Okay, so today I decided to dive into the world of Iron Goddess Oolong tea, or “Tieguanyin” as it’s sometimes called. I’ve heard a lot about it, seen it in stores, but never actually tried brewing it myself. Time to change that!

First, I grabbed my gaiwan – you know, that cute little Chinese brewing cup with a lid and saucer. I figured it’s the most authentic way to do this. Then, I measured out about a tablespoon of the tea leaves. They looked tightly rolled, almost like little pellets, and had a dark green color with a bit of a sheen.

The Brewing Process

• I boiled some fresh water. You don’t want it scorching hot for oolong, so I let it cool for a minute or two after it boiled, aiming for maybe around 195-205°F (90-96°C). I don’t use themometer.I’m just guessing.
• I warmed up the gaiwan by pouring some hot water in and then dumping it out. This just preps the vessel, I guess.
• Then I put the leaves in the gaiwan.

  And I used hot water to wash the tea * it out.

• Next, I poured the hot water over the leaves, just enough to cover them, and put the lid on.
• I only let it steep for about 30 seconds for the first infusion. I’ve heard oolong can get bitter if you overdo it.
• I poured the tea into my little teacup, making sure to use the lid of the gaiwan to hold back the leaves. It’s kind of a balancing act, but I managed it without spilling too much!

The tea itself was a beautiful golden color. The taste? Really interesting! It was floral, a little bit sweet, and had this smooth, almost creamy texture. Definitely not like any black tea I’ve had. There was a slight roasted note, too, but not overpowering.

And here’s the cool part – you can steep the same leaves multiple times! I did about four infusions, gradually increasing the steeping time with each one. The flavor changed a bit each time, getting a little less intense but still really * the fourth infusion, it was definitely lighter, but still had that nice oolong character.

I am very happy about I did it.