GABA Oolong

Description

GABA Oolong (佳葉龍烏龍茶) is a tangy and fruity tea that comes from Nantou County of Taiwan. This particular crop is from 30 April 2024 harvest. To demystify the acronym in the name, GABA stands for Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid. This molecule, which is mostly found in the human brain, purportedly can reduce stress and anxiety. GABA Oolong tea is also known as Gabaron and Jia Ye Long (佳葉龍).

There are differing opinions on how well our bodies can actually absorb GABA from our food and drink and while some people report feeling particularly relaxed and calm after drinking GABA tea, others do not see any significant difference. So while the effects of this tea are a very personal experience, most will appreciate this tea for the distinctive taste.

After plucking and rolling, this tea undergoes oxidation in an oxygen deprived environment. This is the unique process that is employed to achieve all GABA teas. The tea is placed into large tanks. Oxygen is then flushed out with nitrogen and the tea is left to oxidise. As the environment is oxygen deprived, the oxidation process happens very slowly. This results in a much larger amount of GABA molecules being present in the finished tea.

This GABA Oolong comes in tightly rolled leaves typical of Taiwanese oolongs that unfurl during brewing. The liquor produced is light in strength with a tangy and fruity character. There are very pleasant notes of currants and sultanas with a slightly woody finish. The overall cup is very refreshing and smooth, making an ideal afternoon tea.

It is best brewed at 90°C for 3-5 minutes. This tea should be brewed multiple times.

You can find many other GABA teas in our shop. We also feature a large range of GABA teas specifically from Taiwan: