Vietnamese Oolong
Vietnamese Oolong
The consumption of tea is a popular culture all over the world due to the fact that tea, apart from been a refreshing drink, also offers a lot of benefits to the body. A lot of people therefore take tea regularly, so as to get refreshed, get increased concentration and stay healthy amongst other reasons. One of such teas is the Vietnamese Oolong tea. Tea has also been a culture in Vietnam for several years as well. The fact that the country has gone through a lot of conflicts and wars have made the tea not to be as popular as other tea types from other parts of the world.
With virtually all the conflicts and wars been resolved and a high level of peace in Vietnam currently, their tea culture and farms is coming increasingly alive. One of the most popular types of tea that is grown in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Oolong tea. Also known as wulong, the tea is made from big leaves that usually blossom towards the end of the spring.
A very distinguishing factor in the Vietnamese Oolong tea is the way it is processed. The technique for processing the tea is reputed to be among the most intensive, in terms of labor. The oxidation percentage varies for every oolong type. Furthermore, there are different processing methods including rolling into small balls, cutting or twisting. With the completion of the process, the deep olive-green leaves at tightly curled.
Upon preparation, the final product gives all the indication of a tea that is superior in every way. The tea has a smooth taste that is sweet and refreshing. This is as opposed to most other tea types that often have a bitter taste. The aroma of the tea is also very nice, thereby aiding the appetite of the individual who is taking the tea. This is apart from all the other benefits that you get from taking the tea, especially the fact that it enhances the overall health of the individual.
Preparing the Vietnamese Oolong tea is very easy. In most cases, people prefer to brew it strongly, so that they can really feel the refreshing taste of the tea. In line with this, they use about 2.25 grams of the Wulong tea for every 170 grams of water. This is equivalent to using 2 teaspoons of the tea for every cup.
The recommended temperature of water to be used for preparing the tea if 180oF which is equivalent to 82oC. This implies that you don’t have to wait for the water to boil before usage. It is possible to brew the same leaves many times, due to the high quality of the tea. Most people brew the leaves about 3 to 5 times before discarding them. Some individuals have stated that they get the best flavor of the tea when they are brewing the leave for the 3rd or 4th time. The implication of this, is that you get more value for buying this tea, as the tea will be able to last up to 5 times longer, compared to other teas that you can only brew once.
The process of packaging the tea before it is been sold is a very delicate and interesting one, which is done with the people who will be taking the tea in mind. Some of the stringent process that has been put in place include ensuring that every leaf is properly inspected by a team of workers before they are package. Once they find any leave that is not of the recommended quality, such leaves are discarded. Only high quality leaves are therefore packed into bags that are vacuum-sealed and sold in the market.