I’ve been meaning to try my hand at making some double milk oolong tea for a while now. You know, I’ve heard so much about this Jin Xuan oolong, also called “Milk Oolong” or #12, and how it’s got this naturally creamy, buttery flavor. So, I finally decided to give it a go.
Getting Started
First, I got my hands on some authentic Jin Xuan oolong tea leaves. I found a decent supplier online that claimed their leaves were from Nantou County in Taiwan, which is where the good stuff supposedly comes from. The leaves arrived, and they had this beautiful, tightly rolled shape, kind of like little green pearls. They definitely looked different from the regular oolong tea I’m used to.
The Brewing Process
I did a little digging online and found that the water temperature is pretty crucial for oolong tea. I heated up some water, aiming for around 195-205°F (90-96°C). While the water was heating, I rinsed my teapot and cups with some hot water to warm them up. I measured out about a tablespoon of the tea leaves. I dumped the tea leaves into my teapot, then poured just enough hot water over them to cover them. I swirled it around for a few seconds, then discarded that water. They call this “awakening” the tea leaves. Then I filled the teapot up with the rest of the hot water, and put the lid on. The first steeping, I let it sit for about 2-3 minutes.
Adding the Milk
Now for the “double milk” part. I warmed up some whole milk on the stove. I didn’t want it to boil, just nice and warm. After the tea had steeped, I strained it into my cup and then added a good splash of the warm milk. I also decided to add a little bit of sweetened condensed milk. Not too much, just enough to give it a touch of sweetness and extra creaminess.
Tasting and Tweaking
I took a sip, and man, it was pretty darn good! The tea itself had this smooth, almost buttery flavor, and the milk and condensed milk just enhanced that creaminess. It was like a warm, comforting hug in a cup. I played around with the milk-to-tea ratio a bit more. I found that I liked it best when it was about two parts tea to one part milk mixture. Some people might prefer more milk, some less, it’s all about personal preference, I guess.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m pretty happy with how my double milk oolong tea turned out. It’s definitely a unique and delicious drink. I can see why people rave about Jin Xuan oolong. It’s got this naturally creamy thing going on that’s just perfect for a milk tea. I’ll definitely be making this again. Next time, I might even try it iced!
- Learned that water temperature is key for oolong tea.
- Realized that “awakening” the tea leaves is a thing.
- Figured out my preferred milk-to-tea ratio.
- Discovered that Jin Xuan oolong is as creamy as they say.
If you’re a tea lover, I’d definitely recommend giving this a try. It’s a fun little experiment, and the results are pretty tasty!
