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兄弟紅 Xiōngdì [Hóng] “Brothers” [Red Liqueur]
This is not your typical oolong. 兄弟 Xiōngdì is a relatively little-known 單欉烏龍茶 dān cóng wūlóng chá produced in the slopes of 烏岽山 Wūdōngshān in the 潮州 Cháozhōu region of northeastern 廣東 Guǎngdōng province, China. As per its namesake, the tea is produced from two tea plants that grew close to one another and are harvested and produced together, producing a flavor that harmonizes the two teas seamlessly. I call this a “red” Xiōngdì as the farmer who produces the tea has oxidized and baked the tea further, producing a darker, sweeter, more subtle flavor that is unlike any version of this tea I’ve had before. I first came across this tea on my first tea sourcing trip in China and the version I offer now is more unique and enticing than others I’ve had previously.
The tea contains a wide array of flavors and textures, but each are markedly more subtle and refined than your typical dān cóng. The liqueur is deeper in color, more red than other teas in this category, and the flavors found in the cup range from rum raisin to black walnut, sandalwood, and faint orchid and aged citrus peel (陳皮 chénpí) notes. The additional baking the tea receives gives the tea a gentle warming and slightly more viscous quality, with little astringency compared to other Phoenix oolong teas.
Brewing Suggestions
兄弟紅 Xiōngdì [Hóng] is an unusual tea, a dān cóng wūlóng chá that wants to be brewed like a 紅茶 hóng chá (“red tea”). The leaves are thin and delicate, with a flavor that is equally so. Preserving but pushing this flavor is key to unlocking this tea’s potential. I suggest a slightly cooler water, with a slightly longer brewing time.
While Yíxìng teapots work great, a thinner-walled porcelain or glass gàiwǎn or teapot for this tea might be best if looking for a lighter brew. To achieve a lighter brew, I suggest 3-5 grams for a 120-180 ml (~4-6 oz) vessel, with the first steeping brewed at 85-95C (185-203F) for 1-1.5 minutes. The results will be light, crisp, accentuating the fruitiness of the tea.
If you’d like to push this tea and produce a slightly more robust flavor (again, this tea is known for being subtle), consider using a dedicated Yíxìng teapot and increasing the amount of tea to 4-6 grams, and increase the water’s temperature to near boiling (~98C/210F), steeping for about 1.5-3 minutes. This should allow for some of the darker, more complex incense and aged citrus peel notes to emerge from this otherwise delicate tea.
Subsequent steepings should increase in time (and can increase in temperature). The tea will become sweeter as each steeping progresses, maintaining some of the viscosity of the initial brew, with little astringency. The flavor will morph, and should reveal a slight warming spice sweetness.
This is not your typical oolong. 兄弟 Xiōngdì is a relatively little-known 單欉烏龍茶 dān cóng wūlóng chá produced in the slopes of 烏岽山 Wūdōngshān in the 潮州 Cháozhōu region of northeastern 廣東 Guǎngdōng province, China. As per its namesake, the tea is produced from two tea plants that grew close to one another and are harvested and produced together, producing a flavor that harmonizes the two teas seamlessly. I call this a “red” Xiōngdì as the farmer who produces the tea has oxidized and baked the tea further, producing a darker, sweeter, more subtle flavor that is unlike any version of this tea I’ve had before. I first came across this tea on my first tea sourcing trip in China and the version I offer now is more unique and enticing than others I’ve had previously.
The tea contains a wide array of flavors and textures, but each are markedly more subtle and refined than your typical dān cóng. The liqueur is deeper in color, more red than other teas in this category, and the flavors found in the cup range from rum raisin to black walnut, sandalwood, and faint orchid and aged citrus peel (陳皮 chénpí) notes. The additional baking the tea receives gives the tea a gentle warming and slightly more viscous quality, with little astringency compared to other Phoenix oolong teas.
Brewing Suggestions
兄弟紅 Xiōngdì [Hóng] is an unusual tea, a dān cóng wūlóng chá that wants to be brewed like a 紅茶 hóng chá (“red tea”). The leaves are thin and delicate, with a flavor that is equally so. Preserving but pushing this flavor is key to unlocking this tea’s potential. I suggest a slightly cooler water, with a slightly longer brewing time.
While Yíxìng teapots work great, a thinner-walled porcelain or glass gàiwǎn or teapot for this tea might be best if looking for a lighter brew. To achieve a lighter brew, I suggest 3-5 grams for a 120-180 ml (~4-6 oz) vessel, with the first steeping brewed at 85-95C (185-203F) for 1-1.5 minutes. The results will be light, crisp, accentuating the fruitiness of the tea.
If you’d like to push this tea and produce a slightly more robust flavor (again, this tea is known for being subtle), consider using a dedicated Yíxìng teapot and increasing the amount of tea to 4-6 grams, and increase the water’s temperature to near boiling (~98C/210F), steeping for about 1.5-3 minutes. This should allow for some of the darker, more complex incense and aged citrus peel notes to emerge from this otherwise delicate tea.
Subsequent steepings should increase in time (and can increase in temperature). The tea will become sweeter as each steeping progresses, maintaining some of the viscosity of the initial brew, with little astringency. The flavor will morph, and should reveal a slight warming spice sweetness.