We drink a remarkable 6 billion cups of tea per day in a world of approximately 8 billion people! Try to locate someone who does not have some sort of personal connection to tea. It’s not an easy task.
Understanding Black Tea
Black tea is the totally oxidised leaf of the Camellia sinensis plant, according to British tradition. When steeped, the oxidised leaf yields a tannic, powerful, and red-coloured cup that stands up to milk and sugar. The British have appreciated black tea leaves for their strong, tannic flavour and invigorating energy since the days of the East India Trading Company.
The Major Differences Between Green, Black & Oolong Tea
Black tea is an organic herbal tea that is distinguished from green tea, white tea, oolong tea, and Puerh Tea by a variety of criteria. Processing technique, cultivar, and provenance, to name a few.
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Green Tea
Unlike black tea, which is created by rolling tea leaves and then allowing them to oxidise to bring out tannins, a dark colour, and the distinctive “black tea leaves” flavour, green tea is not allowed to oxidise. Depending on the intrinsic flavour of the tea leaf, the provenance, and the processing technique utilised, oxidation brings out characteristics in the leaf that range from malt to baked fruit to newly chopped wood.
Tea experts want delicate tastes and strong essential oils to remain in the leaf when preparing green tea. They are purposely sealed in by steaming or scorching the leaves in a hot wok-like pan. Green tea is cultivated and processed in such a way that the fleeting, fresh aromas that make green tea so popular are preserved.
- Oolong Tea
Cultivars and provenance are the primary distinctions between black tea and the desired oolong teas of the East. Oolongs are unique to the regions they come from, as well as the tea plants that have grown there over time.
Is Black Tea Really Known as Red Tea?
To avoid any confusion, did you realise that black tea leaves are actually referred to as red tea? The explanation for this is because, in China, people had been drinking totally oxidised tea leaves known as “red tea” for thousands of years before the British discovered their cherished “black tea.” Because it brews a red cup of tea, the name is appropriate. This type of tea was dubbed “black tea” by the British, and as a result, red tea is today known as “black tea” throughout the Western world. Although black tea has become more popular, the problem with this is that it ignores the people, cultures, and places that gave birth to black tea.
Black Tea Types to be Aware of:
- Assam:
An indigenous, huge leaf species of tea grows at low elevations along the Brahmaputra River in Assam, a province in India’s northeastern portion. This region’s black tea is recognised for being malty, full-bodied, and flavorful. It can be found in chai and morning teas, as well as being sipped straight.
- Ceylon
Ceylon is the former name for Sri Lanka, where tea was cultivated in the late 1800s to replace the declining coffee industry. Ceylon tea is recognised for its full flavour and fruity overtones, as well as its ability to self-drink. It can also be mixed with milk and sugar and served as a breakfast tea. You can easily buy these herbs online in Australia.
- Darjeeling
A little location in the Himalayan Mountains’ foothills, Darjeeling is a lovely place where tea grows slowly at high altitudes. The tea is lightly liquored and served in a golden cup. It’s known as the “champagne of teas,” with flowery and muscatel overtones. It is rarely served with milk but occasionally with honey or sugar.
- Earl Grey
This famous black tea blended Italian bergamot oil with Ceylon black tea leaves and was given to Earl Grey, a British Prime Minister, as a gift from a Chinese tea merchant. It’s the ultimate tale of global trade, as well as a popular morning tea served alone or with milk and sugar.
This is the ultimate tea drinker’s guide to Black tea and its consumption.
