Today, I tried my hand at brewing some Ruby Oolong tea. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a while, and I finally got around to it.
Getting the Tea Leaves
First, I had to get my hands on some authentic Ruby Oolong tea leaves. It is a special kind of oolong tea. I heard they’re grown in the Wuyi Mountains in China. Apparently, they pick these leaves by hand up there, which sounds pretty labor-intensive to me!
Figuring Out the Oxidation Thing
Next, I read up a bit on what makes oolong tea different. It seems the big deal is this “oxidation” thing. It’s something that happens after they pluck the leaves from the plant. Oolong is “semi-oxidized”, they call it. It’s supposed to be somewhere between green and black tea in terms of how it’s processed. Oolong teas are usually rolled, twisted or curled into little balls or strands.
Brewing the Tea
Now, for the brewing part. I’m not gonna pretend to be a tea expert, but I followed the instructions that came with the leaves. I heated up some water, not quite boiling, and poured it over the tea leaves. Then I just let it steep for a few minutes. I tried not to make it too strong, this is not my first time to make tea.
Tasting and Enjoying
After steeping, I took a sip. It had a pretty unique taste, kind of hard to describe. Maybe a bit floral, a bit fruity, but definitely different from any tea I’ve had before. The color was this beautiful reddish-brown, which is probably where the “Ruby” part comes from. The tea tasted really good!
Some Afterthoughts
- I read somewhere that oolong tea might be good for boosting metabolism and stuff.
- It is said that oolong tea can help burn fat and make you less likely to get fat.
- I also heard it has antioxidants, which is supposed to be good for you.
- Oolongs are also celebrated for their weight loss benefits.
- And it’s a good choice if you want something healthier than coffee in the afternoon. No jitters.
All in all, it was a fun little experiment. I’m definitely going to brew more Ruby Oolong tea in the future. Maybe I’ll even try some different types of oolong tea, just to see what they’re like. If you haven’t tried it yet, you might want to give it a shot!
