a dry spot means it ages cleanly instead of turning musty.

Shou Mei has the most ageing potential of any white tea. Tuck a bag away, forget about it for a few years, and you'll be rewarded with a rich, dried-plum old white tea. "Store new, drink old."

🌿 The Origins

The Origins of Shou Mei

  • Home — Fuding, Fujian: Grown in Fuding, in north-east Fujian — the birthplace of white tea and the region regarded as the best in China for it.
  • The Pick — Mature Leaf: Shou Mei is made from more mature leaf, picked later in the season than the bud grades. More leaf gives it fuller body, a darker cup and its everyday-friendly price.
  • The Craft — Sun Withering: Made the traditional white tea way — simply withered and dried, no firing or rolling — which is also why it ages so gracefully.
  • VGT Sourcing: For 18 years, Valley Green Tea has been a trusted place to buy authentic loose leaf Chinese tea online in Australia. We buy new-season stock and air-freight it fresh to Sydney. Explore the rest of our white tea collection.
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