News / oolong tea

Description  Grown on the pristine foothills of the Himalayas, the leaves and white tips are lightly oxidized to preserve its fresh flavors. This AV2 cultivar tea also has the advantage of enjoying superb growing conditions at the highest estate in Darjeeling. Making it one of the highest quality white teas on the market. Complex flavors of almond, layered with melon sweetness and citrus highlights, embedded in a light bodied liquor. Origin & History The official origin of oolong teas is lost to history, but there are several origin myths, if you will, that make convincing arguments. Two origins hold that...

For the consummate tea drinker, oolong teas hold a special place in their heart. While there is great attention given to the processing of all teas, oolongs require the hand of a skilled tea master to fully capture the spectrum of flavors oolong holds. The beauty of oolong, aside from the sweet- savory flavor, is that it falls somewhere between a black and green tea. So, when the afternoon sleepies start to come around and you need a little pick me up that won't keep you up all night, turn oolong. The caffeine content will be lower than black tea...

Take a moment with Vail Mountain Coffee & Tea Co. to check out our breakdown of the differences between these three tea varieties for a deeper understanding of their qualities. Make sure to check out the tea brewing guidelines below for how to brew your own perfect cup! Loose Leaf Tea Qualities Hand picked, hand rolled for quality control.  Whole, unbroken leaves. Contains more essential oils which offer a fuller flavor. Can be steeped several times, depending on the type of tea. Contains higher amounts of polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) and chlorophyll (the cancer fighting compound found in green tea)....

The Origin of Matcha Stretching all the way back to the 17th century, matcha was first enjoyed by the Tang Dynasty in China. They found that by steaming the leaves they could form bricks, which would make it easier for sellers to take on trade travels. The tea bricks were prepared by roasting and grounding the leaves then mixing the tea powder with water and salt.  Around the 10th century, a Japanese Buddhist monk, by the name of Eisai, returned to his home country after many years spent studying Buddhism in China. He brought with him the much revered matcha...

If you're looking to cut down on your caffeine intake, develop fuller flavors within your tea and increase the overall health benefits you receive from enjoying your favorite cup... look no further than the beautiful simplicity found in cold brewing. Cold brewing tea is just about the easiest thing in the world to do. Pop some loose leaf tea into a container of cold filtered water, let sit for up to 12 hours and strain. Viola! The result is a tea that has fewer tannins, producing a flavor that is much less astringent than hot brewed tea with a smoother,...