How to brew oolong tea

Step-by-step guide to brewing oolong tea using both gongfu (multiple short steeps) and Western (single long steep) methods. Includes water temperature and leaf ratios for light and dark oolongs.

By PGP Iyer · April 30, 2026 · 1 min read

Oolong sits between green and black tea on the oxidation spectrum — anywhere from 15% to 80% oxidized. That range is why brewing parameters vary more for oolong than any other tea category.

Two main methods

Gongfu (multiple short steeps)

The traditional Chinese approach. You use a small vessel (60–120ml) and a high leaf-to-water ratio, then re-steep the same leaves 5–8 times. Each infusion brings out a different flavor layer.

• Vessel: gaiwan or small clay teapot
• Leaves: 5g per 100ml of water
• Water temp: 90°C (light oolongs), 95°C (dark oolongs)
• Steep times: 15s, 20s, 25s, 35s, 50s, 70s…
• Always rinse first: 5-second flash steep, discard.

Western (single long steep)

Better for daily drinking when you don't want to manage multiple infusions.

• Vessel: standard mug or teapot, 250–500ml
• Leaves: 3g per 250ml of water
• Water temp: 85°C (light), 95°C (dark)
• Steep time: 3 minutes for first infusion, +1 minute for each subsequent steep (oolong leaves are good for 2–3 Western steeps).

Light vs dark oolongs

Light oolongs (Tieguanyin, Ali Shan, Baozhong) are 15–30% oxidized. They taste floral, buttery, sometimes creamy. Use cooler water and shorter steeps.

Dark oolongs (Da Hong Pao, roasted Tieguanyin, oriental beauty) are 50–80% oxidized and often roasted. They taste toasty, woody, sometimes chocolatey. Use hotter water; they tolerate longer steeps.

Reading the leaves

Quality oolong unfurls dramatically. Spent leaves should look almost like fresh leaves — whole, unbroken, supple. Fragmented or stiff leaves point to lower quality or storage damage.