A beginner tea enthusiast wrote in asking: What kind of tea is oolong? Some say it’s qingcha, while others say it’s a partially fermented tea. But when I drink oolong tea, it tastes a lot like green tea. So, what exactly is oolong tea?
Liao Chang Xing Reply: What is Oolong Tea?
Tea is divided into six major categories, known as the “six major tea families”: black tea, green tea, qingcha, white tea, dark tea, and yellow tea. “Oolong tea” falls under qingcha, which means it is a partially fermented tea. Here is a bit more explanation regarding tea fermentation classifications.
Green tea skips the withering step during processing, with a fermentation level typically below 5% (as freshly picked leaves undergo some natural oxidation on their own); black tea goes through heavy withering, with a fermentation level of 90% to nearly 100%; and oolong tea has a fermentation level ranging from 10% to 90%. Taiwan has a wide variety of oolong teas. Depending on the fermentation level, lightly fermented varieties include Wenshan Baozhong (8-15%) and High Mountain Oolong (15-25%), while heavily fermented varieties include Red Oolong and Oriental Beauty (70-90%). The lower the fermentation, the closer the taste is to green tea; conversely, the higher it is, the more it resembles black tea.
If you feel like oolong tea tastes a lot like green tea, you likely tried a lightly fermented oolong, such as Baozhong or High Mountain Oolong. If you try a heavily fermented oolong, it will taste much closer to black tea. This is a very common experience for beginners.
To answer your question, “What is oolong tea?” Oolong tea is simply a partially fermented tea. Common Taiwanese teas like High Mountain Oolong, Baozhong, Red Oolong, Oriental Beauty, and Dongding tea all belong to the oolong family.