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“Hi my name is Dex and I’m really new to the world of loose leaf tea. I’m hoping that some of you wonderful Steepster members will help me. I am seeking tea lesson, I need to learn more about the...” Read full tasting note
“Now I remember why this sat in my cupboard for so long, even as much as I love it. Within 20 minutes of my finishing the first cup (which is so big it’s more like two cups), I felt so nauseous, I...” Read full tasting note
Bai Hao Oolong (White Tipped Oolong), also known as “Asian Beauty” is an entirely hand made tea, grown in Hsinchu County, Taiwan. It is a rare tea, since it is harvested only once a year during the summer months. The top, young, tender leaves are picked and there’s a silvery down that covers the spear-like points of the most delicate leaves. Once steeped, the 90% oxidized leaves produce the rich, full flavor of a black tea, and the honey & fruity sweetness of an oolong. Taiwan’s Bai Hao Oolong is considered the best in the world and is the favored tea of the British Royal Family.
Gung-fu style or use 2 heaping tsp. per 8oz. cup. Heat water to just under boiling (85C/185F), let steep 1-2 minutes, good for several infusions. The third infusion is generally the best because the leaves will have completely unfurled and released their flavor.
GUNG-FU STYLE
Western brewing methods differ greatly from traditional methods used in Asian cultures. In Asia Gung-Fu style brewing is most often used. To brew in a traditional Gung-Fu fashion, you must use a small tea pot. First rinse the pot with hot water. Add enough leaves to fill approximately 1/3 of the pot, then add hot water, pour off immediately, then add more hot water, filling the pot. Allow the tea to brew for 1 minute and serve. Continue this last step until you get no more flavour in your cup, up to 10 times. Even when utilizing western style brewing methods, oolong leaves can be brewed numerous times.
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Hi my name is Dex and I’m really new to the world of loose leaf tea. I’m hoping that some of you wonderful Steepster members will help me. I am seeking tea lesson, I need to learn more about the different varieties of tea and their characteristics. Any help in this regard would be greatly appreciated.
I received this tea in my wonderful swap package from MissB Thank you so much for sending some of this my way.
This tea is beautiful, large dark twisted leaves with WHITE tips – not golden but pure white. It’s a nice mild, slightly astringent but well balanced black tea, there are some fruity and slightly sweet tones. This isn’t my favorite style of black, but am enjoying the sample I have. OH WAIT – this is an oolong – I’m so confused. This looks like a black tea, this smells like a black tea, this tastes like a black tea. There isn’t anything oolongish about it. I need some serious help…..
Now I remember why this sat in my cupboard for so long, even as much as I love it. Within 20 minutes of my finishing the first cup (which is so big it’s more like two cups), I felt so nauseous, I almost got sick all over my kitchen. Then it came to me in a flash: oolongs (usually) give me a horrible stomachache, especially on an empty stomach. A quick bite to eat helped, however as soon as I started drinking the tea again, the nausea returned in full force.
Dammit. I love this stuff, however it’ll just go to waste in my cupboard now. Quite a bit left – anyone want me to send it to them?
This type of tea is also known as Oriental Beauty. It has a relatively high degree of oxidation hence some of it’s similarities to black tea. I am by all means not an expert ( I have 2 but the only one I’ve tried is a cheap box of a higher grade sea dyke brand one from the Chinese grocery store;), the other I haven’t touched yet). This article gives you some history and information about this style of tea though.
http://teamasters.blogspot.ca/2007/02/study-of-oriental-beauty.html
I had this experience with my first and, thus far, only Bai Hao recently! It was hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that it was indeed an oolong.
Thanks for the link yyz. I did read it, I now understand that the sweetness/honey notes come from the cricket bites on the leaves, I understand that it’s highly oxidized and therefore would be closer to a black than a green tea. I’ve had lots of highly oxidized oolongs and they all (other than Black Pearl Sumatra – but that’s another one that makes my head hurt) still have some oolongishness too them. If someone had just given me a cup of this I would have sworn it was a black… Oh well, thanks for the info, I’m going to file this tea under confusing and move on until I have a better grasp/understanding.
greenteafairy – that’s exactly how I feel. It looks like a black, it smells like a black, it tastes like a black….but it’s an oolong…
I remember when I bought this tea; the lady who sold it to me told me the history behind it, and had met the tea farmers face-to-face prior to buying it for her store. I wish I could remember more of the story, however it was (and still is) one of the most expensive teas I’ve ever purchased. I was curious as to what extra money bought (I know it sounds silly, however I really was curious) and so I grabbed 50g of it. The way they made it in-store blew my mind. Somehow it tasted like a black, yet was sweet and fruity like an oolong… I managed to get that out of it the last time I brewed it, however have yet to try again. If you’re really curious, I’m sure the folks at the Tea Centre in Courtenay, BC would be happy to talk to you about it ([email protected]; http://teacentre.ca/bai_hao_oolong.htm)
Maybe I’ll ask my mom to get me some of this for Christmas. :D
There is no doubt this is a beautiful high quality tea. It’s just so strange to me. Can’t comprehend how it can go so far against everything I thought I understood about tea.
I think sometimes that the categorization of teas is maybe a little more fluid than we sometimes like them to be here. I know that on Aliexpress that Dancongs, and Da hong Pao are often sold under black tea vs oolong.
OMGsrsly, I will give you the rest of what I have, if you’d like it
– or anyone else who would like to try some. Oolongs hate me right now, and as much as I love this tea, I’d rather it was enjoyed than just sit in my cupboard.
My mom only buys her tea from there, so if someone further away is interested, share with them first. :)