I read that it is a tea that falls between green tea and black tea.
Does this sound right?

"Douglas" <*@*.*> wrote:

> I read that it is a tea that falls between green tea and black tea.
> Does this sound right?

This is approximately correct. But I'm sure someone extremely knowledgeable
could go on and on about what oolong is (and isn't).

Green tea is not oxidized ("fermented") at all. Black tea is more or less fully
oxidized. Oolong is partially oxidized. That's the nutshell definition.


--
Randy
(if replying by e-mail, remove SPAMFREE and DeLeTe from my address)
Current book recommendation: BLUE LIKE JAZZ

"RJP" > wrote in message
...
> "Douglas" <*@*.*> wrote:
>
> > I read that it is a tea that falls between green tea and black tea.
> > Does this sound right?
>
> This is approximately correct. But I'm sure someone extremely
knowledgeable
> could go on and on about what oolong is (and isn't).
>
> Green tea is not oxidized ("fermented") at all. Black tea is more or less
fully
> oxidized. Oolong is partially oxidized. That's the nutshell definition.
>

That is exactly right. Oolong is 50% oxidized, and it combines the flavor of
red (black) tea which is usually very rich, and that of green tea which is
more delicate and lighter.

Traditionally the leaves used for making Oolongs are older leaves, but tea
makers from different regions are now using different techniques and
inventing new teas.

>Traditionally the leaves used for making Oolongs are older leaves, but
tea
>makers from different regions are now using different techniques and
>inventing new teas.

Now most shops here try to bank on 'fresh crop' and new tea when it
comes to Wulong. Even the same tea, same grade if it's newer, can sell
for quite a bit more due to the over abundance of older tea on the
market.

3/8/05

>
> "RJP" > wrote in message
> ...
>> "Douglas" <*@*.*> wrote:
>>
>>> I read that it is a tea that falls between green tea and black tea.
>>> Does this sound right?
>>
>> This is approximately correct. But I'm sure someone extremely
> knowledgeable
>> could go on and on about what oolong is (and isn't).
>>
>> Green tea is not oxidized ("fermented") at all. Black tea is more or less
> fully
>> oxidized. Oolong is partially oxidized. That's the nutshell definition.
>>
>
> That is exactly right. Oolong is 50% oxidized, and it combines the flavor of
> red (black) tea which is usually very rich, and that of green tea which is
> more delicate and lighter.

That is unfortunately *not* right; Oolongs can be oxidized at anywhere from
around 15% up to over 70%. Fifty percent is not a magic number, and is in
fact uncommon. I would also disagree with the statement that Oolongs combine
qualities of green and red teas, since Oolongs are many and varied, and
clearly a thing apart with their distinct identities, which exploration will
reveal to you.
>
> Traditionally the leaves used for making Oolongs are older leaves, but tea
> makers from different regions are now using different techniques and
> inventing new teas.

Traditionally Oolong is made from a larger and thereby stronger leaf in part
because the leaf will go through a series of manipulations before it reaches
your cup. Makers might be trying to outdo one another in coming up with new
teas, but they seldom beat the traditions. This does not however suggest
that PT Barnum was in any way wrong in his assessment of commerce and its
victims.

Hope this helps.

Michael
>
>

and in addition some are more oxidized and fermented-
previously there was an interesting discussion on this-
oolong is a semi-fermented tea
fresh pluck leaves are plucked>and then withered>sai qing>tea is transferred
inside and withered at room temperatur>sai qing
then stirred by hand every hour or so for 6-8 hours>lang qing
next step sha qing is pan firing to olxidase enzymes and stop fermentation
rou jian>rolling
mao huo>second firing
lang che>cold rolling
zu huo> final firing

some oolongs are more green and others are more fermented/oxidized-
personally i enjoy the more green and lightly oxidized oolongs-and the
oolongs from taiwan rather than mainland china
joanne


"Michael Plant" > wrote in message
...
> 3/8/05
>
>>
>> "RJP" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> "Douglas" <*@*.*> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I read that it is a tea that falls between green tea and black tea.
>>>> Does this sound right?
>>>
>>> This is approximately correct. But I'm sure someone extremely
>> knowledgeable
>>> could go on and on about what oolong is (and isn't).
>>>
>>> Green tea is not oxidized ("fermented") at all. Black tea is more or
>>> less
>> fully
>>> oxidized. Oolong is partially oxidized. That's the nutshell
>>> definition.
>>>
>>
>> That is exactly right. Oolong is 50% oxidized, and it combines the flavor
>> of
>> red (black) tea which is usually very rich, and that of green tea which
>> is
>> more delicate and lighter.
>
> That is unfortunately *not* right; Oolongs can be oxidized at anywhere
> from
> around 15% up to over 70%. Fifty percent is not a magic number, and is in
> fact uncommon. I would also disagree with the statement that Oolongs
> combine
> qualities of green and red teas, since Oolongs are many and varied, and
> clearly a thing apart with their distinct identities, which exploration
> will
> reveal to you.
>>
>> Traditionally the leaves used for making Oolongs are older leaves, but
>> tea
>> makers from different regions are now using different techniques and
>> inventing new teas.
>
> Traditionally Oolong is made from a larger and thereby stronger leaf in
> part
> because the leaf will go through a series of manipulations before it
> reaches
> your cup. Makers might be trying to outdo one another in coming up with
> new
> teas, but they seldom beat the traditions. This does not however suggest
> that PT Barnum was in any way wrong in his assessment of commerce and its
> victims.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Michael
>>
>>
>

>
> some oolongs are more green and others are more fermented/oxidized-
> personally i enjoy the more green and lightly oxidized oolongs-and the
> oolongs from taiwan rather than mainland china
> joanne
>

Joanne, although it's obviously a matter of taste, I also prefer the
Taiwanese "green" oolongs, although I have had some floral Tieguanyins and
Phoenix oolongs from the mainland that I thought were extraordinary.

I also think of most Darjeelings as oolongs, at least stylistically. Many
of them, especially first flushes, are very lightly oxidised.

Regards,
Dean