On 2007-10-07, Ferris > wrote:

> But, before I do that and start spending more money I want to clarify
> the steeping of Oolong.
>
> I feel like there is a lot of contradictory stuff out there on this.
> I originally read that you want 1tsp per 6oz water, which means about
> 1 and a third tsp per cup and temperatures around 190F, which I
> estimated by boiling the water and then letting it sit for a minute.
>
> But I also see that another method is to use a lot more tea, and
> higher steeping temperature, for less time. Is this the more correct
> way to do it?

There isn't really a "correct" way to do it. Oolong represents a very
wide range of degrees of roasting and oxidation (from very close to
green tea to very close to red (black) tea), and there are a lot of
different styles of making tea.

I usually use a medium or high amount of leaf in a small brewing
vessel (2-5 oz) and drink multiple infusions.

Temperature isn't necessarily related to the amount of leaf; it has to
do with lots of factors (type of tea, how you're pouring the water, how
many infusions you've already done, personal preference, etc.).
Experiment and see what tastes good to you. I usually use boiling or
very-near-boiling water to open the leaf, even with fairly green
oolongs, and then slightly cooler water later on. Some people say that
lower temperature water will make lower grade tea taste better while
hotter water may be required to bring out the nuances of a particular
tea.

w