Oolong Tea
Oolong sits gracefully between green and black tea — partially oxidised, richly complex, and extraordinarily varied. A lightly oxidised oolong can taste floral and creamy; a heavily oxidised one turns roasted and stone-fruity. Learning to brew it well means learning to listen to the leaf.
Match your temperature to your oolong
Lighter, greener oolongs (like Tie Guan Yin or alishan) prefer cooler water around 85–88°C, which preserves their floral top notes. Darker, more roasted varieties (like Da Hong Pao) thrive at 90–95°C where the heat unlocks their depth. When in doubt, go cooler — you can always adjust.
Rinse the leaves first
Pour a small amount of hot water over the leaves, swirl gently for 5–10 seconds, then discard. This "awakening rinse" opens up tightly rolled or twisted leaves and removes any dust or residue, preparing them to release their full flavour on the first true steep.
Use 1–2 teaspoons per cup
Oolong leaves, especially ball-rolled varieties, expand dramatically when wet — they can triple in size. Start with 1 teaspoon for a 240 ml cup. For the traditional gongfu style in a small clay pot or gaiwan, you can use considerably more leaf with very short steeps.
Steep for 2–4 minutes
The first steep is often the lightest — just 2 minutes is enough to establish the flavour profile. Each subsequent infusion can be extended by 30–60 seconds. Good oolong tells a different story with every pour: the first cup is lively, the third is sweet and deep.
Pour out fully and re-steep generously
Always decant every last drop between infusions to prevent over-extraction. Quality oolong comfortably yields 4–6 steeps, sometimes more. The leaves are still speaking — keep listening until the cup runs pale and flavourless.