Black Tea

The question of when black tea was invented remains much debated amongst tea scholars.However by the 16th century black tea was appearing in Chinese tea markets.It was during Ming's dynasty that oxidation of Tea leaves were discovered. When the tea was allowed to oxidize and then baked, the resulting leaf could retain its quality longer. This black tea was far more suitable for the lengthy transport to Tibet and Mongolia.

Black Tea is the most oxidised tea than White,Oolong and Green Tea.This gives them their stronger flavors and higher caffeine content.. It is most widely used in making iced tea and English tea.It is also knoiwn as Red Tea.Black Tea is obtained by freshly picking tea leaves and darkening it with large amount of cellular oxidation.

Styles of Black Tea

There are three distinct styles of producing black tea in China.
Zhen Shan Xiao Zhong Hong Cha  – The original style of black tea from the Wu Yi mountains. Higher grades are comprised of broad open leaves and are roasted and dried by the heat an earthen oven wood burning fire.

Gong Fu Hong Cha – Sometimes called to as “Congou” black tea by western sources. “Congou” or “Gong Fu” is a reference to patience and skill required by its manufacturing process. This is the most widespread style of black tea produced in China. Both Keemun and Dian Hong black teas are made by the Gong Fu method. Traditionally, this method requires hand picking of whole buds and leaves. After a fair amount of delicate hand processing higher quality examples of Gong Fu Hong Cha are dried over charcoal while electric dryers may be used to finish lesser grades.

Hong Sui Cha - Broken Black Tea made specifically for foreign consumption. This type of tea is mass produced with modern machinery and is sorted in accordance with the grading system used by the international market.

Making Black Tea

Black tea is made in one of two ways: "orthodox" or "cut, tear, curl" (CTC). Orthodox processing relies much more heavily on manual work. CTC is done primarily by machine and creates finely chopped tea leaves.

Steps to black tea production:
Plucking
The tea leaves are removed from the bush. They are harvested by hand for orthodox teas and by machine for CTC.

Sorting
The leaves are separated by size.

Cleaning
Any twigs, stems, rocks, or broken leaves are removed.

Withering
The leaves are dried slightly. The moisture content of the leaf goes from 70-80% to 60-65%. This withering makes the leaf pliable so it won't break during the next steps.

Rolling
Orthodox teas are rolled while CTC teas are chopped then rolled.

Oxidation
The leaves are allowed to brown. CTC teas may be tumbled to encourage oxidation while orthodox teas may be rolled at intervals on a table. Chinese teas are oxidized very slowly, making them more mellow in flavor than Indian teas.

Drying and cooling
The vast majority of the moisture is removed. The final water content may be just 3%.

Sorting and grading
The final sorting is done and the tea is graded by size. Grading does not necessarily indicate quality. It communicates the size of the leaf.

Brewing Black tea:

Unlike green teas, which turn bitter when brewed at higher temperatures, black tea should be steeped in freshly boiled water. The more delicate black teas, should be steeped for 3 to 4 minutes. The same holds for broken leaf teas, which have more surface area and need less brewing time than whole leaves. Whole leaf black teas, and black teas that will be served with milk or lemon, should be steeped 4 to 5 minutes. Longer steeping times make the tea bitter. When the tea has brewed long enough to suit the tastes of the drinker, it should be strained before serving.

Health Benefits of Black Tea:

Black tea can help manage - or even prevent - diabetes.

Black tea protects your heart health

Black tea is used for improving mental alertness as well as learning, memory and information processing skills.

It is also used for treating headache and low blood pressure; preventing heart disease, including “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis) and heart attack; preventing Parkinson's disease; and reducing the risk of stomach and colon cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer.

It is also used for type 2 diabetes, stomach disorders, vomiting, diarrhea, and as a diuretic to increase urine flow. 

Some people use black tea for preventing tooth decay and kidney stones. In combination with various other products, black tea is used forweight loss.

Read More

White Tea

White Tea became popular during the Ming's Dynasty in China.White Tea is produced mainly in the Fujian province of China and only consists of the most tender leaf buds from immature tea leaves that are picked shortly before the buds have fully opened, that are covered in silvery, down-covered hairs.These leaves can only be picked during 3 days of every year in early spring.

White tea is the least processed tea with a very delicate flavor and has the highest antioxidant levels.It is considered as the supreme Drink of Health.The leaf buds are not rolled and very slightly oxidized.

White tea has a very mild flavor with natural sweetness, velvet-like in smoothness with little of the grassy undertones similar to that of green tea.

                                       Pic Courtesy:IslandTeaShop

                           

Health Benefits of White Tea:

White tea protects against cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

It reduces blood sugar and help prevent and alleviate the symptoms of diabetes. It reduces stress and increases energy.

It eases the symptoms of illness and promotes recovery.

White tea strengthens the circulatory and immune systems.

White tea contains small amounts of fluoride and other nutrients which keeps the teeth strong and healthy

By thinning the blood, lowering blood pressure, and reducing cholesterol, white tea protects the heart and the entire circulatory system.

Researchers have also discovered that people who drink 2 or more cups of tea a day are almost 50% less likely to die after suffering a heart attack. White tea is truly a remarkable heart tonic.

How to Brew White Tea:

Like green tea, white tea is best brewed with pure water that is very hot, but not boiling. For stronger flavor, steep for a few minutes longer.Recommended time is 5 to 8 minutes for the first steeping is generally recommended, with another 2 to 3 minutes for each additional cup. Use 2 teaspoons of loose-leaf tea per cup.If the water is too hot, the tea will be scalded, causing it to become bitter and astringent.

White Tea vs Green Tea vs Black Tea:

In terms of medicinal and health properties, white tea is the best followed by green, Oolong and the least rated is black tea.

Black tea’s popularity is based on its wide acceptance and consumption in Europe, America and Africa, while green tea’s popularity stems from its medicinal and health benefits. green tea has twice the amount of antioxidants compared to black tea per serving.

The catechin content in green tea is three times higher than in black tea. This makes green tea superior to black tea in health and medicinal properties.

Since white tea is less processed, it retains a higher amount of antioxidants, compared to green.

Green tea contains around 20g of caffeine, compared to white that has around 15g. In comparison, black tea contains around 45mg.

Considering white tea contains more antioxidants and less caffeine, white tea would be an even healthier choice.

Read More

All about Tea

Tea is the second most consumed beverage behind water.Teas are classified based on their Flavor , growing conditions,color and the Methods of Processing.all types of tea begin with a tea leaf from the same plant ,the Camellia Sinensis plant.How the tea leaf is processed after it is picked determines if it becomes white, green, oolong,or black.There are thousands of different varieties of teas available in the world.Each type of tea has its own characteristics including a different taste and differing health benefits.The styles of tea are produced by altering the shape and chemistry of the leaf, rather unromantically called 'processing' or 'manufacture.'

Even though all teas come from only one species, there are three major varietals:

The China – Small leaves and generally thrives at higher altitudes.
The India (or Assam) – Larger leaves and generally thrives at lower altitudes.
The Hybrid – Kind of in-between the Chinese and Indian.


Tea Processing:

Tea processing is five basic steps; some teas don't utilize all of these steps, while other teas repeat them several times.

Basic processing is Plucking, Withering (allowing the leaves to wilt and soften), Rolling (to shape the leaves and wring out the juices), Oxidizing (see below) and Firing (ie: Drying).

The most crucial part, what defines the categories of tea, is Oxidizing. Oxidation occurs when the enzymes in the tea leaf interact with oxygen, after the cell walls are broken apart. This can happen quickly, through rolling, cutting or crushing, or more slowly through the natural decomposition of the leaf.

"Oxidation" is still referred to by some in the tea industry as "fermentation." This stems from an earlier belief that what was happening to the tea leaves



Sometimes, tea is sold as a blend of some combination of the four main types listed above. Teas can also be flavored with oils or scented withflower petals during the processing stage. They can also be combined with fruits and spices.

The History Of Tea:

The history of tea is fascinating and offers great insight into the history of our world. Since tea was first discovered in China, it has traveled the world conquering the thirsts of virtually every country on the planet.

One legend claims that the discovery of tea occurred in 2737 BC by the Emperor of China. For several hundred years, people drank tea because of its herbal medicinal qualities.

By the time of the Western Zhou Dynasty, tea was used as a religious offering. During the Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD), tea plants were quite limited and only royalty and the rich drank tea not only for their health but also for the taste.

As more tea plants were discovered during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907), tea drinking became more common among lower classes and the Chinese government supported planting of tea plants and even the building of tea shops so everyone could enjoy tea.

Also during the Tang Dynasty, tea spread to Japan by Japanese priests studying in China.

Tea finally arrived in England during the 17th century when King Charles II married a Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza. The Queen made tea the drink of royalty and soon tea became a popular import to Britain via the East India Company.

In attempts to turn profits during the tea smuggling period, the East India Company began exporting the tea to America. The American tea was also taxed heavily and contributed to the cause of the Boston Tea Party.

The Perfect Tea Brewing :

A great cup of tea starts with high quality tea leaves. Make sure your leaves come from a quality tea garden and aren't dust (leftovers after tea has been processed).
Heat water to the temperature recommended for your tea using a convenient hot water heater or a stovetop kettle.

Once water is heated, steep your tea for the recommended time (it varies by tea) in a teapot Add rock sugar or honey if you prefer and then pour tea into your favorite tea cup. Enjoy!

My personal favorite is green tea, with black tea coming up as a very close second, but I cannot say I have had much oolong tea or white tea to compare sufficiently.

Read More