Tea Education — Oolong tea

What does GABA stand for and what is it about? GABA stands for Gama-AminoButyric Acid, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the developmentally mature mammalian central nervous system. It can be naturally produced in plants and animals. For example, GABA can be found in the seed, root, and tissue fluid of beans, and ginseng. In animals, GABA can mostly be found in the nervous system tissue, and its principal role is reducing neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system. What are GABA health benefits? Studies showed that GABA not only has a relaxation effect but also helps decrease anxiety (Abdou et al.,...

Why named Dong Ding (Tung Ting) oolong tea? As a saying goes, “ 北文山，南冻顶” (In the north there is Wenshan, while in the south there is Dong Ding),  it depicts the two most famous Baozhong tea in Taiwan: Wenshan Baozhong and Dong Ding oolong. Dong Ding oolong was named after Mount Dong Ding in Lugu county, Nantou town, Taiwan where the tea trees are cultivated. People might mistakenly think that Dong Ding is a high mountain that is cold and rigid due to its name by literal which is “frozen summit”, however it is actually a 700-meter high mountain with...

As the weather gets warmer, nothing is more refreshing than taking a glass of cold brew tea out of the refrigerator to enjoy a soothing moment during summertime. What is cold brew tea (cold steep tea)? Cold brew tea is tea liquor made by using a long steeping method in cold water. The cold water is usually room temperature mineral water or filtered water (not to be confused with iced water). There is a wide range of loose tea leaves which are suitable for making cold brew tea: green tea, white tea, and oolong tea with varying steeping times. Highly...

What is Gong Fu Cha? Gong Fu Cha (English: Kungfu tea; Chinese: 工夫茶) is not a type of tea, but a unique way of brewing and tasting tea (typically semi-oxidized oolong tea). The term Gong Fu (工夫) refers to time and energy consuming, and pay particular attention to exquisite aesthetics. Gong Fu Cha was mentioned in Chinese literature as early as 1734 in The Sequel to the Classic of Tea (《续茶经》) by Lu Tingcan (陆廷灿). At that time, it only referred to a type of tea in Wuyi mountain which required much Gong Fu to produce. In 1808, Yu Jiao (俞蛟), an...

Tieguanyin (Chinese: 铁观音), “Iron Goddess” in literal, is a type of oolong tea that is semi-oxidized. Other spellings and names include "Ti Kuan Yin", "Tit Kwun Yum", "Ti Kwan Yin", "Iron Buddha" and "Tea of the Iron Bodhisattva". Depending on the level of oxidization, Tieguanyin can be refreshing and floral (green Anxi Tieguanyin), toasty and nutty (traditional roasted Taiwan Muzha Tieguanyin). The tea liquor varies from light golden, brown to dark brown.   There is no doubt that Tieguanyin was originated from Xiping county, Anxi, Fujian province of China. However, exactly which village in Xiping to be the origin remains to...