At a glance. Oolong: use 3 g of leaf per 200 ml of water at 85–95 °C and steep for 3–5 min. Caffeine: 30–50 mg per 200 ml cup. Flavour: orchid, butter, stone fruit, roast.
Partially oxidised and worked by hand: the leaf is tossed, withered, rolled and roasted in cycles. It ranges from floral, nearly green (Tie Guan Yin) to roasted and mineral (Da Hong Pao). It is the tea that rewards short, repeated steeps the most.
How to brew
- Heat the water to 85–95 °C.
- Use 3 g of leaf for every 200 ml.
- Steep for 3–5 min, then remove the leaves.
- Try gongfu style: more leaf, little water, 30-second steeps.
What it is commonly used for
- Pause and mental wellbeing: Making tea with attention (measuring, waiting, smelling) works as a micro-meditation. The ritual matters as much as the leaf.
Frequently asked questions
What is oolong?
It is a partially oxidised tea, between green and black. It can be light and floral (Tie Guan Yin, Taiwanese high-mountain oolongs) or roasted and mineral (Da Hong Pao). It gives many short steeps, with water at 90 to 95 °C.