This oolong, you know, that tea, ain’t it something? My granddaughter, she brought me some from the city. Fancy package and all. Said it was special. I said, “Girl, all tea is special when you got good water and a good pot.” But this oolong brewing, it’s got a little somethin’ extra, I reckon. Reminds me of that time I visited my cousin in Bangalore, all the smells and sounds, that place was busy!

First off, you gotta have good water. Not that stuff from the tap that tastes like metal. We always used rainwater, caught in a big barrel. Clean and pure, like the water should be for brewing oolong tea. If you ain’t got rainwater, I guess that filtered stuff will do. But it ain’t the same, you know?

• Get that water boilin’. Bubblin’ like a hot spring. That’s when the magic starts, like making beer, only this ain’t beer. My old man, he loved his beer, he did. Always say, the boilin’ makes it good. So the water needs to be boiling for this oolong brewing.
• And you need good leaves, not the dust they sweep up off the floor. Whole leaves, rolled up tight. Them are the ones for best oolong tea. Like them little buds we used to pick off the rose bushes, all curled up and waitin’ to bloom.
• Don’t need much, just a pinch. This ain’t like that weak tea they serve at the church social. This here’s got flavor. They say a pinch is good for the pot. I just eyeball it, like I always do.

Now, some folks, they like to use them fancy pots. Little tiny things with strainers and such. Me, I just use my old teapot. The one with the chip on the spout. It’s seen a lot of tea in its day. And it makes a fine cup, I tell ya. Been using it since before you were born, probably. Best teapot for oolong brewing, if you ask me.

Pour that boilin’ water over them leaves. Watch ’em unfurl, like they’re wakin’ up from a long nap. That’s when the color starts to come out. Golden, like the sun on a summer day. That color, that means the oolong is brewing just right. Not dark like coffee, not pale like dishwater. Just right, the way it should be.

Don’t let it sit too long, though. This ain’t like that black tea you can leave steepin’ all day. This here, you gotta watch it. Just a few minutes, that’s all it takes. Too long and it gets bitter, like old man Johnson when he lost his prize-winning hog. And you don’t want no bitter tea, do ya? Some folks call this way “Gong Fu,” but I just call it the right way.

• First steep, that’s the best one. Strong and full of flavor. Like the first bite of a ripe peach, just bursting with juice. It wakes you up, like a rooster crowing at dawn.
• Second steep, still good. A little milder, like the afternoon sun. Good for sittin’ on the porch and watchin’ the world go by. This is my favorite part of oolong brewing, just relaxing.
• You can even steep it a third time, if you’re feelin’ thrifty. It won’t be as strong, but it’ll still have that oolong taste. Like the last embers of a fire, still warm and comforting. They say you can do this “grandpa style” but I don’t know, it’s just how we always did it.

And that’s it. That’s how you brew oolong. Simple, ain’t it? Just good water, good leaves, and a little bit of time. No need for fancy gadgets or secret tricks. Just like everything else in life, the best things are the simple things.

Now, I heard them talk about them fancy beer places, with their big shiny pots and waterfalls. They got all sorts of stuff in their beer now, like hops and barley. This tea ain’t like that. It’s just tea and water. But I bet them beer makers, they know a thing or two about boiling water. Just like us tea folks. We all got our ways, don’t we? It’s all about getting that good brew in the end. I heard they use special copper pots for brewing, and we just use old teapots for brewing oolong.

So next time you see that oolong tea, don’t be scared of it. Just remember what I told ya. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. It ain’t just a drink, it’s a little bit of somethin’ special. Like a memory in a cup. A memory of a simpler time, when all you needed was a good pot of tea and a good friend to share it with. That’s what brewing oolong is all about, I reckon.