2023 Spring Taiwanese Alishan GABA Oolong Tea

This Taiwanese Oolong is from the most well known and prized mountaintops of Taiwan’s ancient tea mountains. Hand picked above 1500m altitude, this tea is crafted and roasted with absolute perfection.

This tea is a GABA (Oolong - the tea is isolated in nitrogen (i.e. think dry ice cooler) instead of oxygen. This process, instead of oxidizing the enzymes on the tea leaves, naturally converts the glutamate into a concentration of GABA - which has been known to have calming effects on the central nervous system. This technique was invented in Japan and brought to the National Institute of Tea Research in Taiwan in the late 1900s.

This tea is incredibly flavorful, and brews many steeps. Thick broth, well-rounded sweetness, and apricot come to mind. The high Alishan altitude provides the tangy note we love, and the balanced roasting, resting, and re-roasting process, allows the true flavor of the terroir to come through.

GABA: Gamma-aminobutyric acid; a naturally occurring amino acid

Gongfu Brewing Instructions:

Water Temp: 200-205F

Amount: 4-7g tea, 140-200ml Pot

Steeping Time: 

1st Infusion: 10-12 seconds.

2nd Infusion: 12-16 seconds 

3rd Infusion: 14-22 seconds 

4th Infusion: 20-30 seconds

5th Infusion: 30+ seconds (add 20 or more seconds of any subsequent infusions after 5).

Western Brewing Method:

Use 4-6g for every 0.5 liters of water. Fill teapot or brewing device with water that's between 186F and steep for 2-3 minutes.