Tie Guan Yin Mild Oxidation
$ 10
- $ 18
PRODUCTS
Pinyin: tiě guān yīn
Chinese (Mandarin): 铁观音
Basics
While our lightly oxidized Tie Guan Yin has sweet and floral notes, this more oxidized version is slightly heavier. The initial aroma is nutty, woodsy and revealed more completely as it is brewed. This tea has a warming heaviness that may be a bit of a surprise to those who prefer a lighter oxidation, but is a great example of what oxidation does to a tea's flavor profile.
Processing
A few key steps are required in the manufacture of this type of oolong tea:
- After picking, the tea leaves are subjected to indoor and outdoor withering as water evaporates from the leaves
- The leaves are then tossed and tumbled either by hand or machine to encourage oxidation
- Rolling involves placing the malleable leaves in a cloth sheet and twisting it in a circular motion against a hard surface
- Finally, the tea is left to dry as the rest of the moisture evaporates from the freshly roasted tea leaves
Legend & History
Wei, modest farmer in ancient China used to pass a Buddhist Temple on his daily walk to work. The temple was run down and it contained an iron (Tie in Chinese) statute of the Buddhist deity: Guan Yin, the Goddess of Infinite Compassion. Everyday the farmer wanted to pay respects or offer something to the statue but he was poor and had nothing so all he could do was humbly sweep the feet of the iron statue of Guan Yin. One night, the Goddess Guan Yin came to him in a dream and told him about a tea sprout behind the temple that would bring him and his neighbors wealth for generations. To his surprise he found the humble tea sprout on his way back from work the next day. He took it home, replanted it and cared for it diligently. Upon harvest and when he brewed it the tea was unusually fragrant and it lasted for many more brews than any other tea he has see before. Wei shared this distinctive tea with his neighbors, and spread the tea by offering all his neighbors cuttings of his plant and he named it after the iron statue: Tie Guan Yin, the Iron Goddess of Compassion (oftentimes called Iron Goddess of Mercy).
Brewing
Tie Guan Yin leaves slowly open up from their tightly balled-style shape resulting in countless brews. Tie Guan Yin is a perfect tea for brewing in a Gaiwan, Kung Fu style or in a cup and strainer that allows the tea to fully unfurl.
For kung fu brewing:
- Fill your gaiwan 1/3 of the way full
- Flash rinse the leaves with boiling water for 5 seconds
- First brew 15-30 seconds
- Slowly increase the infusion time by 15-30 seconds depending on desired strength
For cup and strainer brewing:
- Put 2 teaspoons in your strainer for every 8 ounces of water
- Brew with 195 degree water for 1-2 minutes depending on strength desired
- Re-infuse 1-3 more times, increasing steep time by 30 to 60 seconds each time
A 40 Minute video from CCTV. EVERYTHING you wanted to know about Tieguanyin. It's a great look into the magic of oolong tea.
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