TAIWANESE OOLONG TEA PROCESSING
Plucking
Softly pick one-tip-two-leaf or one-tip-three-leaf by nipping the middle of the young stalk with index finger and thumb.
Sun Withering
Lay the leaves under the sun, hence the moisture may evaporate and the enzyme activity may take place.
Indoor Withering & Tossing
Continue the enzyme activity indoors. Wear the marginal cells by tossing the leaves so that the oxidation process can be enhanced and the moisture can be evenly dispersed.
Panning
Process at high temperature to remove unwanted scents, suppress the oxidative enzymes, and leave the tea at the desired aroma and taste. The softened tea leaves after panning will facilitate the next step – rolling.
Rolling
Roll the leaves to expected shapes. For the semi-ball type oolong tea, leaves are jammed inside cloths and repeatedly rolled by hand or machine. Meanwhile, the juice will distribute throughout the surface of leaves and enrich the aroma for brewing.
Drying
Dry the tea leaves with high temperature to keep moisture level between 3% to 5%. Heat can also inhibit the enzyme activity so as to stabilise the quality of the end product.
