Formosa tea, grown and processed in Taiwan, is mainly classified as oolong tea and is known for its high quality and intense aroma and flavor. The tea industry in Taiwan began in the mid-19th century, and the quality of the tea can vary depending on where the leaves were grown. The tea leaves are picked while green and left to ferment before being heated to stop the process and rolled into tubes or balls. Formosa gunpowder is a tightly rolled variety that produces a strong and concentrated tea.
Formosa tea is a type of tea grown and processed on the East Asian island of Taiwan, which was nicknamed “Ilha Formosa” or “beautiful island” by 16th-century Portuguese explorers. Most varieties of formosa tea are classified as oolong tea, although the island of Taiwan also produces a gunpowder tea known as Formosa gunpowder. Generally, the teas produced in this region of the world are considered to be of high quality, with an intoxicating, intense, sometimes smoky aroma and flavour. Tea is usually consumed as a hot drink, although it can also be used in cooking to add flavor to sauces or rice dishes.
Taiwan’s tea industry is relatively young. The island’s tea production began in earnest during the mid-19th century. Tea growing conditions are not always ideal in Taiwan because the island is a patchwork of many different climates despite its small size. Thus, the aroma, flavor and overall quality of Formosa tea can vary greatly, depending on where the tea leaves were grown.
Most types of Formosa tea fall into the category of oolong tea, a type of tea that is traditionally produced in China. Oolong teas are considered neither black nor green, as they are lighter in color and less fermented than black tea, but darker in color and more fermented than green tea. Typically, formosa tea leaves appear red or coppery after processing.
Formosa tea is made by picking tea leaves while they are still green and leaving these leaves in the open air to dry in the sun for a short time. During this time, the leaves “ferment”, a term used by the tea industry to describe the breakdown of chlorophyll, or the substance that makes leaves green, and the activation of tannins, which are the organic plant compounds that give the Most teas have a distinctive bitter taste. Formosan tea fermentation stops abruptly when the leaves begin to brown around the edges by heating them over a fire. The process that allows the leaves to partially ferment is different from that used to brew green tea, which is left “green” and not fermented at all. It’s also slightly different from the process used to brew black tea, which is usually allowed to ferment fully.
After the fermentation has been stopped by heating the tea leaves, the leaves, which are still slightly moist, are rolled into tubes or balls. This process can be done either by machine or by hand, although machine rolls are much more common in modern times. Once rolled, the tea leaves are heated again to dry them. Formosan Gunpowder is a variety of Formosan tea in which the leaves are rolled very tightly to form tiny balls whose appearance somewhat resembles gunpowder grains, hence the name. These pellets often “bloom” attractively when hot water is poured over them and often produce a very strong and concentrated tea.
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