Where is oolong tea made

There are a lot of steps in making Oolong Tea and each affects the taste of the final brew. Here, we provide an an answer to the question, how is Oolong Tea processed? Tea Manufacturing Process Flow Chart. Oolong Tea traditionally comes from southern China and Taiwan, and like most teas, is made from leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.

Like other teas, the unique flavor of Oolong Teas come from the way they are processed. This degree of oxidation, and the many ways of processing it, give Oolong Tea its broad spectrum of flavor and character.

Flavors range from floral and green to sweet and fruity, and on to woody and smoky. In Taiwan alone, there are over ten different types of Oolong Teas. Taiwanese Oolong Teas have a variety of flavors due to the different levels of oxidation and roasting. Taiwan, though geographically small, has perhaps the largest variety of Oolong Tea types per area, due to its variation in geography, climate, and cultural history. From Tie Guan Yin , produced in the low-lying hills southeast of Taipei, to the High Mountain Tea growing regions of central Taiwan, there are dozens of tea types produced on this small island off the southeast coast of mainland China.

Tea plants are grown in rows on tea farms ranging in size from less than a hectare to hundreds of hectares. Tea cultivation in Taiwan has a rich history of migration from mainland China, as well as influences from the Portuguese and Japanese.

Today, there is a mix of small-scale private farms throughout the island, with high volume production in central Taiwan. Many small-scale independent farmers use organic or other methods of sustainable farming. Tea leaves for Oolong Tea production in Taiwan are typically harvested three to four times a year. Spring harvest is usually the best in terms of quantity as well as quality. Winter harvest is often minimal, although it can also be quite good quality. Fall harvest can also offer fine produce, and summer tea is either processed as Black Tea, or not harvested at all — allowing the tea trees to replenish.

The top three to four leaves of new growth within 60 days from a tea plant provide the ideal raw material for making Oolong Tea.

Picking tea by hand is the best way to harvest this new growth, but this is very labor intensive. The majority of tea pickers in central Taiwan are now migrant workers from Vietnam or other southeast Asian countries. The younger generation in Taiwan has mostly left the farm for more modern livelihoods. Consequently, machine harvesting tea leaves is becoming increasingly common. These tea harvesting machines are essentially a hedge trimmer with a vacuum machine and bag attached to catch the trimmed leaves.

With proper farm management, the compromise in the quality of harvested leaves is becoming less and less significant. And farmers are realizing that proper farm management, combined with skillful and painstaking processing methods, can produce high quality tea from machine harvested leaves. Once tea leaves are harvested, transformations on the cellular level that affect the taste of tea begin, so tea makers must start processing the tea as soon as possible, and continually tend to the leaves until the final product is made.

Because oolong tea is oxidized at varying levels depending on the processing technique of the tea master, its flavor can range from light to full bodied, floral to grassy, and sweet to toasty. The color of the leaves and the hue of the brewed tea can also vary from green to golden to brown. The differences between the types and flavors of oolong teas are often compared to the differences between fine wines.

While all wine comes from a grape, it is the combination of the variety of the grape, how and where the grape was grown and the artisanal style of the wine maker that ultimately determines how the wine will taste in your glass. This is a stunning cup. If vintage Domaine Huet, a white wine from the Loire made from a crazy grape called chenin blanc, were a tea, it would be this. Given its origins, oolong tea is hugely popular in Asia. In fact, just as there are wine competitions in California, Italy or France, there are oolong competitions across Asia to honor the artisanship of oolong tea producers.

Teas may be judged on everything from the shape and appearance of the dry and wet leaves to the color, aroma and taste of the brewed tea. There are many factors that can determine caffeine levels of any beverage brewed from a caffeinated plant, including the variety of the plant, how the plant was processed and how the beverage was brewed.

The caffeine content in an oolong tea generally falls somewhere between a black tea and a green tea. A lightly oxidized oolong may have lower caffeine levels similar to a green tea and a highly oxidized oolong may have higher caffeine levels similar to a black tea.

But this can vary depending on how the tea plant was cultivated and how the oolong tea was processed. Storing an oolong tea properly will ensure that your tea will remain fresh as long as possible. It is important to ask the tea vendor about the oxidation levels of your oolong tea.

A more oxidized oolong tea will more shelf stable than a less oxidized one. If stored properly in a cool dark place, in an opaque airtight container, away from light and moisture, and far from pantry items like coffee and spices that can leach flavor into the tea leaves, oolong teas can last anywhere from six months to two years before they should be used or replaced.

For more information about how to best care for your tea, visit our How to Store Tea page. Because oolong teas vary wildly in their oxidation levels and processing techniques, many oolongs will have different ideal brewing temperatures and steeping times. Heiss, Site Information. Please wait My Account. All About Tea What is Tea? Oolong tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid shown to have positive effects on relaxation and cognitive performance 6. In addition to caffeine, oolong tea contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and beneficial tea polyphenol antioxidants.

In general, tea has been shown to help protect against diabetes and complications from diabetes, possibly by easing insulin resistance and decreasing inflammation, among other mechanisms 7. Accordingly, a study from and a review from both report links between regular tea consumption, improved blood sugar management , and a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes 8 , 9. However, the specific effects of oolong tea are generally not as well researched as those of green or black tea.

That being said, one smaller, older study does point to the possible effectiveness of oolong tea in lowering plasma glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes The polyphenol antioxidants in oolong tea may help maintain normal blood sugar levels and decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, the evidence is mixed, and more research is needed. Regularly consuming tea antioxidants may also improve heart health Several studies of regular tea drinkers show reduced blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as a reduced risk of heart disease 13 , 14 , One thing to remember is that oolong tea contains caffeine , which may possibly raise blood pressure, or hypertension, slightly in some people.

However, there have been inconsistent results when it comes to studies looking at a link between blood pressure and caffeine, so more research is needed before any definitive conclusions can be made 19 , Furthermore, since the caffeine content in an 8-ounce mL cup is only about one-fourth of that found in the same amount of coffee , any negative effect regarding hypertension is likely to be quite small 4 , Oolong tea may help decrease the risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure in some people, but more research is needed.

Tea consumption and weight loss have long been tied together; and indeed, many studies illustrate a connection between the bioactive compounds in tea and weight loss or obesity prevention Interestingly enough, it comes to oolong tea itself. A recent animal study showed that extracts from oolong actually did help to increase fat oxidation — meaning they helped decrease body fat directly.

However, when it comes to studies on humans, only one small, older study points to its ability to increase energy expenditure in adults, which is basically the number of calories a body burns while at rest, but not fat oxidation. Clearly, more research has to be done before conclusions can be made 24 , Other factors, such as underlying conditions and behaviors, play a big role when it comes to weight loss, and the amount of tea that can be safely consumed varies from person to person 26 , 27, The combination of caffeine and polyphenols found in oolong tea may help increase specific enzyme inhibition and the number of calories burned each day.

This could ultimately aid in weight loss. Recent reviews show that tea consumption may help maintain brain function and memory, as well as possibly protect against age-related decline 29 , For starters, caffeine can increase the release of norepinephrine and dopamine.

These two brain messengers are thought to benefit mood, attention, and brain function Further research shows that theanine, an amino acid in tea, may also help boost attention and relieve anxiety. Oxidation occurs after the tea leaf is picked as enzymes in the leaf react with oxygen in the air, resulting in changes to color, aroma and taste. Oolong teas undergo a difficult and time consuming processing method which produces their wonderfully aromatic and nuanced flavor profiles.

They are made to be savored slowly "gongfu style", over the course of multiple infusions brewed in traditional vessels such as a porcelain gaiwan or smal clay teapot. Today, the traditional producing regions include Fujian, Guangdong Province and Taiwan. The best oolong teas are picked by hand during the spring and winter months.