{"id":8587,"date":"2019-01-25T16:13:45","date_gmt":"2019-01-25T21:13:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/?p=8587"},"modified":"2023-09-26T16:14:03","modified_gmt":"2023-09-26T20:14:03","slug":"tea-101-what-is-oolong-tea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/tea-101-what-is-oolong-tea\/","title":{"rendered":"Tea 101: What is Oolong Tea?"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time:<\/b> <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n

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If you\u2019re new to oolong tea<\/a><\/u>, then you\u2019re in for a treat. Falling somewhere between green and black teas, semi-oxidized oolongs (aka wulong) make up one of the most diverse tea categories on the planet, with oxidation levels ranging from 10-90%. This means you get a huge variety of delicious and complex flavours to explore \u2013 from fruity to floral to smoky to nutty. And getting that perfect cup of Chinese or Taiwanese oolong is a real labour of love. Oolong tea leaves undergo a complex and time-consuming series of steps, being partially rolled and dried again and again until the unique aromas and flavours are just right. There are many ways to do this, but the exact process varies depending on the producer \u2013 and it\u2019s often a protected family secret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonus? Oolongs combine all the feel-good\nbenefits found in green tea and black tea \u2013 so you can enjoy the best of both\nworlds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discover the feel-good benefits of oolong tea<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many delicious benefits to\ndrinking oolong. For starts, it\u2019s been used as a metabolism-booster and\ndigestive aid since ancient times. Try a hot cup after a heavy meal and let its\nsmooth flavours soothe your tummy. \nOolong teas are also naturally energizing and packed with antioxidants \u2013\nthe powerhouses that help guard your body against the damaging effects of free\nradicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much caffeine is in oolong?<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for a gentle boost of energy, sipping on a caffeinated oolong is a great place to start. Our oolong teas contain between 10-55 mg of caffeine per 8 oz cup, which is slightly more than green tea, less than black tea and a lot less than coffee (140 mg per cup). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fun fact: the caffeine found in oolong is a great way to help increase mental awareness and productivity. Try swapping out your morning coffee for a cup of Tie Kwan Yin<\/a><\/u> or sipping a mugful of Happy Kombucha<\/a><\/u> during your next study sesh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does oolong tea taste like?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Oolong teas have a unique taste, with a wide\nvariety of distinctive aromas and flavours that develop naturally during the\noxidation stage \u2013 the process of darkening tea leaves by exposing them to air. Bright\ngreen oolongs are fresher with buttery floral notes because they\u2019re less\noxidized, while slightly fermented and darker oolongs tend to be bolder,\ntoastier and more complex \u2013 kind of like a fine whisky. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The beauty of oolong teas? There are so\nmany natural flavours to choose from, you\u2019re almost guaranteed to find\nsomething you love. Think ripe fruit, deep chocolate, caramelized root\nvegetables, sweet spices, nuts with hints of shea butter\u2026 Once you try one,\nyou\u2019ll just have to try them all to taste the differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find the oolong tea that\u2019s right for you<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

SWEET<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sticky Rice Oolong<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sweet and creamy oolong is blended\nwith Nuo Mi Xiang \u2013 a tender Chinese herb that tastes and smells just like\nsticky rice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maple Syrup Oolong<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Call us stereotypical Canadians, but we\nlove maple syrup. And this sweet and buttery oolong tea tastes just like a\nfresh stack of pancakes drenched in rich maple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

CREAMY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guangzhou Milk Oolong<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This ultra-rare oolong from the Wuyi\nMountains of China is velvety smooth and luxuriously creamy, with a subtle hint\nof orchid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coconut Cream Pie<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rich coconut. Creamy white chocolate.\nAnd a golden, buttery crust. Can anything top a coconut cream pie? Maybe not,\nbut this sweet and toasty oolong comes pretty darn close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

FLORAL<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vanilla Orchid<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you blend premium Huang Jin Gui\nwith a touch of vanilla, you get a perfectly balanced cup that\u2019s equal parts\nrich, creamy and floral. Heavenly\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honey Ginseng Defence<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boost your defences with this\nrestorative floral oolong tea. With ginseng, goji, ginger and the soothing\naroma of honey, it\u2019s a dreamy go-to when you\u2019re feeling run-down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

NUTTY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tie Kwan Yin<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hand-produced on a small family garden\nnear the mountains of Taiwan, this crisp, buttery oolong tea with notes of\nroasted nuts has a long history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutty & Spice<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inspired by a festive spice cake, this\nwarming mix of oolong, fruit, nuts and spices is as sweet and comforting as it\ngets. Warning: may induce feelings of holiday cheer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

FRUITY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organic Ruby Oolong<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With notes of ripe plum, caramelized\napple and quince, this unique organic oolong brews well at high temperatures\nand will never get bitter. Perfect for an easily distracted tea drinker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long Life Oolong<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Infused with a refreshing kick of sweet\npeaches, juicy apricots and crunchy almonds, we\u2019ve given this ancient tea the\nmodern twist it deserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From pure leaf oolongs to fruity iced teas to mouthwatering blends inspired by your fave dessert, we have the oolong tea you\u2019ve been searching for right here<\/a><\/u>. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to make oolong tea perfectly<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The secret to making the perfect cup of\noolong tea comes down to three key elements: temperature, the type of infuser you\nuse, and time. When it comes to steeping temp, it\u2019s important to use water that\u2019s\n90\u00b0C (195\u00b0F) so the heat releases all the delicious flavours the leaves have to\noffer. Don\u2019t have a thermometer? Let your boiled kettle sit for 1-2 minutes\nbefore using. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s time to break out your infuser. Oolongs are often tightly wound and expand dramatically during infusion, which is why you need an infuser.<\/u>  that allows your tea leaves plenty of room to expand. Once your water is at the optimal temp, pour it into your mug and let the leaves steep for 4-5 minutes. This will allow for the leaves to release all of their natural oils and aromas to make sure you get a deliciously full-flavoured cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steep oolong tea gong fu style<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the things we love most about\noolongs is that you can steep them multiple times. This steeping method is\ncalled Gong Fu Cha \u2013 the ancient practice of making multiple infusions of the\nsame tea. Oolongs are especially great for this practice because the leaves can\nexpand with every steep. If you\u2019re steeping gong fu style, start off with super\nshort Infusion times (between 20 seconds and 1 minute), then infuse a little longer\nwith every successive steeping (1-3 minutes). With each new infusion, new notes\nand flavours will begin to shine through the cup \u2013 so the tea you started off\nwith may taste like a totally new tea by the end. Try it for yourself and let\nus know what you think!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reading Time:<\/b> <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>If you\u2019re new to oolong tea, then you\u2019re in for a treat. Falling somewhere between green and black teas, semi-oxidized oolongs (aka wulong) make up one of the most diverse […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":14334,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55,537],"tags":[532,450],"class_list":["post-8587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-tea-101","tag-oolong","tag-tea-101"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8587","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8587"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8587\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14335,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8587\/revisions\/14335"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.davidstea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}