Types of tea
There is a lot of myths surrounding tea nowadays.
For example, the type of tea is determined by which tea bush it came from.
That is false.
The type of tea is determined by the processing method used.
Darjeeling Tea for example is most commonly a Black Tea, but can also be found as a Green, White tea and even an Oolong.
Think of tea as an apple. Bite into it and leave it out.
After 1 minute it is still the same colour, right?
What about 5 minutes, slightly brown?
After 5 hours it is brown.
Same concept applies to tea leaves, the longer you leave it out the more it oxidizes. On contact with oxygen, the enzymes contained in the oils of the leaves trigger chemical reaction called "enzymatic oxidation" or fermentation. This process of chemical change will determine the flavour, intensity, body and colour of tea
Which means that:
Delicate White and Green Teas have not been oxidized
Oolong teas are partially oxidized because they are tightly rolled, which makes the
middle and the outside different in flavor.
Black Teas are fully oxidized.
Pu Er Tea (Post-Fermented): Green tea leaves are pressed into cakes and fermented for 10 to 50 years, which is what Chinese call ‘black tea'.
