Oolong Tea Guide – Benefits, Taste, History, Varieties

Green tea has had a meteoric rise in popularity over the last several years and can now be found in almost every shop and café. Additionally, it may be found in a wide variety of goods, including shampoo, face cream, candles, and a variety of other common things. The Camellia Sinensis plant, which is used to make both black and green tea, is also used to make oolong tea. Oolong tea, on the other hand, only undergoes partial fermentation, while green tea does not undergo any fermentation at all.

A competent person is required to carry out the fermentation process. This individual may ferment the tea to many various degrees, which allows for the creation of many distinct types. After the oxidation process has reached the correct degree, the leaves are first stimulated to speed it up, and then they are roasted to complete the process.

The leaves are further processed after the fermentation to enhance the smell, texture and the flavor. This is done by rolling and rubbing the tea. It it possible to achieve many different levels of tea, and when the processing is over a knowledgeable master of Oolong will check the leaves and give them a grade.

The history of Oolong tells us that it was first produced in Fujian province in China. Some of the finest tea still comes from this area although it is now also produced in many other places including Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand.

One of the reasons that green tea has become so popular is that there are believed to many health benefits which can be obtained by regular drinking. These benefits are also reported to exist in Oolong and are retained even after the tea is processed. Some of the common benefits claimed are the stimulation of the metabolism and the ability to enhance the digestion.

If you are interested in trying some Oolong then it is recommended to find a quality supplier. There are many sellers on the Internet who can supply good tea and many who can supply not so good tea. The stuff in the local Chinese store tends to be of very low quality and not worth buying. Look for a specialist tea merchant and try a few different ones to find the best quality.

Some of the more popular varieties include Gao Shan, Tie Guan Yin, Vietnamese Golden Buds and Formosa Oolong which comes from Taiwan. Don’t be afraid to get stuck in and try a few varieties. I can tell you that a good Oolong is really a great tea so if you are not impressed with what you buy then shop around for another merchant because the good stuff is out there.