Well, let me tell you about this oolong tea. That oolong steep time, you gotta get it right, or it ain’t no good. My neighbor, she gave me some of that fancy tea. Said it was good for what ails ya. I said, “Well, I got plenty ailin’ me, so let’s give it a try!”

Now, you can’t just throw them leaves in any old water. You gotta have it hot, but not boilin’ hot, you hear? Around 185 degrees, they say. That’s hotter than a hen on a hot griddle, but not quite a rolling boil. If that water is too hot, that oolong tea, she will get bitter, like my old Aunt Martha when she didn’t get her way.

So, oolong steep time is important. I learned the hard way, let me tell ya. First time, I just let them leaves swim around in there forever. Figured the longer, the stronger. Well, I was wrong. Tasted like I was lickin’ a rusty fence post. Ruined the whole pot!

• First time you make it, only leave it in for like 30 seconds. Maybe a minute.
• You want it strong? Leave it longer. But not too long!
• That oolong steep time, it makes all the difference, I tell ya.

Then, you gotta give them leaves room to dance around. Don’t cram them in there like sardines in a can. They need space. Like my old mama used to say, “Even tea leaves need elbow room!” So you use one of them big old pots, not them tiny little things. Oolong needs room, I’m telling you that right now. It’s better with a big teapot.

Now, this oolong, it ain’t like that weak tea you get at the diner. This stuff has some kick to it. Not like coffee, mind you. Coffee, that’ll put hair on your chest. This oolong tea, it just wakes you up a little. That caffeine, you know. More than some other teas, that’s what I heard. But not so much as coffee. Coffee got like 95 of them caffeine things, this ain’t got that much, I think.

This one fella, he told me you can use them oolong leaves more than once. Steep them again, he said. I thought he was pullin’ my leg, but he was right! Second time ain’t as strong, but it’s still got some flavor. Like gettin’ two meals out of one chicken, you know? Saves you money, that does.

So, you can steep that oolong tea more than once! Can you believe it? Just like them fancy rich folks, gettin’ every last drop out of somethin’. I tried it three times once, but the third time, it was pretty weak. Like dishwater, almost. But two times, that works just fine.

That oolong steep time, though, that’s the secret. Too short, and it’s like drinkin’ hot water. Too long, and you’ll be puckerin’ up like you just bit into a lemon. You gotta find that sweet spot. And that sweet spot is different for everyone, I reckon.

Some folks like it strong, some like it weak. Just like how some folks like their coffee black, and some like it with cream and sugar. To each their own, as my grandma used to say. But for oolong tea, that oolong steep time is usually around 3-5 minutes. After the first time.

That’s what they tell me, anyway. Some fancy tea expert wrote it down somewhere, I suppose. But me? I just go by taste. I give it a little sip, see how it’s doin’. When it tastes just right, that’s when I take them leaves out. Common sense, really. Ain’t no need for fancy thermometers and timers.

But this here oolong steep time, it ain’t rocket science. You’ll figure it out. Just don’t leave them leaves in there too long. You learn that lesson once, you won’t forget it. Like touchin’ a hot stove. You only do that once, and you learn real quick.

So, you go on and try that oolong tea. It’s good for what ails ya, they say. And if you get that oolong steep time right, it’s pretty darn tasty, too. You might like it. It’s better than that old coffee, that’s for sure. Maybe not. You just try and see. Then you can tell me all about it.

Just remember what I said about that hot water, and givin’ them leaves room to breathe. And don’t be afraid to experiment a little. You might just surprise yourself. That’s what I did. And now I’m an oolong tea drinker. Who would have thought?