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Types of Tea
Black Tea
After plucking the leaves are laid out on long tables that air circulates
through. This is known as the withering process and the tea will lose
about 50% of its moisture content. The leaf is quite soft at this point
and is moved to the rolling process that exposes the sap in the leaf to
the air. The tea is then spread out on tables or conveyor beds and allowed
to go through an oxidation process. This process is referred to as fermentation
and can last about an hour depending on the air temperature and the humidity.
The oxidation process is stopped by the drying process known as firing.
The moisture level of the leaf is reduced to about 3%, but will rise to
about 5% at ambient humidity.
Oolong Tea
Sometimes referred to as semi fermented. Like Black Tea the leaves
are laid out after plucking but they are gently shaken to bruise their
edges and thus exposing the sap to the air. The fermentation process is
not allowed to continue as aggressively as in Black Tea and fewer cells
are exposed to the air. The firing process is used as in black tea to
stop oxidation.
Green Tea
Green tea is never allowed to ferment. After plucking, the tea is laid
out on heated steam tables to stop the enzymes in the tea from fermenting.
Green tea is rolled and then fired just as black tea.
What is Orange Pekoe?
Orange Pekoe, Pekoe, Broken Orange Pekoe (BOP) refers to leaf size and
shape and has nothing to do with quality, price , or aroma although most
consumers believe that it does. Most consumers have been lead to believe
that large leaf teas are better than small leaf teas. This is simply not
true. There are many large leaf teas that make terrible tea and there
are dust grades that make very good tea. Tea should never be judge on
leaf size alone. In fact smaller leaf teas are typically found in tea
bags because the large leaf teas will not run through the fillers of automatic
tea baggers.
Blend Selections
When selecting teas for blends careful consideration must be given to
what the end product will be used for, hot tea, iced tea, flavored, tea
bags, bulk, etc. Other considerations are the bulk density of the leaf,
leaf size, color, tendency to cloud under certain water conditions, and
taste. The teas are then selected that will meet the taste profile and
conditions set forth in a particular blend.
The flavors used in flavored tea are made from natural and or artificial
ingredients. Flavors are selected that enhance or complement the tea and
the tea used for flavored tea is selected to complement the flavor. The
addition of dried fruit or other herbs to tea does not add flavor to the
finished product in fact it will tend to dilute the tea. The addition
of the fruit or herbs to tea is for appearance sake only.
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