Gaba Oolong

GABA oolong is one of the more unusual teas we now carry, and it has a genuinely interesting story behind it — one that starts not in a tea garden but in a Japanese research laboratory in the 1980s.

Scientists studying the chemistry of tea leaves discovered that when fresh leaves were placed in an oxygen-free, nitrogen-rich environment during oxidation, a naturally occurring amino acid in the leaf called glutamic acid converted into much higher levels of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid).

Taiwanese tea makers adopted the technique shortly after and refined it over decades into what has become one of the most sought-after specialty oolongs in the world.

The process itself is labor-intensive and precise. After harvesting, the leaves cycle through alternating periods of traditional oolong shaking and several hours of anaerobic fermentation in sealed chambers filled with nitrogen — a process that can stretch across multiple days before the tea is ready to be fired and rolled.

The result is a tea with a flavor profile that's genuinely unlike anything else in the oolong category: deeply sweet and smooth, with notes of caramel, dried apricot, and honey, and a round, full-bodied mouthfeel that coats the throat without a trace of bitterness or astringency.

You can see the difference in the dry leaf — those tight, dark-rolled balls are characteristic of a roasted GABA oolong, and they open up beautifully over multiple infusions. This is a very forgiving tea to brew, and it holds up well grandpa-style in a large mug just as well as it does in a gaiwan for a longer session.

Brewing:

Gong Fu:

Tea: 5 grams per 4 ounces of water (118ml)
Water temperature: 205°F - 96°C
Infusion length: 1 minute. May be infused 7 additional times.

Western Brewing:

Tea: 2 grams per 4 ounces of water (118ml)
Water temperature: 205°F - 96°C
Infusion length: 2 minute. May be infused 3 additional times.