Monkey Picked Oolong

03
Mar

Posted by admin in Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is quite possibly one of the most distinctive teas around. Its unique bluish green tinge should be enough to convince you of that, but if you need more convincing read on!

Oolong is a traditional tea produced in China, that lies somewhere between green and black teas in terms of oxidation levels. It has an oxidation level that typically ranges from 10% to 70%.

Oolong tea available by mail order – Generation Tea.

In China, the semi-oxidized oolong teas are collectively classified as q+ngch, which in Chinese means "blue-green tea". Oolong’s taste is actually more like green than black tea; it lacks the rosy, sweet fragrance of black tea for example, but it also does not exhibit the typical grassy flavors that are characteristic of green tea. Oolong tea is usually brewed quite strongly, with the inherent bitterness leaving a desirably sweet aftertaste. There are actually several different varieties of oolong, among them the ones that are produced in the Wuyi Mountains of northern Fujian and in the central mountains of Taiwan, both of which are among the most famous of all Chinese teas.

The are two different ways by which oolong teas are processed. Some teas are rolled into long curly leaves, while others are pressed into ball-like shapes that are strikingly similar to gunpowder tea. Of the two methods of processing, the first one is the older method.

The English usage of the name "oolong tea" comes from the Chinese name O-ling t, as it is pronounced in the Min Nan variant of the language. This Chinese name translates into "black dragon tea", with three widely held accounts on how this particular name came about.

One theory holds that oolong tea was directly descended from the Dragon-Phoenix Tea Cake tribute tea. Oolong tea was then used as a replacement for this tea when loose tea became more popular. It later picked up the name Black Dragon tea, owing to its dark, long and curly appearance.

One other theory-the "Wuyi" theory-states that oolong tea was first used in the Wuyi Mountain in China. Numerous Qing dynasty poems such as Wuyi Tea Song or Wuyi Chage and Tea Tale or Chashuo seem to support this belief. The theory also states that oolong tea derives its name from the part of the Wuyi mountain where it was originally produced.

Finally, a third theory-the "Anxi" theory-explains that it originated from the Anxi oolong tea plant, where it was discovered by a man named Sulong (or Wulong or Wuliang).

There is another story that explains the origin of oolong tea although it is not as widely told as the other stories. This tale tells of Wu Liang-a name which later became Wu Long, or Oolong-who discovered the tea by chance during the course of a day’s tea-picking. Subsequently distracted by a deer, he then forgot about the tea until much later, when it had already begun to oxidize.

The Processing Of Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is typically subjected to a few delicate processes in order to produce its distinctive aroma and taste. These processes include: wilting, sun or air drying, cooling, yaoqing (which involves gently tossing the leaves in order to create more surface area for oxidation), shaqing, rouqing, roasting, grading, and finally, packaging.

Classification and grade of oolong tea

It is often graded by tea connoisseurs according to its aroma (often described as being floral or fruity), its taste, and its aftertaste (often described as melony). The tea comes in either roasted or light varieties, and can generally be consumed immediately after processing like most. That being said, many oolong teas can greatly benefit from a long aging process combined with a regular light roasting over a low charcoal fire. The oolong tea leaves are usually rolled and bruised prior to roasting, in order to break open the cell walls of the leaves and to stimulate the enzymatic activity.