Plucking Time and Imperial Formosa Oolong Tea

Imperial Formosa oolong tea is one of the finest oolong teas you can buy, so long as it is produced in a quality tea garden that takes great care in how the tea is harvested and processed. To choose the best Imperial Formosa oolong tea, it's important to know some things about this tea and how it is harvested and produced.

Oolong tea is a hybrid of green and black tea. It is produced from the same plant as other teas, but processed a bit differently. Green tea is left unfermented, black tea is fully fermented and oolong tea is semi-fermented, meaning that the fermentation time is shorter than that of other teas, so some percentage of the tea leaves are left green.

This partial fermentation creates a tea that is lighter than black tea, but bolder and more flavorful than green tea. Depending upon how long the tea artisan allows the leaves to ferment, or oxidize, the tea may be closer to the flavor of a green tea or closer to the flavor of a black tea. In addition, oolong tea is produced from larger tea leaves, those that grow further down the tea plant.

Imperial Formosa oolong tea is produced only in Taiwan. Teas from Taiwan are referred to as Formosa teas because this was the country's original name. Most people think of China as the place where oolong teas are produced, and, in fact, China does produce the largest quantity of oolong tea today. However, Taiwan runs a close second, and their oolong teas are considered some of the best in the world.

According to historical book reports, tea bushes had been found growing in the wild of Taiwan about three hundred years ago. Tea varieties were introduced in Taiwan about two hundred years ago by immigrants from China and a new industry was born.

Imperial Formosa oolong tea is fermented until the leaves are about 30% oxidized. Timing the oxidation period is a critical step in creating a good oolong tea. To create the same flavor each time, the artisan must appropriately bruise the leaves and then see that the oxidation happens precisely. Producing oolong tea is a labor intensive process that cannot be effectively managed with machines and other mass production processes.

For this reason, fewer tea gardens produce oolong than other teas. Producing the very best oolong requires strict adherence to the process and timing as well as skilled tea artisans who can determine exactly when the tea leaves are appropriately dried and when they're appropriately fermented. For this reason, oolong teas are often more expensive than black and green teas. Formosa oolong teas are typically the most expensive oolong teas because labor costs in Taiwan are higher than those in other countries.

Like black and green teas, the flavor of oolong teas are also affected by when the leaves are plucked. The first teas plucked during the season are the spring teas, also known as first flush teas. These are generally the most highly prized tea leaves of the season. Though the tea plant will be harvested several more times before the end of the summer, in most cases the tea from these subsequent pluckings will not rival the first plucked tea in flavor.

This is primarily because tea leaves grown later in the season are subject to hotter weather and often become baked in the sun before theyre even plucked. The same rules apply to most oolong teas. In most cases, the first flush of oolong will have the best taste. You'll typically find Imperial Formosa oolong tea produced from the first plucking of the season.

The best tea gardens, can, however, make good tea from each flush of the growing season, though many tea connoisseurs will always favor first flush teas. This exceptional flavor and smaller availability make first flush oolong teas the most expensive of the growing season, too.

The best tea gardens label their teas not only by the grade of the tea leaves, but according to which plucking they were produced from. Some tea gardens don't even pluck more than twice a season, believing that the quality of the tea is not sufficient after the second plucking.

In most cases Imperial Formosa oolong tea will be a first flush tea and will be graded Finest to Choice, the highest grade of Formosa teas. Few tea gardens produce Imperial Formosa oolong, and most can be counted on to produce high quality tea.

The Best Way to Brew Tea

Brewing a Perfect Cup of Tea

Time:

The finer the grain, the quicker the brew time as the surface area of the tea exposed to the hot water is greater. Nearly powdered teas are ready to go in about two minutes or less, while large leaf varieties may need more than five minutes. The general rule is three to five minutes, blacks longer than greens. The longer a tea steeps, the more likely it is to become slightly astringent or "bitter" to your taste. Some tea lovers prefer a bit of astringency, while others recommend putting the tea into infusers or paper filters (rather than directly in the pot) as the leaves can more easily be removed from the pot after the prescribed steeping time, which also preserves a bit more "virtue" for you in the leaves if the intent is to reuse them to brew yourself a second pot.

Temperature:

With black teas, the hotter the water the better. Bring it just to a boil and let it back off a couple of degrees. Green teas are usually a bit more delicate and do better in water that is in the 160 to 185 degree range, so it may make sense to let your water cool a bit before brewing the tea in this case.

Quality of Water

Never use tap water to brew your tea because sediments and contaminants in the water will ruin the taste of your tea. It is best to use purified water processed through a distillation, oxidation process for best flavor

Brewing a Perfect Second Cup

Get More From Your Tea!

Remember that you can get a second pot out of just about any tea type. If the tea is loose in the pot, first pour off the cold excess liquid through a filter and return the leaves to the pot. Fill the pot about three quarter full of fresh hot water. If desired, add a bit more fresh tea. Let this pot steep a few minutes longer than the first. If the tea is in an infuser or paper filter, simply put it back into fresh hot water as above. It is a lot easier to add a bit more fresh tea if you are using a filter rather than an infuser.

Decaffeinating Your Own Tea

Caffeine is highly water soluble, so it is one of the first constituents of the leaf to be extracted in the steeping process. Usually 80 percent or more of the tea's caffeine content is released within the first 20 to 30 seconds of steeping. You can enjoy any tea virtually caffeine-free (with little sacrifice of flavor) by discarding the water after the first 30 to 60 seconds of steeping and adding fresh hot water to the now largely decaffeinated leaf. Obviously, using a T-sac tea filter or an infuser when decaffeinating in this manner is far more practical for you than adding tea directly to the pot.

A Tea Party for a Good Cause

Yesterday I attended a tea party for a good cause. It was part of an event to raise awareness for a battered women and children shelter in our city. The event was held at a five star restaurant (McCormick & Schmick's Sea Food)

It seemed to me that a tea party was a great way to host an event because the participants enjoyed the tea, small sandwiches, cookies and pasteries and it put everyone in a good mood for the event.

After the first 1/2 hour of socializing over cups of quality loose leaf tea (my favorite was Sugar Caramel Oolong) presentations were made that included members of the shelter who were helped by the services of the shelter and a doctor who provided medical care.

The whole event was a lot of fun and raised awareness in my mind that battered women and children still need help.

China and Tea

Many historians believe that tea was first introduced and cultivated in Yunnan Province (located in southwestern China and bordering on present day Burma, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand) in a rich, lush area of jungle that was favorable to the growth of the tea bush.

What China added to the world of tea, however was an advanced society with an efficient bureaucracy that supported the spread of tea consumption in a methodical and rapid way. And, equally important, tea transition from a basic food to a valuable medicine under Chinese management.

By the third century AD in China the story of tea and its benefits were well known, but it was not until the Tang Dynasty (618 CE - 906 CE) that tea officially became China's national drink. During this time the word ch'a was used to describe tea.

How did Monkeys Influence the Spread of Tea?

For thousands of years monkeys have had a symbiotic relationship with the Camellia Sinensis (Tea) plant. It is a fact that over 40% of the tea plant is comprised of phenolics in the leaf.

Phenolics are ranked among the most powerful anti bacteria substances known to man and it is a fact that monkeys have the ability to consume plants that they perceive to be beneficial to their health.

When the tea leaves were consumed by monkeys, the phenolics cleansed their mouths and digestive tracts as well as wounds and sores on their skin. And tea had an evolutionary effect on monkeys as the healthier ones who fed on the tea plant thrived and travelled throughout Southeast Asia.

Many scientists have concluded that the existence of healthy, well travelled monkeys spread the existence of the tea plant into southern China and merchants and farmers soon noticed the beneficial effects of the tea plant.

Tea Trends

Trends in the Wholesale and Retail Loose Leaf Tea Industry

The tea industry in the United Sates is a growth industry and the role of retailers or value added resellers has played an important part in the overall expansion. Value added resellers and retailers add significant value to the tea industry as they bundle tea offerings with quality dining and other services but they must be supported by comprehensive wholesale programs that are reliable , consistent and profitable.

What trends are driving the market?

In most countries in the world, tea is the second most popular beverage after water. The one exception is tea drinking in the United States. But the market for quality loose leaf tea has unlimited upside potential for tea drinkers in this country.

The market for high quality loose leaf tea is experiencing strong growth and this is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. The growth of revenue and profits in the value added retail sector of the market is also very strong particularly when tea is prepared and presented as a part of a total offering in tea rooms, fine dining establishments and hotels.

There are a number of factors influencing this growth in loose leaf tea demand:

• The incredible good taste of tea and blends.
• The health benefits of tea.
• The wide variety of tea flavors and blends.
• A growing awareness about the enjoyment benefits of loose leaf tea .
• An expansion of the value added reseller network for quality loose tea.
• Many consumers are looking for an alternative to coffee as a hot or iced drink of choice.
• Consumers are tired of the "tea bag mentality" where the taste and quality of tea is sacrificed for the convenience of the tea bag.

The market for loose leaf tea is large and expanding. Try a quality tea and you will surely like it.