How to Steep Oolong Tea in Asian and Western Style
Oolong tea is a type of tea served both in Asian and Western countries, but the methods of steeping are slightly different between the two. To ensure you get the most flavour out of your Oolong teas, here’s a quick guide for Asian and Western style for the optimal tea experience.
Asian Oolong Tea Steeping
- Prepare the Tea Leaves: Gently shake the package of Oolong tea and scoop out several teaspoons of leaves into a pot/cup for each serving
- Add Water: Fill the pot/cup with hot water around 80-90¢XC to ensure it’s not too hot to drink
- Steep the Leaves: Leave the Oolong tea leaves in the pot/cup for 3-5 minutes, depending on the type of tea, to extract the flavours. For a lighter tea, steep for less time and if you want a stronger flavour, steep for longer.
- Pour into Cups: Once the steeping process is complete, pour the Oolong tea into cups for serving.
Western Oolong Tea Steeping
- Prepare the Tea Leaves: Gently shake the package of Oolong tea and scoop out 1 teaspoon of leaves into a teapot for every 8 ounces of water
- Add Water: Use water that’s just over boiling to ensure it’s not to hot to drink, around 95¢XC.
- Steep the Leaves: Leave the Oolong tea leaves in the teapot for 3-5 minutes, depending on the type of tea, to extract the flavours. For a lighter tea, steep for less time and if you want a stronger flavour, steep for longer.
- Strain into Cups: Once the steeping process is complete, strain the tea into cups for serving.
No matter the method, you want to make sure that the Oolong tea leaves are prepared, steeped and served correctly so you can enjoy the perfect cup of tea with the desired flavour intensity.
