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Oolong
Tealyra Milk Oolong (Jin Xuan)
Re-steep it three times. Each one tells a different story.
Timer / Oolong
Thirty seconds.Then again.
Oolong is the leaf that rewards a long session. The timer counts each short pour and arms the next one when you are ready.
Oolong tea timer
Style
Rinse
0:05
Ready.
- Water
- 195°F / 91°C
- Leaf
- 5–7g / 120ml
Rinse, then each infusion a little longer than the last. Rolled oolongs run ten deep.
Keep it by the kettle: add this page to your home screen and it opens like an app, offline.
The schedule
Oolong steep times, by style.
Gongfu
195°F / 91°C · 5–7g / 120ml
Rinse, then each infusion a little longer than the last. Rolled oolongs run ten deep.
| Rinse | 5 sec |
| Steep 1 | 30 sec |
| Steep 2 | 40 sec |
| Steep 3 | 55 sec |
| Steep 4 | 1 min 10 sec |
| Steep 5 | 1 min 30 sec |
| Steep 6 | 2 min |
| Steep 7 | 3 min |
| Steep 8 | 4 min |
| Steep 9 | 5 min |
| Steep 10 | 6 min |
Dark roast gongfu
212°F / 100°C · 5–7g / 120ml
Wuyi rock and the roasted oolongs take a full boil and a longer push: ten seconds more on each early steep, twelve deep.
| Rinse | 5 sec |
| Steep 1 | 40 sec |
| Steep 2 | 50 sec |
| Steep 3 | 1 min 5 sec |
| Steep 4 | 1 min 20 sec |
| Steep 5 | 1 min 40 sec |
| Steep 6 | 2 min 10 sec |
| Steep 7 | 3 min |
| Steep 8 | 4 min |
| Steep 9 | 5 min |
| Steep 10 | 6 min |
| Steep 11 | 7 min |
| Steep 12 | 8 min |
Western
195°F / 91°C · 1 heaping tsp / 8oz
Three to five minutes, then a second cup with two minutes added.
| Steep 1 | 4 min |
| Steep 2 | 6 min |
Worth timing
Oolong we've reviewed.
Loose leaf
Oolong
Teavivre Ti Kuan Yin (Iron Goddess) Oolong
Orchid on the first steep. Biscuit on the third. Five-plus rounds if you respect it.
Loose leaf
Oolong
Teavivre Da Hong Pao Wuyi Rock Oolong
Heavy roast. Wuyi rock. The closest tea gets to a single malt.
FAQ
Oolong timing, answered.
How long do you steep oolong tea?+
Gongfu style: a five-second rinse, then 30 seconds for the first infusion, adding 10 to 15 seconds each round (40, 55, 70, 90 seconds, then two minutes). Western style: three to five minutes for the first cup.
What temperature do you brew oolong at?+
About 195°F for lighter, rolled oolongs and a full boil (212°F) for dark, roasted oolongs like Da Hong Pao and the Wuyi rock teas.
How many times can you steep oolong?+
A quality rolled oolong gives six to ten infusions brewed gongfu style, and a Wuyi rock oolong can run twelve. Western-brewed oolong still gives a good second cup.
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