Elora Tea
Ti Kuan Yin Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong
Ti Kuan Yin Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong
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A distinctive light cup that has hints of orchid-like flavor. Excellent for quiet moments, this classic Oolong delivers a pale, green-yellow liquor, that tends towards amber. The rolled tea open up delightfully, revealing the original leaf when infused.
HEALTH PROPERTIES: Very high in anti-oxidants
CAFFEINE LEVELS: Low
TEA SOURCING: China, Fujian Province
INGREDIENTS: Tea
ETHICS: Ethical Tea Partnership and GMO free
THE STORY OF TI KUAN YIN - IRON GODDESS OF MERCY TEA
Oolong tea is semi oxidized, giving it a little bit more body than a green tea but less than a black, and adding a unique twist to the flavor. You will see (particularly in the infused leaf) that the edges of the leaves are slightly brown. This is becuase the leaves are lightly bruised to start the oxidation process. Because they are more full bodied than green teas, oolong teas must not be picked too early or at too tender a stage. They must be produced immediately. Unlike leaves for green tea, those destined to be oolong are wilted in the direct sun and then shaken in tubular bamboo baskets to bruise the leaf edges. The bruising is what makes the edges oxidize faster than the center. After 15-25 minutes (depending upon ambient temperature and humidity levels) the tea is fired, locking in the special flavor profile.
There are several grades of Ti Kuan Yin (a.k.a Iron Goddess of Mercy). This particular type is the premium grade, which has many of the characteristics of top Ti Kuan Yin Oolongs. It has been written that Ti Kuan Yin is at first bitter, then sweet and finishes with a fragrance, which lingers on your palate. We find this particular grade is sweet with a fragrant finish and has no bitter notes.
The name Iron Goddess of Mercy came from a farmer named Mr. Wei. At the temple dedicated to Kuan Yin he was asked what is the name of his special tea. It must be called Ti Kuan Yin in honor of the iron statue to Kuan Yin he replied. As the name was a good one, it has never been changed.
BREWING INSTRUCTIONS
BREWING INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOT TEA: Infuse one slightly heaping teaspoon for each 8 ounce cup with water brought to a rolling boil (80 Celcius) for 3-7 minutes. Another method is to brew in the Chinese Gong Fu style. You rinse the tea with 80 degree water pouring it off immediately, then infuse again for as long as it takes to inhale and breathe out slowly, three times. Prepare between 4-9 infusions this way, noting different subtleties in the flavor each time. Yet another method is to prepare two to three infusions of 2-3 minutes each. The bottom line? There is no right, and no wrong way to prepare your tea.
Infuse 6 slightly heaping teaspoons of tea with 1 1/4 cups of boiling water for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water, and add the infused tea, straining the leaves, to the pitcher. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Add lemon and sweeten to taste. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water.
Infuse 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of loose tea with 6 ounces of boiling water for 5 minutes. Add the tea to a 12 ounce glass, filled with ice, straining the leaves. Add hot tea to a 12oz/375ml acrylic glass filled with ice, straining the tea or removing the bags. Add lemon and sweeten to taste.
NUMBER OF CUPS: 15-20 cups from each 50 grams of tea, with a single use of the leaves. Loose leaf tea is traditionally infused 3 times, with a different flavor profile following each infusion. Accordingly, each 50 gram bag can make up to 60 cups of tea.
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