Oolala-Oolong!

In the last year there has been an increased interest in Oolong teas, particularly the “rock” teas of the Fujian region of China.This new trend was due to some information that was presented on a popular talk show indicating that drinking 3 to 5 cups of oolong tea a day would increase your metabolism 3 to 6 percent!In our weight loss conscience society this ignited a run on what many requested as wu lu oolong.So what is Oolong tea and is the claim true that all we need to do is drink a few cups of this special brew daily to increase our metabolism or is this just another urban legend?

Oolong Defined

Let’s first review what defines an Oolong Tea.The definition of Oolong Tea from the official Tea Dictionary by James Norwood Pratt is a semi-oxidized tea, principally from China or Taiwan.Literally oolong means “black dragon”, if derived from “wulong”, which is also the name of a major Fujian river.Oolong falls between a green and a black tea due to the oxidation variation. The oxidation can vary between 10 to 80 percent. The flavor is determined by the variety of the tea plant, the area where the tea is grown and the skills of the tea maker.This is one of the most labor intensive teas produced.

The leaves used to make an oolong tea are large and very distinctive in style.Some of the finished tea is long and twisted and others are bunched and gnarly.There is a great deal of craftsmanship that goes into an Oolong tea and this art is passed from one generation to the next.

Processing Oolong

In the Wujan region of China tea processing has not changed much since the Ming dynasty.The best teas are still made traditionally by hand and by families in the tea business from bushes cloned and cultivated from original species.The rock tea oolongs such as Da Hong Pao (Royal Red Robe) are known as the Ming Yan teas based on their origin in the Wuyi Shan region.

The best teas are hand plucked, hand rolled and traditionally they have been baked or roasted over charcoal fire in bamboo baskets or rotating drums.This process is still used in artisan-produced teas made by individual farmers or tea villages.

There are eighteen steps in processing the popular Ti Kuan Yin oolong teas.Because this is a delicate tea, the temperature of the firing is critical and is regulated by only a tea master.The higher the temperature the darker the leaves and flavor.Below are the steps in preparing traditional Ti Kuan Yin:

1.Leaf plucking by hand only

2.Withering, cooling and resting of the leaf

3.First sun-drying of the leaf

4.Bruising and rattling of the leaf

5.Second sun-drying of the leaf

6.Second bruising and rattling of the leaf

7.Light tumbling of the leaf to develop fragrance

8.Rest the leaf and tumble to develop flavor

9.Rest prior to oxidation

10.De-enzyming the leaf for moisture removal

11.Rotary rolling of the leaf to rupture cellsand release juices and to distribute residual mositrue within the leaf evenly.

12.Preliminary leaf drying.

13.Second rotary rolling

14.Second leaf drying

15.Leaf rolling in cloth for shape (ball rolling)

16.Baking and drying to fix the final shape of the leaf.

17.Sorting leaf from stems

18.Final drying in baskets over charcoal or in tea-firing ovens

This entire process takes from 36 to 40 hours from start to finish depending on the weather, the humidity levels and the size of the leaf (ML Heiss, RJ Heiss 2007).

Three Variations of Oolong

Da Hong Pao

Also known as “Big Red Robe” or “Royal Red Robe” this unique cultivar is from the Wuysihan region of China.In the Wuyi mountains beneath the Tianxin Cliff you will find a few surviving three foot high tea bushes of the Da Hong Pao.The leaves of the Da Hong Pao are a bit thicker than usual and have slightly pinkish buds.This area is known as the Nine Dragons’ Nest and the sun shines directly only a few hours a day and spring fed streams create an ideal place for tea growing.These plants are known to be centuries old and they grow here and there in the canyon and almost nowhere else (JN Pratt, 2005).

There have been tea bushes cloned from the ancient plant and grown in nearby tea gardens, which is fortunate for oolong tea lovers.The leaves curve with a twist and are fired to a distinctive flinty black color.The oxidation is approximately 80% and is the darkest of the Fujian oolongs.The charcoal firing gives the tea a sweet aroma and a mellow finish.

This tea became famous and earned the name “Big Red Robe” due to a Ming Dynasty mandarin who attributed his survival to the curative powers of this tea plant.He draped his official scarlet robe over the plant in thanks and then respectfully kowtowed before them.

Ti Kuan Yin

This is one of the most famous Chinese oolongs and is legendary among oolong tea lovers.The tea plant used to produce Ti Kuan Yin is found in 27 villages located in the mountains surrounding Anxi.The villages surrounding the Anxi county find many representations of Ti Kuan Yin – more than 200 have been reported.

The tea is named after the female deity known as the Goddess of Mercy, and is believed to be the female incarnation of the many-armed compassion Buddha, Avolikitesvara.Ti, which means iron is in reference to the iron jars the tea was stored in.The Legend has it that the Quing emperor Kangxi was ill and prayed to the goddess for health during a bout of small pox.After his recovery she appeared to him in a dream and requested that he help some poor farmers on the mountain side where their tea bushes grow.To repay his debt to her he helped the farmers cultivate the tea bushes and prosper from the results.The leaf is thought to carry the impression of both the emperor and Kuan Yin’s thumb print.These two tiny marks have distinguished the leaves of true Tieguanyin bush varietals.Emperor Kangxi proclaimed Tieguayin famous for all eternity.

In the south Fujian regions the Tieguayin is lighter and less oxidized which makes it known for its fragrance.The Northern regions of Fujian produces Tieguayin that is darker and more oxidized producing a deeper liquor.The processing style results from two factors (1) is the variety of the tea bush and the other (2) is the method of leaf processing.As mentioned before there are 18 steps to produce a Ti Kuan Yin tea, traditional oolong teas take usually 10.

Formosa Oolong

Formosa oolongs originated primarily from Taiwan. The name Formosa in Latin means “shapely, beautiful” (JN Pratt, 2005). The oxidation is 50 to 60 percent and has a sweet, fresh flavor.The plant is grown below 1000 feet at the northern end ofTaiwan near Taipei.It is delicate and lush, rich and light and sometimes very expensive.

The best of the Formosa Oolong , also known as Oriental Beauty, White Tip Fancy Oolong and Bai Hao Oolong, is produced from summer to late-summer.The leaves of the tea bushes are the home of a small insect that munches on the edges of the leaf.The chomping begins an enzymatic process in the leaves which is essential in developing the character of the tea.

This tea was developed in Taiwan right after World War II and has been marketed to the west as the Champagne of Tea while in Taiwan it is known as Pingfang tea.

Brewing Oolong Tea

Traditionally the Gung fu method is used which allows for multiple infusions.Gung fu brewing includes a Gawian (which looks like a small bowl with a cover) and small cups without handles.The tea is put in the Gawian and water between 160 degrees and 195 degrees is used to infuse the leaves.The liquor is then poured into the cups using the cover of the Gawian to prevent the leaves from getting into the cups.This process is down multiple times to enjoy the complexity of the oolong tea.Each infusion releases additional oils from the plant leaf changing the flavor every so slightly.

Health Benefits

The Wuyi Shan area of Fujian region of China is an area of rocky limestone peaks, winding rivers and thick vegetation along steep roads and cliffs.The conditions for growth on one level can be unforgiving but the healty air and cool pure mountain water has been the subject of many a scholar and philosopher.It was said that this is the route of tea enlightenment.The thought is if the plants have been able to survive and thrive in this threadbare soil for thousands of years something beneficial must result from the regular consumption.After all this is the same area that the famous Ming Dynasty mandarin survived on this life giving plant and made honor of this with his royal red robe.

The question arose at a lecture during the Specialty Tea Expo in Atlanta Georgia in 2007.Dr.Ron Sebold a well known internist who now studies the clinical trials and double blind studies using Camillia sinensis as the focus of study in relation to its effects on health review this information.He concluded that drinking oolong tea, 3 to 5 cups a day without changing anything else in your lifestyle would contribute to an increased metabolism.Ooh la la you say!This translates into a weight loss for an average person of three pounds a year.Now you know the facts.

Drinking this wonderful artisan tea shouldn’t be based on the fact that it will help your metabolism but the intricacy of the preparation and the complexity of the flavor of each consecutive brew.In today’s hour of conservation there is no better tea than an oolong which allows you to brew the same leaves up to 9 times and still have a wonderful, enchanting liquor.

Maybe it isn’t the wonder drink that some are proposing it to be for weight loss but it is one of the most interesting and wonderful brews you will encounter in the tea world.Make sure you set a side some time to enjoy multiple steepings of you favorite oolong and see what the emperors of a time gone by experienced in this mysterious cup of tea called oolong.