Oolong Tea – It’s History And Benefits
Posted on August 2, 2009
Tea has been around for thousands of years, and for good reason. Not only is it easy to make and tasty, but it has nutritional qualities that has sustained many cultures. One tea that stands out among the teas of the ancients is Oolong. You may know oolong tea inadvertently as it is typically served in most Chinese restaurants.
Tea, in the world of tea, is categorized or grouped according to oxidation. There are three main types of tea: green tea, oolong tea, and black tea, evaluated each according to their oxidation levels (called the fermentation process). Green tea is steamed, baked, or pan heated to prevent oxidation and thus the leaves remain green. Unlike green tea, oolong tea is partially fermented, and black tea is fully fermented.
In the oolong tea family, teas are categorized again by taste; at least in Chinese tea culture. For instance, semi-oxidized oolong teas are collectively grouped as qingcha. Oolong has a taste more akin to green tea than to black tea: it lacks the rosy, sweet aroma of black tea but it likewise does not have the stridently grassy vegetal notes that typify green tea. It is commonly brewed to be strong, with the bitterness leaving a sweet aftertaste. Several subvarieties of oolong, including those produced in the Wuyi Mountains of northern Fujian and in the central mountains of Taiwan, are among the most famous Chinese teas.
The oolong tea history is ancient and is thought to be a direct descendant of Dragon-Phoenix Tea Cake tribute tea. According to the “Wuyi” theory, oolong tea first existed in Wuyi Mountain. This is evidenced by Qing dynasty poems such as Wuyi Tea Song (Wuyi Chage) and Tea Tale (Chashuo). It was said that oolong tea was named after the part of Wuyi mountain where it was originally produced.
Oolong tea is further classified by the province it is harvested from. Provinces include: Fujian Provinceo, Guangdong Province, Taiwan and then Other.
Tea connoisseurs will further classify the tea by its aroma (often floral or fruity), taste and aftertaste (more like a melon). Oolongs are either roasted or served light. While most oolongs can be consumed immediately postproduction, like pu-erh tea, most oolong is aged with regular light roasting with a low charcoal fire.
In processing the oolong, many of the leaves are rolled into long curly forms. Other companies process the leaves by pressing them into ball-like form. The former method of processing is the older of the two. While oolong isn't the traditional Chinese name for the tea as the English gave it this name from the Chinese, who call the tea a term that is pronounced as O-liong te in the Min Nan spoken variant.
Chinese oolong (wulong) is considered the most complicated tea produced and requires great skill and experience to craft its enormous range of flavors, fragrances and liquor colors. Even before the leaves reach the defining step of oxidation, the process of making oolong tea contrasts with other styles. To begin, oolong tea's harvest time is comparably later than green, white or yellow tea. Even “Spring Oolong” tea is not picked until April or even May. The standard for picking is three or four fresh, open leaves. Buds are very rare, but occasionally show up in Taiwanese made oolong. After picking, a year's crop of oolong tea may take about month to process before it goes to market in July.
The later picking time is necessary so producers can score bigger leaves that are durable enough for processing and also rich in aromatic oils. These aromatic oils are the flavor precursors brought out by carefully controlled oxidation and multiple stages of moisture removal. Processing is different in the four different regions. To explain it in further detail: After picking, the fresh leaves, they are withered in the sun for a few hours. Once the leaves lose enough moisture to become pliable, they are taken indoors and placed in bamboo trays and agitated to start their slow oxidation process. As tea oxidizes, it continues to wither in the controlled temperature of the room. After the tea is suitably oxidized, it is exposed to very high heat – ceasing all enzymatic oxidation. This is usually done by quickly sending the tea through a long tumbler of hot air, which replicates pan-frying. Now the leaves can be shaped – this is when Anxi and Taiwanese oolong leaves are rolled into their distinctive ball form. The finished tea is then roasted over charcoal to further remove moisture until it becomes a suitably dry and stable product.
Before roasting, Oolong tea leaves are rolled and bruised to break open cell walls and stimulate enzymatic activity. The process of roasting removes unwanted odors from the tea and reduces any sour or astringent tastes; in addition, the process is believed to make the oolong tea gentler on the stomach.
It's important to note that when processing tea, the tea masters don't think in terms of drying; they think in terms of removing moisture. That may sound like the same thing, but in Chinese thinking it is very different. The tea is never completely dried, and at different stages of production, when the percentage of moisture content is at a certain level, different processes will be used. The tea master determines a tea's moisture level by look, touch, and especially by smell. The smell of the leaves is critical, and tea masters do everything they can to avoid catching a cold during the tea-making season.
Now to brew your perfect pot of oolong tea. With such dedication given to the processing of the tea's leaf, brewing it correctly cannot be overlooked when seeking the perfect cup of tea. To start, use a small teapot and add 2.25 grams of tea per 170 grams of water, or about two teaspoons of oolong tea per cup. Oolong teas should be prepared with 180F to 190F (82C-87C) water (not boiling) and steeped 3-4 minutes. High quality oolong can be brewed multiple times from the same leaves, and unlike other teas it improves with reuse. It is common to brew the same leaves three to five times, the third or fourth steeping usually being the best.
Oolong tea has recently become of great interest to the West due to it's nutritional value and the fact current research is being done on how it helps with weight loss, aiding digestion, curing headaches, and cleansing the system from excessive use of smoke and alcohol.
Yes, oolong tea has been around for a long time and rightly so. So, what are you waiting for – haven't you prepared your wonderful cup of oolong tea for the day yet?Zhi Tea.com is a leading provider of high-quality oolong tea online. For a full selection of high-grade, fair trade organic Green, Black, White and Oolong teas, visit online today.
