Oolong Tea

How our Oolong tea is produced

Tie Guan Yin or Iron Goddess as it translates is a semi-fermented oolong that is probably the most famous of all Oolongs grown and produced in Anxi county Fujian Provence and Taiwan.

The processing of Tie Guan Yin tea is complex and requires great skill. If the procedure is not done correctly its true character will not be apparent despite the raw tea being of exceptional quality. Firstly the leaves are picked and left to wither for up to twenty hours in the sun (Late afternoon sun is the best). There are four harvests throughout the year all yielding a different integrity of Oolong. Tea picked in Autumn (which ours is) produces a more fragrant result compared to tea picked in spring that has slightly more flavour. Tea picked in summer yields the lowest quality. Autumn Tea is the rarest and makes up a fraction of the entire seasonal Oolong production, which explains its higher price.

After the withering is completed, the tea is then ‘bruised’ by shaking or rubbing (by hand or machine) the flat broad Oolong leaf edges. This activates the oxidisation process and will be repeated several times. The tea is then heated with high heat for a short time to stop the oxidation process. At this stage the grassy smell starts to go and the sweet floral fragrance becomes apparent. Next, the leaves are rolled into balls and heated further. The drying and rolling takes place about three times and is then put through a low heat to add more flavour. Any unwanted sticks or unsatisfactory leaves are removed.

Oolong tea is best kept in a refrigerated unit. This will preserve the natural integrity of the tea. If stored correctly Te Guan Yin can last for several years.

How to brew our Oolong tea (Te Guan Yin, Iron Goddess)

• Bring filtered water to boil then let sit for a minute or two to reduce the water temperature to around 95°C.
• Warm your pot and cups by adding hot water, swirling and then throwing.
• Add 5g of Iron Goddess directly to the pot and pour 200ml of the hot water into it.
• Allow the tea to steep for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Second and third infusions with same leaves are the best flavour. Can be infused more times as desired.

Note- it is best to have a separate teapot for each variety of tea you consume. The Black Tea will inhibit the natural flavour and smell of other teas, especially quality white or green Tea.

Te Guan Yin is typically drunk using the Gong Fu Cha method (way of brew tea with skill from hard work). Use either a porcelain or glass pot for Iron Goddess because it distributes heat faster, which brings out more fragrance in the tea. Some people prefer traditional clay teapots and drinking vessels made from special purple clay from Yi Xing in Jiangsu Provence. These teapots will distribute heat slower bring out denser elements.

Step one: warm and sterilise cups by pouring hot water into them and pouring out (in a water catching tray).
Step two: appreciate the teas smell, colour and shape.
Step three: place tea in teapot (between 10% and 20% of teapot volume depending on personal preference)
Step Four: add hot water to teapot and then immediately discard to wash away dust particles and to brewing temperature.
Step Five: fill more hot water to top of teapot and place lid. Let it steep for over a minute and pour into pouring vessel using a strainer.
Step six: pour tea into teacups (usually petit cups designed to finish in three sips). A smelling cup can be used to pour tea then transferred to drinking cup.

The best flavour is produced from the second and third infusions. The second brew should be a minute and the third should be over a minute. Gradually increase the brewing time by fifteen seconds until the sixth infusion lasts for a couple of minutes.

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