The 5 Basic Styles Of Tea
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE tea! Here’s a great explanation about the types of tea and where they come from. Great to know!
All tea leaves come from the same basic plant, the Camellia Sinensis plant commonly known as the tea plant. It is native to Asia, but is currently cultivated around the world. It has over 3,000 varieties. The five basic styles of tea are White, Green, Oolong, Black and Pu’erh and the differences between teas arise from processing, growing conditions, and geography. The styles are produced by altering the shape and chemistry of the leaf, rather unromantically called ‘processing’ or ‘manufacture.’
Tea processing is in five basic steps; some teas don’t utilize all of these steps, while other teas repeat them several times.
Plucking: This is when it is picked from the plant and weighted.
Withering: This is a process of allowing the leaves to wilt and soften. This is achieved by spreading the leaves on vast trays or racks, and left to wither in air temperatures of 25-30°…
View original post 1,573 more words
Primitive Reflections 