Essentials of Tea: Oolong Tea

If you’re new to the tea world then you may never heard of or tasted oolong teas. However, they are some of the most delicious teas out there! They range from tasting smoky, sweet, floral to caramel, and so much more! Historically, Oolong teas come from China, but many famous oolongs have come out of Taiwan since 1970. Arguably the most complicated tea to process, it can be anywhere from 15-80% oxidized and is a semi-fermented tea. Oolongs live between the green and black tea spectrum. There are many different varieties of oolongs with some of the most famous being Ti Kwan Yin (also known as Iron Goddess of Mercy), Wu Yi mountain oolongs, and Bao Zhong to name a few.

I personally find oolongs to be the most complex, delicious and fun teas to brew. The best way to brew oolongs is in the gong fu style. I recommend getting a Gai Wan if you don’t already have one. Gaiwan’s can be used to steep a lot of tea for a short amount of time to bring out the various complex notes. Use boiling water and steep for 20 seconds to a 1 minute. Don’t be afraid to experiment and note how the tea to water ratio and steep time can drastically impact the taste!   

If you’ve never tried an oolong I highly recommend Ti Kwan Yin (try our newly imported fancy Ti Kwan Yin!). We also have a milk oolong, which is one of my personal favorites. See for yourself the deliciousness of oolongs teas.