Begin Brewing Oolong Tea: A Starter Guide for New Tea Lovers

Want to get into oolong tea but don’t know where to begin? Follow this step-by-step tasting guide, see a short list of great oolong teas for beginners, and learn the basics of brewing.

Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Tea types — black, oolong, green, white, puerh, and yellow — differ by how the leaves are processed: rolling, withering, and oxidation determine the final style.

Oolong is a semi-oxidized tea that sits between green and black tea in processing. It’s less oxidized than black tea but more oxidized than green, creating a wide range of flavors and aromas.

3 Things About Oolong Tea

1. Oolong originated in China.
Tea and oolong both trace their origins to China. Tea cultivation later expanded to Taiwan, where oolong production developed distinct styles. Today, notable oolongs come from both China and Taiwan.

2. Oolongs vary widely.
Oolong styles range from light and floral to dark and toasty. Growing region, altitude, harvest timing, and processing determine the tea’s character. Some oolongs lean toward green-like flavors, while others resemble black teas.

3. Oolongs are often rolled or twisted.
Many oolong leaves are formed into tight balls or long twisted shapes. Seeing rolled leaves is a good clue you’re holding an oolong.

How to Get into Oolong Tea

This approach helped me when I trained in a Tea Sommelier program and is ideal for beginners who want to build familiarity and a tasting memory.

1. Pick one oolong to drink for a week.
   The fastest way to learn a tea is to drink only that tea for several days. Focus on one oolong for a week so your palate learns its profile.
2. Use a mug with an infuser for brewing.
   A mug with an infuser is simple and consistent — perfect for daily practice and tastings.
3. After a week, switch to a different oolong.
   Rotate to another oolong the following week. The goal is to recognize each tea later from memory.

5 Oolong Teas All Beginners Should Try

1. Iron Goddess of Mercy (Tie Guan Yin)
   A classic, accessible oolong and a reliable introduction to the category.
2. Oriental Beauty (Dongfang Meiren / Bai Hao)
   A fruity, honeyed style that’s often a favorite for new oolong drinkers.
3. Frozen Summit (Dong Ding / Tung Ting)
   A traditional Taiwanese oolong. Dark-roasted versions have pleasant nutty and toasty notes.
4. Alishan (High Mountain oolong)
   High-elevation Taiwanese oolongs like Alishan are prized for their bright, floral, and sweet complexity.
5. Bao Zhong
   A light, delicate oolong with floral aromas and subtle sweetness.

What You’ll Need to Make Oolong Tea

• Loose oolong tea
• Filtered water
• Electric kettle with temperature setting (helpful but not required)
• Mug with an infuser
• Measuring cup and measuring spoon
• Timer (your phone works)
• Tea scale (optional — useful for precise brewing)

How to Make Oolong Tea for a Tasting

For beginners, a small mug with an infuser is the most practical brewing vessel. Use an 8 oz (1 cup) serving size so you can focus on single steeps and repeated infusions.

STEP 1: Boil filtered water.
Oolong brews best between about 185°F and 208°F. If you have a temperature-controlled kettle, set it to the recommended temperature for your tea. Otherwise bring water to a boil and let it cool slightly.

STEP 2: Warm the mug.
Rinse the mug with hot water and discard that water to stabilize brewing temperature.

STEP 3: Measure tea into the infuser.
Use 2 teaspoons of loose oolong per 8 oz cup, or about 6 grams if you prefer a scale.

STEP 4: Rinse the leaves (5 seconds) and discard that water.
Fill the mug halfway, steep for about 5 seconds, then remove the infuser and discard the water. This rinse helps the leaves begin to unfurl and removes any dust.

STEP 5: Steep 1st infusion — 45 seconds.
Add one full cup (8 oz) of hot water, cover the mug, and steep for 45 seconds. Use a timer to be consistent. After steeping, remove the infuser and enjoy the first cup.

STEP 6: Steep 2nd infusion — 1 minute 15 seconds.
Return the infuser to the mug, add another cup of hot water, and steep for 1 minute 15 seconds. You’ll notice leaves have opened and the cup’s flavor will evolve — many oolongs reveal different notes in later steeps.

Optional STEP 7: Continue with additional infusions, adding about 30 seconds to each previous steep time until the tea’s flavor diminishes. High-quality oolongs can often be steeped three or four times.

Oolong Tea Tips

• Start with affordable, pure loose-leaf oolongs before investing in higher-priced varieties.
• Avoid flavored oolongs (for example, those with fruit or tropical flavors) while learning — choose unflavored teas to appreciate the true character of the leaf.
• For beginners, a small mug with an infuser is simpler to use than traditional teapots and makes multi-steeping easy.

Questions You May Have

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