Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bryan Wray on May 7, 2009 at 9:06am

We have a Formosa (Taiwan) oolong sold under the name Tung Ting Jade and it is absolutely fantastic. It's a green oolong, only about 22% oxidized, grown in the Tung Ting Mountains. It's aroma is mesmerizing. The first time I drank it I was blown away with it's floral aroma and flavor. If you put your nose in the cup and close your eyes, you could just as easily think you had your nose in a honeysuckle bud, it's that aromatic. The second infusion is my favorite, it pulls the most flavor, with the first having the most aroma. IMO, it's good through five infusions, and then starts to fade out.

-bry

Permalink Reply by Joseph Robertson on May 7, 2009 at 9:11am

Bryan,
My favorite black is oolong. I can't wait to try this after your great vivid discription.
Joe Robertson

Bryan Wray said:

We have a Formosa (Taiwan) oolong sold under the name Tung Ting Jade and it is absolutely fantastic. It's a green oolong, only about 22% oxidized, grown in the Tung Ting Mountains. It's aroma is mesmerizing. The first time I drank it I was blown away with it's floral aroma and flavor. If you put your nose in the cup and close your eyes, you could just as easily think you had your nose in a honeysuckle bud, it's that aromatic. The second infusion is my favorite, it pulls the most flavor, with the first having the most aroma. IMO, it's good through five infusions, and then starts to fade out.

-bry

Permalink Reply by two leaves and a bud tea co. on May 7, 2009 at 9:36am

Iced Organic Goji Berry Green Tea- very warm in our office today! Spring is finally here! And you? I hope your not sticking your tongue out at tea! TRY IT ICED! http://www.twoleavesandabud.com/TRY-IT-ICED

Permalink Reply by Bryan Wray on May 7, 2009 at 9:44am

Joseph Robertson said:

Bryan,
My favorite black is oolong. I can't wait to try this after your great vivid discription.
Joe Robertson

Bryan Wray said:

We have a Formosa (Taiwan) oolong sold under the name Tung Ting Jade and it is absolutely fantastic. It's a green oolong, only about 22% oxidized, grown in the Tung Ting Mountains. It's aroma is mesmerizing. The first time I drank it I was blown away with it's floral aroma and flavor. If you put your nose in the cup and close your eyes, you could just as easily think you had your nose in a honeysuckle bud, it's that aromatic. The second infusion is my favorite, it pulls the most flavor, with the first having the most aroma. IMO, it's good through five infusions, and then starts to fade out.

-bry

I think you may be confused. Black and oolong are two different kinds of teas, well, more specifically they are two different processes for tea. A black tea is a tea that has been allowed to fully oxidize, while oolong teas are only partially oxidized. I referred to the Tung Ting Jade as a green oolong because at just 22% oxidation it is closer to green than to black by a considerable margin. So to say your favorite black is oolong is like saying your favorite pourover is Aeropress.

But, I'm not trying to sound like an a-hole over here either. I don't really know that much about tea at all, and I may have just misunderstood something that you were trying to say, or maybe I'm about to get me an edumacation when it comes to tea, who knows!

-bry

Permalink Reply by Joseph Robertson on May 7, 2009 at 10:36am

Brian,
Sorry for my extreme Tea naivety. The first Oolong I had was on the dark side which is to say by your description more oxidized than the one you describe here. When it comes to Tea in general I very much need to be more oxidized. Thank you for the Oolong 101. I do need it. Could I have said "my favorite Oolong is on the dark side versus green?
Cheers,
Joe

Bryan Wray said:

Joseph Robertson said:

Bryan,
My favorite black is oolong. I can't wait to try this after your great vivid discription.
Joe Robertson

Bryan Wray said:

We have a Formosa (Taiwan) oolong sold under the name Tung Ting Jade and it is absolutely fantastic. It's a green oolong, only about 22% oxidized, grown in the Tung Ting Mountains. It's aroma is mesmerizing. The first time I drank it I was blown away with it's floral aroma and flavor. If you put your nose in the cup and close your eyes, you could just as easily think you had your nose in a honeysuckle bud, it's that aromatic. The second infusion is my favorite, it pulls the most flavor, with the first having the most aroma. IMO, it's good through five infusions, and then starts to fade out.

-bry

I think you may be confused. Black and oolong are two different kinds of teas, well, more specifically they are two different processes for tea. A black tea is a tea that has been allowed to fully oxidize, while oolong teas are only partially oxidized. I referred to the Tung Ting Jade as a green oolong because at just 22% oxidation it is closer to green than to black by a considerable margin. So to say your favorite black is oolong is like saying your favorite pourover is Aeropress.

But, I'm not trying to sound like an a-hole over here either. I don't really know that much about tea at all, and I may have just misunderstood something that you were trying to say, or maybe I'm about to get me an edumacation when it comes to tea, who knows!

-bry

Permalink Reply by Jason Haeger on May 7, 2009 at 10:43am

I'm not Bryan, but yes, you could.

I'm a big fan of greener oolongs, for much the same reasons as Bryan already mentioned.

I really enjoy a good Darjeeling, but for some reason, I don't find the same enjoyment in an Assam.

I can't ever seem to get enough smoked black teas (like Lapsang Souchong). It tends to remind me of a pipe tobacco blend I used to enjoy called My Mixture 965 from Dunhill. It's like drinking a campfire in an evergreen forest.

While it's not technically a tea, I practically live off of yerba mate during winter months.

I'm pretty new-ish to tea as well, but I'm always open to learn. I'm just not as passionate about tea as coffee, so I don't have the same drive to search out information. Doing tea research feels more like work, for some reason, even though I enjoy the consumption of tea every bit as much as the consumption of coffee. Go figure.
Joseph Robertson said:

Brian,
Sorry for my extreme Tea naivety. The first Oolong I had was on the dark side which is to say by your description more oxidized than the one you describe here. When it comes to Tea in general I very much need to be more oxidized. Thank you for the Oolong 101. I do need it. Could I have said "my favorite Oolong is on the dark side versus green?
Cheers,
Joe

Bryan Wray said:

Joseph Robertson said:

Bryan,
My favorite black is oolong. I can't wait to try this after your great vivid discription.
Joe Robertson

Bryan Wray said:

We have a Formosa (Taiwan) oolong sold under the name Tung Ting Jade and it is absolutely fantastic. It's a green oolong, only about 22% oxidized, grown in the Tung Ting Mountains. It's aroma is mesmerizing. The first time I drank it I was blown away with it's floral aroma and flavor. If you put your nose in the cup and close your eyes, you could just as easily think you had your nose in a honeysuckle bud, it's that aromatic. The second infusion is my favorite, it pulls the most flavor, with the first having the most aroma. IMO, it's good through five infusions, and then starts to fade out.

-bry

I think you may be confused. Black and oolong are two different kinds of teas, well, more specifically they are two different processes for tea. A black tea is a tea that has been allowed to fully oxidize, while oolong teas are only partially oxidized. I referred to the Tung Ting Jade as a green oolong because at just 22% oxidation it is closer to green than to black by a considerable margin. So to say your favorite black is oolong is like saying your favorite pourover is Aeropress.

But, I'm not trying to sound like an a-hole over here either. I don't really know that much about tea at all, and I may have just misunderstood something that you were trying to say, or maybe I'm about to get me an edumacation when it comes to tea, who knows!

-bry

Permalink Reply by Bryan Wray on May 7, 2009 at 11:18am

Some really nice first flush Darjeelings are starting to roll in to our supplier so I'm really looking forward to trying some different ones.

-bry

Permalink Reply by Bad Boy Barista on May 12, 2009 at 9:24am

Savoring an amazing 15 year old puerh. The balance of earthiness and moss flavors is amazing.

Permalink Reply by espresso Neat on August 15, 2009 at 7:11pm

My favorite is Sencha. I had a wonderful cup in Japan and I've been trying to recreate it ever since :-)

Permalink Reply by Bryan Wray on August 16, 2009 at 2:12pm

Iced Rooibos Lemon Chiffon from Special Teas. MMMM delicious.

-bry

Permalink Reply by jonathon samuel on September 6, 2009 at 6:43pm

one of my favorites is cameronian-Malaysian- i have heard it called a black but it seems to be more of an oolong, seems lighter, less oxidised, anyone know?

Permalink Reply by espresso Neat on September 23, 2009 at 4:06pm

I'm a tea neophyte as well, but here's a simple summary of tea types that I've gleaned. I haven't looked up pureh and have no idea about it so if some one wants to fill me in re: processing, etc. I'd be grateful.

• All teas (other than herbal) derive from the Camellia sinensis plant

• Herbal Teas are properly called “Tisanes” or “Infusions” because they not actually derived from tea leaves but various plants.

• Black, Oolong, Green and White teas are differentiated primarily by the type of processing the leaves undergo. In addition these teas can be (but not necessarily) differentiated by the plant varietal used AND (in some cases) the stage of growth of the plant when picked for processing.

• Black Tea: withered, rolled, fermented, and fired to produce a fully fermented, fully oxidized leaves.
Green Tea: steamed, rolled, and fired to produce a tea that is unfermented, minimally oxidized.
Oolong Tea: aspects of both black and green tea processing used to produce partially fermented, fully oxidized
leaves.
White Tea: unfermented, unoxidized, typically consists of buds and young tea leaves. (this tea actually has
more caffeine than black tea, and a study in 2004 claims it has even more health benefits than green tea).

• Oolong, Green, and White tea leaves are more delicate than Black tea and that is why the pot and cups are
never preheated, and the water should not be right of the boil. In addition, these teas can support (and in
many cases are best) at least 2 infusions and in some cases up to 6 infusions. In pouring multiple infusions it
is critical for ALL the water to be poured off with each infusion so the leaves don't continue steeping.

* Black teas and herbal tisanes cannot support multiple infusions and therefore fresh leaves should be used for
each brew.

You tea experts please feel free to add or correct!

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