Buckwheat brownie

Oolong is a partially oxidised leaf, the link between green and black tea.

Ingredients: buckwheat, cocoa and caramel. In the cup this reads as a roasted grain sweetness and a dessert chocolate note. The aromatic and fruit components are laid over the tea base rather than replacing it: the tea character remains dominant in the cup.

A medium level of caffeine — between green and black tea.

Preparation: 12–15 g per litre, 3–5 minutes, water at 90 °C. Oolong sits midway on the oxidation scale, so it needs water in the middle range too — around 90 °C. The leaf withstands several infusions; the second and third are often better than the first.

The quantities given are averages. Soft water calls for slightly more tea, hard water slightly less.

Suitable both for the retail shelf and for a venue’s tea list: a recognisable profile, a predictable result in the cup, consistent quality from batch to batch.

Storage: in a tightly sealed opaque container, away from light, moisture and strong odours. Tea readily absorbs foreign aromas, so it should not be kept next to spices or coffee.

Packaging: sold loose, the price is given per 100 g. Alveus supplier code — 84465.

The supplier is Alveus (Germany), one of Europe’s largest tea houses. Packing and dispatch from the Verdamare warehouse.