Oolong Teas
Black tea, white tea, green tea—they’re all pretty straightforward.
But then there are the oolongs. Where do they fall in the tea spectrum? And just what are they?
Black Dragon
Although the exact origin of oolong tea—with its time-consuming production process—is rather a mystery, we do know that it originated somewhere in China quite a few centuries back. And whether the name refers to the tea’s appearance, or was the name of the person who developed this tea, oolong translates as black (oo/wu) dragon (long).
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What Is an Oolong?
Oolongs fall between green teas, which are not oxidized, and black teas, which are fully oxidized. And they may be anywhere on this oxidation scale—from lightly (10%) to more highly (85%) oxidized.
The oxidation level:
- results from how the oolong is produced, and
- determines how you want to make your tea at home:
less oxidized = use a lower brewing temperature (like green tea)
more oxidized = use a higher temperature (like black tea)
Time + Work = Oolong
But it is more than just the degree of oxidation that results in the unique flavor and aroma of an oolong tea. It is the slow and controlled process by which it is oxidized.
After the Camellia sinensis leaves are picked, they are:
withered on a drying rack to evaporate some of the moisture in the leaves
bruised by tossing, which releases the oil in the leaves and begins the oxidation process
rested
hand rolled, which breaks down the leaves a little
dried
These steps can be done in various ways and for various amounts of time, and many of them are repeated.
For example, the leaves are bruised and/or rolled (to allow oxidation) and dried (to slow or stop oxidation) repeatedly, which intensifies and refines the distinct characteristics of oolongs.
The bruised edges may turn reddish, as can be seen in these leaves after brewing.
Why You Should Try Different Oolongs
The techniques used, the drying temperatures, the resting times—every step of the production process contributes to the resulting product.
Hence, every oolong has its own distinct characteristics—nuanced and complex—which makes sampling and comparing them a lot of fun!
Oolongs teas shown here are available at TeaHaus.
Filed under: Tea Basics Tagged: China, oolong tea
