Tea Brewing is a delicate art form in many cultures. Simply popping a mug of water in the microwave and dropping a tea bag in it afterward might be enough for some. However, to enjoy the whole experience of drinking tea, you must practice brewing it. Otherwise, you’re missing out on all the health benefits tea has, especially Oolong Tea.

The Taste Of Oolongs

Oolong tea is a popular tea from China and is deeply integrated into Chinese culture. On top of that, it has multiple potential health benefits, from lowering the risk of heart disease to managing blood sugar levels. After all, it’s green tea and black tea’s ‘sibling.’

After exposing the leaves to the air, different colors and tastes are explored thanks to oxidization. Rare Tea Company advises that oolong tea tastes differently depending on the type, just like wine does. They say that its flavor is found between green tea and black tea and that lighter oxidized oolong tastes fruitier, whereas darker oxidized oolong tastes richer, like black tea. Be that as it may, they share similar benefits that the tea drinker will enjoy.

How To Brew Oolong Tea

Considering how rich it is in nutrients, oolong tea requires a delicate touch when brewing it. Otherwise, you might only reap part of their benefits. Here are the steps in brewing a cup of oolong tea like an expert:

1. Set Up The Teaware

Casual tea drinkers may need to be made aware, but different devices are required when brewing tea, especially loose-leaf tea. The quality of your tea may be affected by the teaware you use. There are tea sets that lean toward functionality than aesthetics, so choose one that suits your preferences.

Functional teaware focuses on brewing tea. Considering how well-known oolong tea is, some functional teaware is designed to produce excellent quality for you to enjoy its benefits. An infuser mug is a must-have in either functional or aesthetic tea sets since it handles loose-leaf tea and traps the leaves inside rather than letting them float in the liquid. Because of this, you can brew tea in the cup directly instead of using a teapot.

Functional tea sets won’t be complete without considering Chinese tea ware. A Chinese gaiwan is a simple cup-shaped tea vessel that may seem small. However, it’s an excellent device to unveil the nuances of the flavors of oolong tea. Because it emphasizes thoroughness, it lets you steep some oolong tea leaves up to 10 times before completely losing flavor.

Another excellent tool that completes your oolong tea-drinking experience is the Chinese ZiSha or Yixing teapot. Because, unlike your typical ceramic teapots, Yixing teapots are made of clay. Clay pots absorb tea better than any material since the tea’s flavor coats the inside of the container. As long as you avoid washing it with soap, the more times you brew it in the Yixing teapot, the richer the flavor will develop.

For those keen on the calming aesthetic of tea brewing, consider having a glass tea set. Watching the leaves or buds steep inside a glass teapot full of hot water and seeing them unfurl inside will be fascinating.

2. Choose Your Tea

Although it’s been decided that you’ll be brewing oolong tea, there are two kinds of tea that you can brew, which are tea bags and loose leaves. Bagged tea is far more convenient than loose leaf since you must pour hot water into your teapot or mug and dunk it in. Once a few minutes have passed, you can throw it away and finally enjoy your tea.

However, that’s where the bright side of teabags ends because they lack the richness only found in loose-leaf tea. Considering bagged tea has already been crushed into small pieces or dust, they lack the flavor nuances of oolong. Meanwhile, loose-leaf has full yet subtle flavors that stimulate the taste buds. Aside from that, it has a longer lifespan since it can be re-steeped a few times.

3. Prepare The Water

Once you have your chosen tea, ensure your water is up for releasing the tea’s flavor. Ideally, spring water is the perfect partner for oolong tea, but filtered water would be a decent alternative. Have a thermometer in hand to keep track of its temperature. Ensure the temperature stays within 180 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (82 to 93 degrees Celsius).

4. Rinse The Tea

Oolong tea lovers encourage new tea drinkers to make it a habit of rinsing their leaves before putting them in the water. To do this, pour hot water all over the leaves and let them flow out without washing away the leaves. This will remove unwanted particles and open up the leaves to release their nutrients.

5. Let It Steep

How long you steep your tea depends on its kind and personal preferences. For example, loose-leaf tea is much faster than tea buds. But unless the amount of tea you’re making goes beyond the measurements from the instructions, you can start tasting the tea once one minute is up before tasting it every 30 seconds until it tastes perfect for you.

Takeaway

Drinking tea has a surprising number of health benefits, especially oolong tea. However, consuming one you’ve brewed is much healthier than using instant tea blends. Considering the complicated process, many hesitate to try it out. However, brewing tea will come as second nature once you’ve learned the ropes.