Hey folks, let’s cut to the chase right off the bat — if you’ve ever Googled “does 9373 gunpowder tea go into Moroccan mint tea” you’re definitely not alone. As someone who’s been supplying this specific tea grade for over a decade, I field this question at least twice a week, mostly from small café owners, home brewers, and even other tea suppliers who want to nail their Moroccan mint brews. Spoiler: the short answer is yes — but let’s get into the messy, real details that no generic blog post will tell you, because this isn’t a one-and-done use case, it’s a whole culture and a business line. 9373 Gunpowder Tea
First, let’s back up for anyone who’s new to 9373 gunpowder tea. I’m gonna keep this simple, no stuffy tea textbook jargon. 9373 is a China tea grade code, right? It’s not random numbers slapped on a bag — that code tells you exactly what’s in it: it’s young, plucked tea leaves (usually the first and second flushes, early spring growth), rolled tight into tiny, gunpowder-like pellets (hence the name, because they look like old black powder musket balls). The “93” at the start is the tea processing type (it’s green tea, steamed then rolled super tight to lock in freshness), and the “73” is the leaf size and quality — not too big, not too small, consistent pellets, no broken bits. It’s way sturdier than lower-grade gunpowder tea, which is why it’s perfect for Moroccan mint tea.
Now, let’s talk about Moroccan mint tea for a sec, because it’s not just “mint + tea” — it’s a national symbol. I’ve been to Marrakech twice for trade shows, and every riad’s rooftop tea service is the same: three pours, a big silver teapot, tons of fresh mint, and that distinct sweet, herby taste you can’t get anywhere else. The traditional stuff uses what locals call “taita” mint — it’s a spearmint variety with a sharp, sweet, almost grassy kick, way better than grocery store mint you’d pick in your backyard. And the tea base? Every Moroccan tea maker I’ve worked with (and that’s been a lot, from small family vendors in Fès to big import houses in Casablanca) swears by 9373 gunpowder tea. Why? Two big reasons: it holds up to heat and multiple infusions, and it doesn’t get bitter when you add loads of sugar.
Wait, I know what you’re thinking — why not use another green tea? Let’s get into the science of it, because I’ve tested this myself (I do blind side-by-sides in my warehouse every month, don’t judge). Lower-grade gunpowder tea (the stuff that’s cheaper, broken pellets, older leaves) will get harsh and bitter when you steep it with hot mint and sugar for a long time. Loose-leaf green tea like sencha will fade fast, you’ll only get one good pour before it’s watery. Even other gunpowder grades, like 9375 or 9370, aren’t the same. 9373 has a balanced caffeine level — enough to give you that gentle pick-me-up after a meal, but not so much that it makes you jittery, which is important because Moroccan mint tea is drunk all day, not just in the morning.
I remember a few years back, a café owner from Brooklyn hit me up, saying his mint tea was tasting “off” — he’d been using a random gunpowder grade from a supplier down the street, and it was coming out bitter, even though he was using the same taita mint and sugar as his Moroccan competitor. Turns out he was using 9375, which is a slightly larger pellet, more mature leaves. Once he switched to 9373, he texted me a pic of his teapot the next day, saying his customers were raving — and he ordered 50kg that month. That’s the thing about 9373: it’s not a “fancy” tea for sipping plain, it’s a workhorse. It’s made to stand up to the chaos of mint tea brewing.
Let’s talk brewing specifics, because that’s where a lot of people mess up, and it ties directly to why 9373 is the go-to. Traditional Moroccan mint tea is brewed with about 1 teaspoon of 9373 pellets per person, right? You boil water, pour a little into the teapot to preheat, dump the pellets in, add a tiny splash of hot water first to wake them up, then let them sit for 30 seconds (not longer — that’s another mistake people make, steeping gunpowder tea too long). Then you add a huge bunch of fresh mint, like half a cup per pot, and a ton of sugar — like 1/4 cup for a small pot, more if you like it sweet. The pellets hold their shape so they don’t cloud the tea, and they release their flavor slow enough that every sip has a bright green tea taste, not just mint and sugar.
Now, let’s get into the supply side, because I’m a supplier, so I know this is why people ask. A lot of new tea suppliers don’t get that 9373 is a seasonal tea. We source ours from small family farms in Fujian and Zhejiang, plucked in early April every year, during the first flush. If you’re buying 9373 outside of March-May, it’s either last year’s stock that was stored wrong, or a different grade passed off as 9373. That’s why I tell all my clients — if you want authentic Moroccan mint tea, don’t buy cheap bulk “gunpowder tea” from a random Alibaba listing. Make sure it’s genuine 9373, stored in airtight, temperature-controlled bags, and sourced from a supplier who actually knows the grade code.
Wait, I should address a common myth I see online: some people say you can use other gunpowder grades for Moroccan mint tea, and that’s technically true, but it won’t be the same. I’ve tasted mint tea made with 9370, which is smaller pellets — it steeps too fast, gets bitter in the second pour. 9375 is too big, so it doesn’t release enough flavor, so you end up adding more mint to compensate, which makes it taste grassy. 9373 is the middle child, and it’s perfect. It’s like the Goldilocks of gunpowder tea for mint tea.
I also had a client from Toronto a few months back, a restaurant owner who does a Moroccan brunch every weekend. He was using a different tea grade, and his tea was costing him way more than he needed to, because he had to use twice as much tea to get the same flavor. Once he switched to 9373, his tea costs went down by 20%, and his reviews went up. He told me that regulars kept asking if he’d “upped his tea game” — no, he just used the right tea.
Now, let’s get into some real talk about what makes a good 9373 for mint tea. When I receive a shipment, I do a few quick checks before I even sell it. First, I look at the pellets: they should be uniformly small, dark green, no yellow or brown bits (those are old leaves). Then I crush a pellet between my fingers — it should be dense, not crumbly. If it crumbles, that means it was rolled too thin, and it will break apart when brewed, making the tea cloudy. Then I do a quick steep test: 1 minute in hot water, taste it. It should have a fresh, vegetal taste, no musty or earthy notes (that’s bad storage). That’s the stuff that works for mint tea.
Let’s wrap this up with why this matters for you, whether you’re a home brewer, a restaurant owner, or a tea lover. If you’ve ever tried to make Moroccan mint tea at home and it tasted like “hot sugar water with mint,” you were probably using the wrong tea. If you’re a café or restaurant owner, switching to genuine 9373 gunpowder tea will not only make your tea taste better, it will save you money long-term because you use less tea per pot.
Now, I get it, sourcing the right 9373 can be a hassle, especially if you’re new to the game. I’ve dealt with suppliers who send me fake 9373 before, so I know how frustrating that is. That’s why I only source from trusted farms, test every shipment myself, and make sure my clients get exactly what they ask for — no cheap imitations, no hidden stuff, just real 9373 gunpowder tea.
If you’re looking to place an order, or you have questions about brewing, storage, or how much you need for your café or home use, just reach out to us. We’re here to help, not just sell tea. We can give you brewing tips, tell you when our next shipment is coming, and make sure you get exactly what you need to make the best Moroccan mint tea around.
3505 Gunpowder Tea References:
- The Tea Association of the USA. (2022). Green Tea Grade Standards & Processing.
- Moroccan Culinary Federation. (2021). Traditional Mint Tea: History & Ingredients.
- Fujian Tea Industry Association. (2023). Gunpowder Tea Grade 9373: Farming & Processing Details.
- International Tea Committee. (2022). Global Green Tea Usage in Beverage Applications.
Hangzhou Baoda Tea Co., Ltd.
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