Tea leaf comes in many varieties. And, flavored teas, which are some of the most popular teas, are made from every variety of tea that can be released. The most important aspect in obtaining a delicious flavored tea is the quality of the tea base.
Teas are grown with thousands of tea gardens throughout the world, and some are better than others. Simply put, the best tea gardens are those that pay attention to the details that go into growing various types of tea. And, the best tea comes from the best tea gardens.
Models of tea differ primarily in how they're harvested and produced. All tea comes from the Camellia sinensis herb, but the variations in harvesting and processing the tea gives this one plant many different flavors.
Black tea, that's the most commonly consumed tea in the Western world, is fermented tea. The tea leaves are plucked, dried and then fermented to turn them a deep red. (This is why black tea is called red tea in most of Asia. ) Black tea is a very healthy beverage. However , the fermentation process that black tea undergoes changes this anti-oxidant levels in the tea leaves, and reduces some of their health benefits, particularly when you compare them to other green tea varieties.
Green tea is left unfermented. The leaves are withered and dried and then graded and packaged. The following simple processing leaves green tea in a very natural state. The leaves brew up to a green or pale amber colors and have a very natural, sometimes grassy, flavor. Green tea has been revered for its health benefits.
Because green tea undergoes so bit of processing, the tea's anti-oxidants are left in their natural state. These anti-oxidants have been shown to be effective at preventing substantial illnesses like heart disease and cancer and at slowing down the aging process.
White tea is also unfermented, so it has the exact same anti-oxidants and health benefits of green tea. However , white tea is different from green tea because it is harvested so ahead of time. pure leaf iced teas are harvested only in early spring, before the buds have even opened, and while they are nevertheless covered in a fine white hair. This early harvest gives the tea a very light, sweet and delicate tastes. White tea is harvested just once a year, making it the rarest of all teas.
Oolong tea is a semi-fermented toy tea, somewhere between a green and black tea. The fermentation time varies from country to country, but is usually significantly shorter than the fermentation period of black teas. Oolong teas also retain a large percentage of their natural anti-oxidants, producing them a very healthy tea, as well. In particular, oolong tea is thought to be a very effective weight loss supplement.
Each of these teas comes with different processing requirements, but all must come from a carefully tended tea garden.
The first work of the their tea gardener's year begins in February or March, when the tea plants are pruned. The time of pruning, along with the time of the first plucking, varies by climate.
The first harvest begins as the tea plants are ready. The best teas gardens still pluck the leaves by hand, so that they can choose only the leaves that are truly ready for digesting. The leaves are withered first, sometimes in the sun, and sometimes in sheds, depending upon the area. White tea are often withered right in the fields.
Next, the tea must be processed. This process can be very different depending upon the coffee variety. Black teas are fermented at this point, where as green teas are steamed or fired next to prevent fermentation from occurring. Oolong teas are bruised to begin the fermentation process and then fashioned into a ball using a wash rag sack. They are shaken or tumbled regularly during the fermentation process and checked regularly so that they are allowed to ferment just the right amount of time. Once fermentation is complete, the leaves are steamed or fired to stop the fermentation approach.
Steaming or drying the leaves must be handled carefully to produce the right flavor. Next the tea must be complete. This finishing process includes sorting the leaves according to grade and sometimes, firing them or roasting these one final time before they are sent off to be packaged.
For flavored teas, the flavorings are increased at this point. Many tea gardeners make flavored teas only using flavors that they have access to in their area. For example , high of the world's jasmine tea is made in China, where the jasmine blossoms are the largest and most fragrant in the world.
That tea must be properly stored in order to maintain flavor. It is critical that tea leaves be stored in airtight cans so that no moisture is let in.
During the summer, green tea growers may produce a second, third, and sometimes even 4th harvest. Tea gardens in some areas and producing some varieties will continue to harvest tea until frost. Nevertheless it is the first harvest of the year that produces the finest quality green tea. Subsequent harvests will always be a lower grade with tea.
During the summer, the tea gardener will also do battle with weeds and insects. Since the best tea backyards are organic - meaning no herbicides or pesticides are used, keeping the gardens free of weeds and unwanted insects can be very labor intensive.
Autumn is when tea trees go through their heaviest period of growth. During this time, gardeners might amend and aerate the soil and fertilize the trees. By October, the tea trees will need to end up pruned again before the winter comes. Pruning must be carefully timed to ensure that the spring buds will appear at just the proper time.
During winter, tea gardeners must pay attention to their young tea trees, as many may need protection from the chilly. In addition , many tea farmers will prepare new areas for gardening and plant new tea trees in the event the weather permits.
Quality tea gardens are labor intensive and require great skill to maintain. It is only your tea gardeners that have this skill, patience and tenacity that produce the finest teas.