Oolong Tea

▸ Oolong tea plantation and region advantage:

1. The favorable tea fields climate and natural environment:
Oolong tea production regions mainly located in Fujian, Guangdong, Taiwan and other places in China. Most of the tea fields in these regions are situated on 20-80 degrees of north latitude, with annual rainfall 1200-1900 mm, average temperature 17-22℃, active accumulated temperature 4500~7700℃, the frost-free period more than 300 days a year, the elevation mostly more than 500 m and soil pH value is 4.5-6.5. Located far from pollution, the annual sunshine time more than 1400 hours, unique light condition, for these reasons, the tea fields have well climate, deep layer and fertile soil. There are many reservoirs, pathways, absence of steep slopes, street trees and well-maintained eco-forest.

2. Scientific cultivation and management
2.1 Soil management
The green plants coverage more than 80% of the area, also function as prevention for soil erosion and water loss. Through careful cultivation, timely weeding and deep plowing between September and November every year to burying the weeds deep into the soil, which have the effect to eliminate hardened soil, enhance the soil permeability of moisture and aeration.

2.2.The variety selection of tea tree
Planting tea trees with a rational collocation of varieties according to the early, middle, late budding period; stagger spring tea exploitation period, avoid or reduce peak period for tea leaves picking, different varieties and qualities of tea leaves are fit to make their appropriate tea categories, it is to help make up each other's deficiencies and improve overall tea quality; combination of multi-varieties of tea leaves can prevent and relieve the harm brought by insect diseases and meteorological disaster.

2.3. Fertilization management
2.3.1. The base fertilizer consists largely of cake fertilizer and farmyard fertilizer, with the usage over 500 kg per mu (82.35 kg per acres), in combination with applying 50 kg calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer, opening furrow fertilization of 20-30 cm and the application in February to March and November.

2.3.2. More application of organic fertilizer, lines inserting green manure to increase soil fertility for new-planted and renewed tea fields. Mixing to apply organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer for mature tea fields each year, covering the layer with using straw in autumn and winter could be effective in conserving both soil and moisture, increasing soil fertility and reducing insect diseases.

2.4. Tea pruning and picking technology
Mature tea fields always are pruned slightly with the depth of 3-5 cm between October and November each year after production commenced. And timely picking tea leaves according to the standard requirements in batches, conveying the picked fresh tea leaves to primary processing factory.

3. Scientific pest diseases control:
Adhere to the agricultural control of deep plowing, cleaning fields, manual picking and appropriately raising chickens as the foundation, Combination of comprehensive control measures also needed, such as biological control (pheromone); physical control (photosensitive, sound-sensitive aroma-sensitive, colour-sensitive, ultrasonic hunting etc.) and moderate chemical control (application of lime-sulphur).

In conclusion, the topography of Fujian tea fields are large hilly areas, located on an elevated position and the drainage unhindered with adequate sunlight to perform photosynthesis; the mild climate and adequate rainfall which belongs to subtropical monsoon climate; the soil is red and pH value is moderate that is conducive to Oolong tea planting and tea trees growth. The soil is the living base which tea trees depend, so excellent soil conditions not only affected tea trees growth, but it also affected their quality. According to the surveys, some mountainous tea plantations in Xiping, Gande, Xianghua in Anxi, the land of famous tea, have deep soil layers, mainly are mountain red soil, its texture is sandy loam, the organic content is higher at the surface layer, the content of the soil mineral nutrients is rich and pH value is 4.5～6.5, which not only is the suitable developing areas for Oolong tea, but it also provides the excellent quality. In addition to the scientific plantation management, Oolong tea quality is particularly superior in this area close by southern Fujian.

▸ Processing characteristic:

Oolong tea is most delicate and most sophisticated among all types of tea production processes and its preparation flow is significant different from Green tea and Black tea.

1. Oolong tea processing started from picking of tea leaves

1.1. Control picking time from the beginning
Oolong tea will bud in late March, picking tea leaves and processing will be divided into four seasons a year:

From Grain Rain to the Beginning of Summer (mid-late April to early May), the tea called Spring Tea (In Spring, the optimal temperature and ample rainfall, combined with the tea trees have undergone rest and recuperation during the half year-winter, result in the high quality, pure green tea buds with soft texture and rich vitamins, especially amino acids, Spring tea is typically characterized by full-bodied. Rich taste, pleasant fragrance, and distinct tea flavor). The tea output makes up 40-45% of total annual output.

From Summer Solstice to Slight Heat (mid-late of June to early July) the tea called Summer Tea, occupies 15-20% of total annual output; Beginning of Autumn to End of Heat (early to late of August) the tea called Heat Summer tea, occupies 20-25% of total output (The content of water extracts of tea decreased relatively, the taste and fragrance for tea infusions are not as strong as Spring tea, especially since the loss of amino acids.)

From Autumn Equinox to Cold Dew (late of September to early of October) the tea called Autumn Tea (Its exterior characteristic is the leaves tend to be yellowish and thinner. Autumn tea is characterized by prominent aroma. Among the oolong tea, autumn tea has more prominent aroma than spring tea, with mellow taste and strong aroma. Among Tieguanyin tea, there is the saying "Autumn tea is more fragrant than spring tea.", but the bitter taste of autumn tea is relatively heavier Its production accounts for 30-35% of total annual output.

1.2. Adhere to the picking standard of oolong tea leaves
The tip of oolong tea is more mature than that of black and green tea. The picking standard is to pick 2-4 leaves when the new tips of tea trees grow to 3-5 leaves and the first leaves are 60 to 70 percent open, commonly known as "picking open tender leaves", means the area of the first leaf at the top of the new tip is equal to 1/2 of the second leaf. “Picking middle leaves” means the area of the first leaf at the top of the new tip is equal to 2/3 of the second leaf. “Picking bigger leaves” means the area of the first leaf at the top of the new tip is equivalent to the second leaf.

Generally, using "picking middle leaves" method for picking both spring and autumn tea; using "picking open tender leaves" method for picking Summer tea with tender leaves; it can also using" small picking open tender leaves " method to pick buds with three or four leaves, or those fields with tea growth flourished and tenderness enhanced.

At the same time also use the " riding-picking" method.....

And picking green tea leaves should be separated according to type of varieties, separate tea leaves from old and tender; dew and rain; early, noon, afternoon and evening; healthy and insect-attacked leaves, different tea plantation. in order to take different technological measures to improve the quality of the semi-made tea.

Do not snap off the tea leaves, do not make the tea leaves expose to sun, do not press tightly tea leaves in the tea basket. Otherwise, it may cause uneven fermentation and make it difficult to control the fermentation process.

Moderate leaves-shaking: The production of oolong tea begins with the picking leaves of the tea, followed by the process of shaking fresh tea leaves, put the picked tea leaves into a bamboo sieve and gently shaking to separate the leaf flesh from the tea liquid.

1.3. Moderate sun drying (withering):
The length of drying tea leaves depends on the thickness, water content, sunlight intensity, indoor and outdoor temperature and other factors. Generally, the thick leaf, higher water content, weak sunlight would cause longer sun-dried period and vice -versa for the morning and spring tea leaves while for afternoon, summer and autumn tealeaves, the drying time is shorter. The drying time of tender leaves and older leaves is longer, while the time for “injured” leaves and moderate withering tea leaves is shorter. Specifically, when the indoor temperature is 26~28℃, the outdoor sun-dried time can be about 20~30 minutes. In the process of drying tea leaves, we should master the principle of spreading-thin-and-turning to make the tea drying evenly. Generally, it should be turned 3~4 times, and the drying time too long and too short is not allowed.

Standards for sun drying: the leaves change from light green and glossy to dark green and lightless as the second leaf on the top shall prevail. The leaves are soft, and the leaves change from tense state to soft, feel smooth by touching the leaves. After being shaken, the tea leaves can be dried until standard of 70% or 80% dry then sent to the factory, spread directly on the sieve with a diameter of 105cm, 1~2kg leaves on each sieve, and wait for the tea to cool for about 1 hour before next process of young green leaves.

1.4. Sophisticated tea making: Making tea includes young leaves shaking and idle staggered processes, which is the key process to have the perfect combination of color, aroma, taste.

1.4.1. Young green leaves processing method: Generally need to shake young green leaves 5~7 times or 8~9 times, lasting 6~14 hours. After each shake, the tea leaves must be scattered out on a bamboo sieve with a diameter of 105cm. Place for a period of time, and repeat the process alternately. While processing the young green tea leaves and shaking at the same time, three methods to be adopted. The first and second green-shaking is to shiver the tea on the basket with both hands to promote the revival of the tea; the third and fourth leaves-shaking is using shaking basket, each basket 3~5kg leaves, the two opposite men’ hand holding the edge of basket to shake up and down, so that the leaves wave inside as rolling, let the leaves bump into each other, rub against and the wall and bottom of the basket to create friction, in order to damage leaf edge cells, promote redding of the leaf edges. The fifth and sixth shaking is in the bamboo cylindrical shaking cage (35 turning per minute, 25-5kg per application) to promote the formation of red colour degree and aroma of tea. In each of the process of shaking and placing time, it is necessary to master the gradual principle of "shaking force gradually from light to heavy, from short to longer period, and from thin to thicker leaves ". The ideal indoor temperature of young leaves processing room is 22-8 ℃, and the relative humidity is 75% to 85%. For the insufficient sun-dried tea, young fresh leaves processing time will be longer. For the excessive sun-dried tea, making time will be shorter, and should lightly shake; In the process of shaking, the placing time after each shaking should also be determined according to the tea smell, reactivation and softening situation. 1st ~ 3rd time of young leaves placing will base on the greenery smell, the 4th ~ 5th time is peppery smell after placing, the 6th time is sweet flower and fruit smell with a little nature after placing. Each time after shaking and the leaves let to be idle, let the smell be pure. When it is close to fixation, it is good to smell sweet and slightly pure or fragrant with slightly pure.

1.4.2. Standards for processing young green tea leaves: the tea leaf aroma is significant, the proportion of red and green is appropriate with15% of the red area and, 85% of the green (green yellowish).

1.5. Fixation
Fixation, to meet standard for green leaves processing; (The degree of fermentation for Oolong tea leaves is lighter than black tea and heavier than green tea. Fermentation period will depend on weather, temperature, humidity and other factors, usually in a few hours). The fixation can be carried out when the tea aroma is sweet and slightly fresh or nectar fragrance and slightly fresh. It is necessary to master the techniques needed for heating temperature and the amount of leaves applied with the temperature at the bottom of the pot is required to reach 220℃ generally. When the tea leaves are poured into the pot, the intermittent sound is heard as appropriate. If the sound continues, the pot temperature is too high and the tea leaves will appear burnt edge. Under normal pot temperature, the amount of placed leaves is moderate (15~20kg), 5~8min heating is sufficient.

Fixation Standard: leaf wrinkled, green color, hand pinch tea germ without moisture, dry and non-sticky, tea leaves firm and not easily snapped, fragrance smell.

1.6. Rolling
After fixation, cooling until about 30℃ to initiate rolling process. One of the reasons why oolong tea could last for longer brewing is to force the leaves into strips. Rolling process: it need to pay attention to master the amount and time of placing leaves, using rolling barrel which is should be suitable, and generally rolling 5~8min, tender leaves tend to be 4~6min, older leaves with 7~10min. Pressure process must from light to heavy and finally slightly relieve, discharge all tea strips from the barrel when become uniformly made.

1.7. Roasting
After the fresh tea leaves have been rolled, pay attention to thinly spread and frequently flip them during the roasting process to avoid producing unpleasant sour taste.

For the 1st roasting of tea, large-scale drying machines are typically used during operation, which have designated persons to take care of them, when used to adjust the drying machine temperature around 90~130℃. The fresh tea germs should be evenly spread and thinly layered into the drying machine. Till the drying degree reached 60%, not stick to hand, retaining some moisture, then tea germs can be put into the drying machine for the 2nd roasting.

After 1st roasting process, tea leaves need to be proceeded a 2nd roasting process once they have cooled down, this crucial step in the tea roasting has a certain impact on the color, aroma, and taste of the finished tea, The 2nd roasting is usually adopted roasting cage to conduct, you have to be aware of the temperature with a trend of changing from high to low and evenly spreading and frequently flipping the tea leaves while using it.

If the temperature is too high, the tea will lose its fragrance and have a burnt taste, or even produce a charred taste; the tea colour may be affected, light will be steel-blue, while dirty black. if the temperature is too low, the tea will become yellow-brown, the fragrance will decrease, the thin spreading and frequent flipping also require the tea to be evenly dried, but during the flipping process, attention should be paid to preventing the tea from falling into the furnace and producing smoke, which can form a smoky smell, as the tea dries, the fire temperature gradually decreases until it dries.

Each roasting cage contains approximately 1-2 kg of tea germs, spread thinly in a concave shape, then cover and place in an oven with a fire temperature of about 80-90 ℃, flip 3-5 times during the heating operation, roast until dry to the tea stems can be broken easily.

The tea leaves from the 2nd roasting need to be reloaded into the roasting cage again. Usually, the roasting cage should be filled to about 80% of its capacity, the temperature should be kept stable between 30-40℃, and the leaves should be dried for an additional 3-4 hours.

In summary, oolong tea belongs to partially fermented tea with a green-brown color like iron, hence also known as Qingcha (青茶). The tea leaves are green in the center and red on the edges, which are called "green leaves with red rims."

Oolong tea combines the advantages of both green and black tea, as it involves both fixation and fermentation processes. The fresh leaves should have a certain degree of ripeness, which gives Oolong tea a coarse and aged appearance.

Oolong tea is also known as "slim tea" and can aid in digestion, diuresis, and weight loss, it has strong anti-allergic and anti-oxidant effects. Although the production process is complex and meticulous, the special production techniques give oolong tea with a rich taste and unique aroma, makes it is so popular among tea enthusiasts.

▸ Advantage of Oolong Tea Powder:

From the perspective of oolong tea cultivation and processing techniques, oolong tea and its powder have their own unique advantages:

1. Oolong tea is mainly produced in the southern of Fujian province and the Wuyi mountain. Its production method is significantly different from black tea and green tea and requires high standards. Tea leaves cannot be picked too early and too tender.

Oolong tea must be sun-dried for a period, a combination of "green leaf shaking" and " Cooling of green leaf " is used – a technique called " Green leaves processing " – to achieve a semi-fermented state.

The drying technique of oolong tea is particularly exquisite. Oolong tea is a semi-fermented tea between green tea (non-fermented tea) and black tea (fully fermented tea), depending on the degree of fermentation, the tea color of oolong tea ranges from light yellow, yellowish to orange-red. It has strong fragrance of flowers, fruits, and roasted fire, Tie Guan Yin has a unique orchid fragrance as well. Its taste is mellow, refreshing, long-lasting, leaving fragrant and sweet aftertaste.

One of the biggest features of oolong tea is the green leaves with red edges in the bottom of the tea leaves - the veins and edges of the leaves are red, while the rest of the leaves are green, the green parts are emerald green with a slight yellow, and the red parts are bright.

2. The polysaccharides present in oolong tea are non-reducing acidic heteropolysaccharides that bind to proteins. Including 40.65% uronic acids, 19.59% proteins, and 26.66% neutral sugars, which have the effects of lowering blood sugar, antioxidant, and anti-aging, and have the ability to clear and inhibit hydroxyl free radicals, DPPH, and non-enzymatic lipid oxidation caused by ascorbic acid.

3. The tannic in oolong tea can reduce the levels of cholesterol in blood pressure. Additionally, tannic has shown to stimulate the production of heat, leading to an accelerated rate of fat reducing and reduction in the accumulation of abdominal fat. During the production of oolong tea, flavonols are polymerized into high-molecular weight compounds known as Oolong Tea Polymers (OTTP) under the influence of polyphenol oxidase and heat. Oolong tea can contain up to 115mg/g of OTTP, which is known to inhibit postprandial hypertriglyceridemia.

4. Methylated catechins EGCG3 "Me and EGCG4 "Me in oolong tea are relatively higher than black tea 105mg/g. These catechins have demonstrated anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, liver-protective, and blood pressure-lowering functions. Furthermore, EGCGG in oolong tea has a strong inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase, resulting in weight loss.

Oolong tea has a higher content of EGCGG compared to green tea, Therefore, oolong tea is more effective for weight loss than green tea.

5. Oolong tea contains a relatively high amount of tea polyphenols, with a content of over 600 milligrams per 100 grams. Tea polyphenols include catechins, flavonols, Anthocyanins, flavanols, and phenolic acids, etc. Tea polyphenols have strong antioxidant and physiological activity, serving as cleaner of free radicals in the human body, inhibit lipoxygenase and lipid peroxidation in skin mitochondria, having an anti-aging effect, and alleviate allergies.

Tea polyphenols can strongly inhibit the release of histamine. Experimental evidence has shown that the anti-allergic and anti-skin allergic effects of tea polyphenols are 2-10 times stronger than those of commonly used anti-allergic medicines.

Tea polyphenols have a strong adsorption capacity for heavy metals and can form complexes with heavy metals to produce sediments, which helps reduce the toxic effects of heavy metals on human body. In addition, tea polyphenols also have liver-protecting and diuretic effects, and will have a good Anti detoxification effect on alkaloid poisoning.

The caffeine in tea polyphenols can increase gastric fluid secretion, help digestion, enhance the ability to reduce fat, “long-term use can achieve weight loss effect”. Tea polyphenols and their oxidation have excellent anti-radiation functions, can absorb radioactive substances, prevent the diffusion in human body, known as natural UV filter, etc.

6.Oolong tea contains catechins and other polyphenols which can lower calories, promote metabolism, and reduce fat. Drinking Oolong tea regularly, combined with exercise and a balanced diet, can effectively achieve the goal of reducing fat. It contains caffeine, theophylline, theobromine, volatile oil, vitamin C, quercetin, tannins, etc., which are beneficial for reducing blood lipids and promoting metabolism. Therefore, it is suitable for all obese individuals to drink.

7. Oolong tea is rich in various vitamins and has anti-oxidation that can protect the skin's luster, tenderness, and whitening. It can help diminish wrinkles, provides effective promotion for women's skin conditioning.

Regarding traditional oolong tea, oolong tea powder is primarily made from Tie Guan Yin and Narcissus, which have undergone meticulous and scientific processing, has its own unique advantages.

1. Easy to drink: It's easy to brew, just add oolong tea powder into a cup, pour in an appropriate amount of hot water, stir, and enjoy. By eliminating the tedious process of brewing tea, it satisfies the fast-paced lifestyle needs of modern people, and is also easy to carry and store.

2. Novel taste: The oolong tea powder is made using a special process that involves filtering, rolling, and roasting to create a rich, full-bodied taste with a strong unique fruity and floral fragrances. which provides an excellent taste experience.

3.Health preservation: Oolong tea powder contains rich nutrients such as tea polyphenols, catechins, amino acids, vitamins, and more. It helps promote metabolism, lower cholesterol and blood lipids, protect the heart, and has antioxidant and anti-aging effects. After ultra-fine crushing, the nutrients in the tea are more easily absorbed by the human body, which is greatly beneficial for health and wellness.

4. Stable quality: Oolong tea powder is made using traditional tea-making techniques and processed through multiple stages, with complex craftsmanship and fine production, which gives it unique advantages in terms of processing. Combining standardized production processes, ensuring the stability of the quality and taste of each batch of products, providing consumers greater confidence to enjoy.

5. High quality raw material: The raw materials for oolong tea powder are mainly produced in Fujian, China and Anxi. The climate, soil, and other conditions in these regions are suitable for the growth of it, and has unique origin advantages.

Oolong tea powder has unique advantages in terms of origin and production process from planting to finished product, with a rich and unique taste, strong fragrance, and high nutritional value. It is highly suitable and recommended.

▸ The widespread use of oolong tea powder

Ultra-fine oolong tea powder is made of Anxi Tieguanyin Tea as raw material and instantly crushed into ultra-fine powder which is more than 300 meshes, fully maintains the original nutritional and pharmacological ingredients without any chemical additives. Its special physicals and nutritional values are widely used in health food, cosmetics, medicine and other ways:

1. Tea beverage: Many tea beverages are made from oolong tea powder, which not only relieve heat and thirst, refresh and preserve fragrance, but also supplement vitamins. Its plant fiber can improve intestinal activities, like oolong tea latte, oolong milk tea, Tieguanyin milk tea, etc.

2. Food Processing: Using oolong tea powder to make various breads, flour foods, cakes, cookies, ice cream, tea rice, etc, not only has a pleasing color, but promotes digestion and reduce grease, increases nutrition, has a full tea fragrance as well, e.g Tianfu Tea has nearly a hundred types of tea foods, and in Japan, the tea foods are even countless.

3. Tea seasoning: Multiple sauces are made with oolong tea powder, which adds fragrance and nutrients, and can be used for color mixing, such as soy sauce, vinegar, seasoning, etc.

4. Tea cosmetic: Oolong tea powder contains tea polyphenols and catechins and other active ingredients, which can whiten, remove bacteria, relieve itching, etc. It is can be used to make facial mask, skin care products, etc.

5. Other uses: It can be used in pharmaceutical products, oral cleaning, and environmental improvement and other places.