Oolong Tea
Origin of Oolong tea
Oolong, or "Black Dragon" in Chinese, is a tea which is in between green and black tea. There are several variants, each with a different degree of oxidation, from 8% to 85%. Some of the Oolong teas are therefore looking more like green tea and others on black tea.
Oolong teas originate from Fujian province in China. The tea was used more than 1000 years ago at ceremonial imperial affairs. From the 18th century, people also start producing in Taiwan Oolong.
The teas generally have a sweet fruity flavor.
Production of Oolong tea
Today, most Oolongs come from the southern Chinese provinces of Fujian and Guangdong and Taiwan.
After picking, the tea leaves are wilted and then rolled or bruised. The released juices and enzymes can then be oxidized by means of air.
Depending on the desired degree of oxidation, the tea leaves are shorter or longer exposed to the air. If the desired degree of oxidation once reached, the leaves are heated briefly to stop the oxidation process.
Brewing tips for Oolong tea
On average, the water temperature has to be between 80ºC - 90ºC before it is poured over the Oolong. For some Oolong tea the recommended water temperature is even lower.
The average brewing time for Oolong tea is between 2 and 4 minutes.
On the information sheet of the tea you can find the desired water temperature and brewing time.
Oolong is very suitable to brew multiple times. You can use the tea leaves up to 3 to 5 times for brewing tea.
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