How do i brew oolong tea

Oolong teas are largely produced in regions across China and Taiwan. There is a wide variety in types of oolongs; any teas that are semi-oxidized are considered oolongs. Some have more green tea characteristics, whereas others have black tea characteristics depending on oxidation levels. Because oolongs have a long and rich history in the world of tea, our instructions for how to brew oolong teas focus on the long-standing tradition of Asian brewing practices.

For loose leaf, however, we encourage you to take a more ceremonial approach by engaging in a tradition called small pot brewing. Oolongs are particularly known for their curled, twisted or rolled leaves. Instead of one, minute steeping that we recommend for many loose leaf teas, oolongs are often enjoyed over several short steeps for multiple extractions, a practice known as small pot brewing or Gong Fu style.

This practice is complementary to the rolled leaves of many oolongs because it allows you to watch how the leaves change during subsequent extractions, requiring patience, curiosity and active engagement.

Following the ceremonial tradition of small pot brewing allows one to discover the subtleties in flavors across different types of oolongs, exploring the meditative and euphoric qualities of the tea.

Small pot brewing is characteristically performed in a gaiwan or small teapot of approximately mL. There is no exact number of steeps that one should adhere to, but generally steeps at about seconds, adding seconds on each consecutive steep. It depends on individual flavor preference, quality of the oolong and shape of the leaf. Tightly rolled leaves will stand up to several extractions, while leaves that are simply twisted will allow for fewer extractions.

You can try it with regular tap water, but chlorine or other impurities and additives can impair the taste of the tea. This temperature is ideal for brewing Oolong without breaking down its fragile aromatic chemicals. If your kettle does not have a temperature control, watch the surface of the water and remove it from heat when you see "ropes of pearls," or streams of large bubbles rising to the water surface.

As a general rule, Oolongs with lighter colored leaves work better with water at the low end of this range, when the bubbles are smaller but still forming ropes. Above 3, feet m , just bring the water to a rolling boil and use immediately. This is not ideal, since the method is less accurate and the water loses some oxygen when it boils.

Rinse the tea with a little hot water. Pour a tiny bit of hot water onto your leaves, and immediately pour it down the drain without losing any leaves. This is easy with an infuser: just let the water drain through. This rinse opens up the cellular structure of the tea leaves, and washes away any impurities.

Fill the container and let steep. Now you can pour in enough hot water to fill the container, typically about mL 6 ounces per serving of tea. Let steep for anywhere from two to five minutes, depending on how concentrated you prefer your tea. This is the Western style of brewing. The Asian method generally uses a larger amount of Oolong, then drinks it in a series of small cups brewed for 30—60 seconds each.

Enjoy the tea. Appreciate the aroma and bright color of the tea, then sip away. If you find the taste is too powerful, use fewer leaves or a shorter steeping time on your next cup.

If the tea is too watery for your tastes, use more leaves or a longer steeping time. If you drink oolong tea on a regular basis, you will lose a bit of weight. This is because of polyphenols present in oolong tea, which is said to have many helpful effects on the body.

The Chinese method offers a more complete and full-bodied tea drinking experience for connoisseurs that enjoy the history and culture of tea. The Western method is more suitable for beginner tea consumers and those who wish to quickly brew one cup and get back to the tasks of the day. Oolong tea is traditionally brewed the Chinese way using a yixing teapot or a gaiwan. These vessels are small, and use a concentrated amount of oolong tea leaves. Leaves are brewed for a short period of time, but the process is repeated several times for multiple small cups.

Yixing pots and gaiwans are traditionally placed on slotted bamboo trays for clean preparation and easy serving. A yixing teapot is a traditional tea brewing pot made from clay sourced from the Jiangsu province of China. Yixing teapots are designed for brewing oolong tea as well as black tea, pu-erh tea and white tea.

The clay pots absorb tea with each steeping, leading to a coating that resembles the flavor and color of the tea. Each teapot should only be used for one type of tea in order to best preserve and develop the rich flavor profiles.

You should also avoid washing yixing pots with soap since this will dramatically alter the flavor coating and result in less flavorful tea brews. A gaiwan is a lidded bowl without handles that is used along with a saucer to brew traditional Chinese teas.

Developed by the Ming dynasty, these tea vessels date back centuries and are typically made of porcelain or glass. The large opening allows tea drinkers to visually enjoy oolong tea brews while the glazed surface prevents flavor alterations if used to brew different types of teas. To use a gaiwan properly, hold the saucer with your fingers under and thumb resting on top of the saucer. Use your left hand to hold the lid and gently move the leaves when drinking. Oolong tea can also be prepared Western-style by simply using any teapot you have on hand.

While the experience won't be as culturally complete as the Chinese method, the Western brewing technique allows you to enjoy oolong tea even when you're in a hurry.

Here, we'll focus on the Asian method of oolong tea brewing, but the Western method can be used as well. Simply pay attention to the proper amounts of tea, water temperature and steeping times to get the perfect cup of oolong tea. We recommend brewing oolong tea using loose leaves to develop the proper oolong flavors. You can still use oolong tea bag if you prefer the convenience, but understand that the quality and flavor will likely be inferior to loose leaf varieties.

Making a great cup of oolong tea means using the right amount of tea leaves for brewing. We recommend using 1 teaspoon of balled leaves or 2 tablespoons of loose leaf oolong for every 6 ounces of water. Four our metric readers, use 2 grams of tea for every 6 to 8 ounces of water. The tea leaves should uncurl for full flavor. You can brew oolong tea few times; gradually increase steeping time for subsequent brewing.

Blog , Information. Ali Oolong from Ali Shan area is one of the best and the most famous oolong from Taiwan. Due to high fermentation level Oolong tea, also known as wu long tea, is a world known and one of the famous teas, mention of which appeared about years ago.