Probably you are familiar with the Chinese saying, ìFirewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea are the seven necessities to begin a day.î Though tea is last on the list, we can still see how important the tea is for the Chinese.
There are actually thousand of Chinese tea varieties. These are usually classified by procedure, quality, and preparation methods and so on. However, if we will consider tea in terms of quality, there are actually eight classes of Chinese tea. These include green tea, oolong, black, red, white, yellow, flower, and compressed tea.
Now, letís take a look at these classes one by one.
Green Tea
Green tea is said to be the most natural type of Chinese tea. It is usually picked, naturally dried and fried briefly to get rid of its grassy smell. Unlike the other types, green tea skipped fermentation process.
According to some experts, green tea has the most medicinal value and the least caffeine content of all Chinese tea classes. The aroma of this type of Chinese type range from medium to high, while the flavor is usually light to medium. Today, about 50% of Chinaís tea is green tea.
Oolong Tea
This type of Chinese tea is halfway between green tea and black tea in a sense that it is half fermented. Chinese also call it ìQing Chaî and its typical leaves are green in the middle and red on the edges as a result of the process to soften tea leaves.
Oolong tea leaves are basically withered and spread before undergoing a brief fermentation process. Then, it is fried, rolled and roasted.
Black Tea
The Chinese black tea produces full-bodied amber when brewed. Also, this type of Chinese tea undergoes withering, then left to ferment for a long while, and then roasted. The leaves of this variety become completely oxidized after processing.
Red Tea
As the name implies, this type of Chinese tea has red leaves and red tea color. This color is strongly highlighted during the fermentation process. It is also considered that red tea has low aroma and medium flavor and it is now divided into three subclasses: Kung Fu Red Tea, Ted Tea Bits, and Small Species Red Tea.
White Tea
This type of Chinese tea is sometimes considered as subclass of green tea. Perhaps it is for the fact that it is only withered and then roasted. Just like green tea, white tea escaped fermentation process. And, it has low caffeine content.
Yellow Tea
Apparently, yellow tea has yellow leaves and yellow tea color. According to some experts, this type of Chinese tea is an uncommon class of Chinese tea. The flavor of yellow tea is usually mild and refreshing.
Flower Tea
Here is a unique type of Chinese tea ñ the Flower tea. It actually subdivides into Flower Tea and Scented Tea. Well, the Flower Tea is just based on a simple concept that dried flowers are used, without much processing, to make tea. The Scented Tea, on the other hand, uses green tea and red tea as base and mix with scent of flowers. Generally, this class has light to medium flavor and medium to strong aroma.
Compressed Tea
The final type of Chinese tea is the compressed tea. This class uses black tea as base tea. It is steamed and compressed into bricks, cakes, columns, and other shapes. Also, compressed tea has all the characteristics of black tea. It can be stored for years and decades.
Showing posts with label flower tea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flower tea. Show all posts
Friday, 23 March 2018
Wednesday, 21 March 2018
Black Tea: When Are The Best Pluckings?
Black tea has become a worldwide phenomenon. In cafes and coffeehouses, teahouses and trendy bistros, black tea has become a favorite beverage of tea drinkers around the globe. The uniqueness of black tea lies in the processingóa procedure that helps to give the beverage its magnificent flavor and consistency.
Black tea, like green tea and specialty white tea, is derived from the Camellia Sinensis plant. The primary difference between black tea and green tea lies in its fermentation. Through the fermentation procedure, tea leaves take on a red color, then turn black after they have been dried. In sharp contrast, green tea does not undergo fermentation, but instead is heat-treated, enabling it to maintain its distinctive green coloring.
At this point, itís unclear why fermentation was begun. Perhaps it was created in order to preserve tea for substantial lengths of time. In any case, fermentation helps to give black tea its unique taste. Because of the variety of ways you can serve black tea, it is often highly favored over other forms of tea.
Black teas are generally classified according to their grading. For instance, Pekoe is a black tea that is derived from medium plucking of the second leaf of the tea bush. The term ìPekoeî comes from the Chinese word meaning ìwhite hair.î The terminology refers to early pluckings, which evidence traces of white down. Meanwhile, Broken Orange Pekoe is a smaller leaf tea that has broken segments but a number of tips. In contrast, Broken Pekoe consists of broken portions of a coarse leaf sans tips.
Fannings consist of small grainy leaf particles which have been taken out of higher grade teas. In contrast, Flowery Orange Pekoe may consist of a whole leaf or broken leaf with a great deal of tip, causing it to have a particularly fine quality. Meanwhile, Flowery Pekoe is a black tea with a whole leaf that has been rolled lengthwise, while Orange Pekoe has a leaf ranging in size from eight to 15 millimeters with only a few tips.
The term ìdustî refers to the smallest particle leaf size which is customarily utilized for tea bag teas. This is because they tend to reach full flavor and strength quite quickly. In order to be prepared for market, the graded tea leaf is placed into plywood chests which have been lined with aluminum paper.
Black tea may also be specially flavored or scented. These teas are often produced from standard-grade teas that have been accented with flowers, flavored oils, or flavored crystals. Interestingly enough, there can be incredible differences in teas according to the quality and the flavoring. Typically, teas that are derived from natural flavoring techniques create the most flavorful teas. some teas are so aromatic that they are reminiscent of perfume.
While the timing of pluckings can make a difference in terms of a teaís consistency, it is the region in which it is harvested that often makes the biggest impact. For instance, Assam tea is grown in a region in northern India and is known for its full-bodied strength. Darjeeling, in northeast India, produces whatís often known as the champagne of teas. These teas are legendary for their scent and light flavoring.
Darjeeling tea can actually come in a variety of flavors, including flowery and nutty. Meanwhile, Keemum from China and Taiwan is frequently called the burgundy of teas, thanks to its sweet, rich, fruity flavor.
Lapsang Souchong, also from China and Taiwan, is known for its smokinessóa smokiness which comes from drying the tea leaves over a fire. It is often referred to as an evening tea because it tends to be low in caffeine. Meanwhile, Yunnan, derived from Chinaís Yunnan province, is full-bodied and slightly peppery in nature.
You may be curious about the differences between black tea and green tea. Both types of tea can have significant therapeutic benefits, but green tea is the older of the two and tends to have less caffeine. As a result, green tea might be considered generally more soothing than black tea, although there are varieties of black tea that are known for calming nerves.
Pluckings are only part of the story, when it comes to evaluating the merits of tea. However, early pluckings can be indicative of a superior variety. The more you drink black tea, the more youíll come to appreciate its unique qualities. It is a beverage that can really grow on you and, with so many varieties to choose from, you may find that youíll never get bored with it.
A growing body of research indicating its health benefits is also a key selling point. As a result, chances are good that black tea will continue to grow in popularity in the years ahead in localities around the globe.
Black tea, like green tea and specialty white tea, is derived from the Camellia Sinensis plant. The primary difference between black tea and green tea lies in its fermentation. Through the fermentation procedure, tea leaves take on a red color, then turn black after they have been dried. In sharp contrast, green tea does not undergo fermentation, but instead is heat-treated, enabling it to maintain its distinctive green coloring.
At this point, itís unclear why fermentation was begun. Perhaps it was created in order to preserve tea for substantial lengths of time. In any case, fermentation helps to give black tea its unique taste. Because of the variety of ways you can serve black tea, it is often highly favored over other forms of tea.
Black teas are generally classified according to their grading. For instance, Pekoe is a black tea that is derived from medium plucking of the second leaf of the tea bush. The term ìPekoeî comes from the Chinese word meaning ìwhite hair.î The terminology refers to early pluckings, which evidence traces of white down. Meanwhile, Broken Orange Pekoe is a smaller leaf tea that has broken segments but a number of tips. In contrast, Broken Pekoe consists of broken portions of a coarse leaf sans tips.
Fannings consist of small grainy leaf particles which have been taken out of higher grade teas. In contrast, Flowery Orange Pekoe may consist of a whole leaf or broken leaf with a great deal of tip, causing it to have a particularly fine quality. Meanwhile, Flowery Pekoe is a black tea with a whole leaf that has been rolled lengthwise, while Orange Pekoe has a leaf ranging in size from eight to 15 millimeters with only a few tips.
The term ìdustî refers to the smallest particle leaf size which is customarily utilized for tea bag teas. This is because they tend to reach full flavor and strength quite quickly. In order to be prepared for market, the graded tea leaf is placed into plywood chests which have been lined with aluminum paper.
Black tea may also be specially flavored or scented. These teas are often produced from standard-grade teas that have been accented with flowers, flavored oils, or flavored crystals. Interestingly enough, there can be incredible differences in teas according to the quality and the flavoring. Typically, teas that are derived from natural flavoring techniques create the most flavorful teas. some teas are so aromatic that they are reminiscent of perfume.
While the timing of pluckings can make a difference in terms of a teaís consistency, it is the region in which it is harvested that often makes the biggest impact. For instance, Assam tea is grown in a region in northern India and is known for its full-bodied strength. Darjeeling, in northeast India, produces whatís often known as the champagne of teas. These teas are legendary for their scent and light flavoring.
Darjeeling tea can actually come in a variety of flavors, including flowery and nutty. Meanwhile, Keemum from China and Taiwan is frequently called the burgundy of teas, thanks to its sweet, rich, fruity flavor.
Lapsang Souchong, also from China and Taiwan, is known for its smokinessóa smokiness which comes from drying the tea leaves over a fire. It is often referred to as an evening tea because it tends to be low in caffeine. Meanwhile, Yunnan, derived from Chinaís Yunnan province, is full-bodied and slightly peppery in nature.
You may be curious about the differences between black tea and green tea. Both types of tea can have significant therapeutic benefits, but green tea is the older of the two and tends to have less caffeine. As a result, green tea might be considered generally more soothing than black tea, although there are varieties of black tea that are known for calming nerves.
Pluckings are only part of the story, when it comes to evaluating the merits of tea. However, early pluckings can be indicative of a superior variety. The more you drink black tea, the more youíll come to appreciate its unique qualities. It is a beverage that can really grow on you and, with so many varieties to choose from, you may find that youíll never get bored with it.
A growing body of research indicating its health benefits is also a key selling point. As a result, chances are good that black tea will continue to grow in popularity in the years ahead in localities around the globe.
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