What makes these two teas different?

Why farmers in Taiwan know the difference very well, but they still classify both teas as Black Tea ?
In this study -
Same cultivar: Chinsing Oolong
Same maker in ShanLinSi

Compare carefully... on the dry leaves’ color and appearance, liquids’ color, and examine wet leaves, before tasting the teas...

On the left, a genuine Taiwan Black, summer crop. Fully oxidized and well dried.
On the right, Formosa Bonita: FB 74, spring crop. Extra highly oxidized Oolong, pan-fired, also lightly baked.

Both have pleasant flavor, but apparently not the same presence.
FB 74 has the ripe pear sweetness and can smell much floral aroma in cup. Complexity is a good finding. While the left one, shows a bit astringent with malto sweetness. Very mild and easy to enjoy.

Enjoy the opportunity to have a comparison Cupping and Tasting these two samples.  Again, based on Oolong-Sense, we will agree that tea should be classified by the process . While many farmers in Taiwan will market their teas as Black Tea, as there is no such kind of Oolong process ever existed in the past. 

Formosa Bonita happens serendipitously, after the big quake that hit Taiwan in 9/21/1999... a story that I always enjoy sharing it during our TOST trip...  Only when you visit there and check the facility on sites you will then understand why so many farmers actually have modified the traditional Black tea process and making a New Oolong by taking what their equipment and space available and adjust the craftsmanship.  I regard this new Taiwan Oolong as another Taiwan Treasure, over the years, we have debated for the proper name for it.  Finally, we got inspired from Oriental Beauty, another Oolong that hit by the Green Leaf Hoppers and our farmers serendipitously make it as the most unique Oolong out of Taiwan.  Formosa Bonita, that is it!

With the craftsmanship more matured on Formosa Bonita.  Our farmers have presented with us more surprises... as various Cultivars in the similar process could actually bring out each Cultivar's special characteristic aroma and flavor...  FB-27, FB-47, FB-74, FB-78....

More to follow!

 

 

What is Red Oolong ?

A customer of ours sent in two samples with almost identical labels.
 ‘Red Oolong’ confused and bothered her.

I don’t refuse such a ‘treat’ to test taste two fine teas.

For farmers in Taiwan, Red means higher oxidation. But how much higher ? How to compare and what to compare ... that will be very critical.

Apparently these are extremely fine Oolongs. Both are Chinsing Oolong cultivar, according to labels, the left one is from Lishan and the right one is from ShanLinSi.
We need to do a comparison Cupping and find the FACTs.

(Wow... both are excellent teas !)

But, the color and appearance of dry leaf already could be easily identified the difference.
After (3g, 210F, 6min ) infusion - aroma and color in bowls apparently present very different. The flavors are also very much apart from each other.

The one on the left is Quei-Fei Oolong, or Paoli Tung-Ting.
The one on the right is Taitung Oolong. (aka. Cognac Oolong)
In Taiwanese, farmers meant to classify their teas as:
紅水烏龍 / 紅烏龍 （L/R)
When translated... both became ‘Red Oolong’. Confusion then initiated.

Who’s fault?

‘Oolong-Sense’ is for tea professionals to clear all these non-sense.

 

FB-78 is getting closer to satisfy OB fans!

Checking a crude tea of FB-78, (*Formosa Bonita with Chinsing Dahpan cultivar), and compare the aroma, flavor and tea liquor with Oriental Beauty that made with the same leaf from the same garden just at different season...

Well, this is just a crude tea, when it is completed with refinery finish... it could be much better!

I always believe FB-78 can satisfy many OB fans, if OB were not available or affordable... 

Glad that this project is getting there...

New Tea Experience - "Ooloong 49"

Besides Ooloong 51, we found that Pouchong, Jade Oolong, and Amber Oolong with lighter oxidation (less than 50%), could be served like white wine.  

Here is our experiment on "Ooloong 49" -

1.) Having the following apparatus ready -

 

 Let us introduce one by one....

 18 oz Uniq-Brew [our sku# TE-162]

This is a see-through over the pitcher tea brewer, 

very easy to infuse tea properly.

Any 32 oz Glass Pitcher, with wide open for

the tea to be cooled down faster...

We found this Glass Bottle with air-tight Cap.

This is perfect for the project to have tea either

to be cooled in ice bucket or in the refrigerator.

Any style of ice bucket.

Serving with white wine glass 

while the tea is chilled.  

2.) When the customer selects a tea from the Ooloong 49 menu, the tea will be brought to the table in a tamper-sealed caddy.  With an easy pull-tab opening, the tea is poured on the plate (*which is using the cap of tea caddy, now serve as a plate) for the customer(s) to inspect.

 Use Pro-Pack Tea Caddy [*our sku# TE-152SV] as an 
example, suggest to have private labels for the restaurants 
as additional service.   Whatever tea is left in the tea caddy 
will be checked out by the customers. (*A new portion
 pouch - " ooloong-pac " which contains 7.5g of leaf tea, will 
be  even more easy and accurate for the prep works.)
 *ooloong-pac is a new tea package by JT and Tea

3.) How to prepare the tea properly?

 Measure 7.5g of leaf tea, (*now simply to use " ooloong-pac " ) 
with heated water 210F, work with the 18 oz Uniq-Brew 
to have a see-through infusion.

Wait until the leaf unfurls...

 

 when the tea has completed an infusion, place the Uniq-Brew

over the Glass Pitcher to dispense the tea into pitcher.

 

 Have the same leaf for a second infusion,

let this steep for about 1 minute.

Have two infusions of tea all in the Glass Pitcher.

The wide open pitcher can help the tea cool down fast.

  Pour the tea into the Glass Bottle with air-tight cap.

 Can use ice bucket to get tea chilled before serving. 

4.)  Ready to serve...

Chilled Ooloong 49 to be served in white wine glass.

5.) Expecting more desserts to be ordered...after the Ooloong 49 experience...

     This is something the restaurants owners and serving staff will be happily surprised to find.
     Ritz-Carlton Hotel is proud to have its motto:
     "We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen."
     A civilized experience will be well paid off.

New Tea Experience - "Ooloong 51"

Can Oolong tea be served like red wine to pair, for a fine dining experience?

Should we develop something new, and to add "A Savvy New Choice" to the existing wine menu?

We are challenged with pairing foods with properly prepared tea, to create a great dining experience in a fine restaurant.


Here is our experiment for "Ooloong 51" -

1.) Have these apparatus ready:

 

Let us break it down to explain one by one ...

18 oz Uniq-Brew over the pitcher [*our sku# TE-162], 

can have 7.5g of tea leaf infused properly.

Same leaf will be infused twice...

 Any 32 oz Glass Pitcher, for holding the tea that properly infused...

 Any style of red wine glass decanter...

 Any style of ice bucket...

Use red wine decanter and red wine glass for the serving

2.) When the customer selects a tea from the Ooloong 51 menu, the tea will be brought to the table in a tamper-sealed caddy.  With an easy pull-tab opening, the tea can be poured on the plate (*which is using the cap of tea caddy, now serve as a plate) for the customer(s) to inspect.

    

    

 Use Pro-Pack Tea Caddy [*our sku# TE-152SV] as an 
example, suggest to have private labels for the restaurants 
as additional service.  Whatever tea left in the tea caddy will 
be inspected by the customers.  (*Better yet...we are having a
new machine to do the portion pouch - " ooloong-pac " each contains
7.5 grams of leaf tea, easy and accurate for the prep works.)
*ooloong-pac is a new tea package by JT and Tea

3.) How does the kitchen, or bar, properly prepare the tea?

 The kitchen or bar staff can easily use Uniq-Brew TE-162 to
 prepare tea.   Measure 7.5g of tea, (or simply use
 * ooloong-pac with 210F, in a See-Through infusion.

 

When the leaves unfurl, tea is done...

 Place the Uniq-Brew over the glass pitcher 

to have the infused tea to dispense in the pitcher.

Same leaf could be used for the second infusion.,

use 210F, and let the tea steep for 1 minute and place 

the Uniq-Brew over the pitcher to flow tea in the pitcher.

4.) When tea has completed it's infusion... let the tea cool down to room temperature to serve.

 

Use the ice bucket to help cool down the tea temperature,

Serving the Ooloong 51 in room temperature is a key.

5.)  Ooloong 51 is ready to serve... 

6.) Which types of teas are included in the list of Ooloong 51?

     

Oriental Beauty, Formosa White Tip, Formosa Bonita (Ruby 18, FB-27, FB-47)... there are many great choices.  We can also help to create custom blends. 

7.) This Ooloong 51 experience will surpass the traditional hot tea service.  It is designed to serve and pair with foods through the whole fine dining... with an added bonus to potentially entice dessert sales after the meal.

We've heard that restaurants rather promote wine than tea - due to profit concern and avoid the  hassle of tea handling.  "more tea more pee...that's it." - it might be true if the way of tea serving remains as conventional hot tea service or by teabag steeping...or...simply iced tea.  

     

With the addition of Ooloong 51, and Ooloong 49, to the existing wine menu, restaurants can offer customers another civilized choice, that can generate more sales, and more tips!

    

Enjoy a Bliss Oolong in a hot Sunday morning...

6/28/2013, Saturday morning in Azusa Mountain Cove - Josephine and I made the decision to open the box of "Oriental Beauty", a gift from our friend, who brought this tea to Vegas for 2013 World Tea Expo.  We are humble to have a dialogue with this Oriental Beauty from our home town - Hsinchu, Taiwan.

It is indeed very fresh and beautiful.  But for some reason, PonFonCha (Oriental Beauty) supposed to have more than 5 colors...but this one seems lacking of black leaves in the tray... 

We used our glass teapot to infuse (at 195F) and then serve in our porcelain teapot.  Not what we were expected... still grassy, no honey note, no much fruity taste, the tea liquor is kind of light...

We decided to examine the wet leaves ---

Good plucking,  great rolling...yet the timing proved to be too early...and hard to find the trace of green-leaf hoppers' visit.  The withering and oxidation apparently not enough. 

What should we do?  What can we do with this tea?

We don't want to drink this tea as it is...  and we can't stand not to make it a much better tea for our enjoyment.  We thought it will be our tea experiment of Sunday Morning (6/30/2013).

Here is one idea:  

How about take the Formosa Brandy Oolong FB-78 to be blended with this Oriental Beauty?

But...why FB-78 ?  

We are thinking to use the tea that made with the same cultivar, Chinsing Dahpan. 

We are thinking to have some tea that will fulfill the missing oxidation...

So, here we are:   One tin of FB-78, 2012 Spring Crop, also from Beipu, Hsinchu County, Taiwan.

 

 

 

We had these two teas displayed on the tea trays...and began with adding 20% of Oriental Beauty to 80% of FB-78... and finally decided to go with "Oriental Beauty 1/3" + "FB-78 2/3". to have our new tea to be cupped and tasted.

How do we find this new Bliss Oolong ?

We love it!  This tea has no honey touch, as the original Oriental Beauty, should only qualified as "White Tip Oolong" due to wrong season.  Yet the special character of Chinsing Dapan with extra high oxidation really brings out the best it can...Ripe peach aroma and naturally fruity sweet and give a very pleasant mouth-feel.  By the way, it indeed is a good looking tea after blended.