The World of Tea

 

Welcome to the world of tea! If you have ever wondered where the tea you love comes from or how it was made then you have landed in the right spot.  Below we explain everything you might want to know about tea, including, Basics, Regions, Tea Gardens, Processing Tea, Grading & Naming, and Tea & Caffeine.  If you’re interested in discovering more about a particular type of tea, please visit our Varieties of Tea section to get an in-depth look.

 

 

 

What is loose leaf tea?

When most people think of tea, the first thing that comes to mind is a tea bag.  However, there is so much more to the world of tea than just a tea bag, there is loose leaf tea.  Loose leaf teas are typically whole leaves or at least large pieces of the leaves that are often hand manufactured and known for their superior quality.  Like a wine, loose leaf teas are known for the terroir they are grown in and the method of processing used to create the tea.  

 

Loose leaf teas tend to offer a much fresher, fuller flavor and aroma than a traditional tea bag.  This is because the flavor of tea is derived from chemicals and essential oils that are released when the tea is steeped in water.   When the tea leaves are broken up, like the in a tea bag, those oils can evaporate, leaving a dull and tasteless tea.  Another reason why loose leaf tea tends to offer more flavor than a tea bag is because of the space it is allowed to steep in.   In comparison to a cramped tea bag, loose leaf tea has the space to swell, expand and unfurl while allowing good water circulation around the leaves.  This allows more of the oils and chemicals that produce the flavor and health benefits to be released.

 

 

Basics

All tea stems from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis.  It’s simply a difference in processing that turns the Camellia Sinensis plant into one of the following teas: White, Green, Oolong, Black or Pu ‘erh. When tea leaves are combined with any other botanical, the resulting infusion is called a tea blend rather than a tea.  In addition to tea blends, there are tisanes.  Tisanes actually contain no tea leaves at all; instead, they are an infusion of dried fresh flowers, fruit and herbs.  A popular example of a tisane is Rooibos, mistakenly called red tea, which is valued for its beneficent medicinal effects.

One of the most important factors in determining the quality of tea leaves is environment.  In its natural Asian habitat, tea grows as both a tropical and a subtropical plant at altitudes ranging from sea level to 7,000 feet.  The best tea, however, is said to be grown at altitudes above 5,000 feet, where the harsher conditions make the leaves grow more slowly and thus acquire a deeper complexity and superior flavor.  Generally, though, tea prefers a warm, humid climate with lots of rainfall and long sunny days. 

Tea plants are sensitive to external conditions because of their shallow root systems which grow only about three feet into the soil.  This leaves the plant highly vulnerable to drought, floods and other natural disasters.   For tea plants to prosper, it is therefore necessary to have a good drainage system and suitable acidic soil. 

There are two varietals of Camellia Sinensis from which most tea is made.  The first is Camellia Sinensis Sinensis, which is native to southeast China.  It has small leaves, a strong tolerance to the cold and can grow up to fifteen feet high.  There are ancient tea trees of this variety, however, that are over 100 feet tall in areas such as the Yunnan Province of southern China.  Camellia Sinensis Sinensis are more often found to be shrubs than trees and can produce tea for up to a century before becoming stagnant. 

The second variety is Camellia Sinensis Assamica, a large-leafed plant native to the Assam region of northeast India.  If left alone in the wild, this variety can grow up to forty feet high and, unlike Camellia Sinsensis Sinensis, is extremely sensitive to frost.  Also unlike the Chinese variety, Camellia Sinensis Assamica is viewed as a tree rather than a bush and can only produce tea for about forty years. 

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Tea was first discovered in China over 5000 years ago but has since been discovered as native to both China and India.  After much debate, recent research has determined the place of origin for the Camellia Sinensis plant.  The first tea leaves are thought to have appeared in east and southeast China, particularly in the northern parts of the Myanmar, Yunnan, and Sichuan Provinces. 

Tea Gardens

Tea is meticulously grown and tended to on tea plantations, also known as “tea gardens” in India. Most modern tea is not produced from seeds but rather from the cuttings and cloned leaves of plants which show exceptional vigor, high yield and, most importantly, a reputation for a tasty cup of tea. 

 

On the plantations, cultivated leaves are first grown in a nursery for six to twenty months, depending upon the climate and region. They are then planted along the natural contour of the land, a practice which lessens the risk of soil erosion. Each bush is planted in a twelve or sixteen square-foot plot and then left to grow until it reaches a height of five or six feet. If necessary, tall, shady trees are planted next to the tea bushes to provide protection from the harsh sun.

After being allowed to mature naturally for two years, the tea plants are continually pruned to maintain a height of just over 3 feet. This is done to encourage the plants to grow sideways and fill out the plot, creating a surface of growth known as the “plucking table.”   Plantations are regularly pruned to encourage vigorous growth, remove dead wood, and maintain the even and consistent height of the plucking table.

Plucking the leaves occurs as the bushes “flush” and push out new buds and leaves.   Depending upon regional climate and seasonal changes, plants can either grow continuously throughout the year or go through short periods of dormancy during which the plant doesn’t grow.   In hot steady climates such as Sri Lanka, tea bushes flush regularly. In cooler, seasonal climates like China, Taiwan and Japan, plucking occurs only from early spring to late autumn. 

Plucking the bud and leaves starts early in the morning while the dew is still on the tea plant in order to harvest the youngest, freshest growth. There are three methods of plucking which tea gardens can choose from: fine-plucking, medium-plucking and coarse-plucking. 

Fine plucking takes only the first two new leaves and a single bud. Pickers gently grasp the leaves and bud between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the middle finger, and then snap them off with a quick downward movement. The bud and leaves are tossed into a basket slung over the shoulder, a rhythmic process that continues until the basket is full, or when the pickers have met their daily quotas. For medium-plucking three leaves and a bud will be taken, and coarse-plucking includes all shoots that contain a bud and two to four leaves.

At many tea plantations, it is strongly believed that women are the best at plucking tea leaves. Using their small, delicate fingers, women can quickly snap the leaves and remove the fragile bud and leaves without bruising or ruining the remaining stalk. This will, in turn, allow perfect future growth in the plant. One tea plantation, situated high in the mountains of China, goes to extremes to promote this. Its group of elderly women pickers are so highly prized for their nimble hands and unparalleled expertise that they are flown in daily by helicopter during the plucking season.

In some regions, labor is either too expensive or scarce to hand- pluck tea leaves. As a result, machinery has been invented to replicate the hand motions of skilled workers. These machines use shears to clip tea shoots off in a way similar to that of hedge clippers. Large tractor-like machines, carefully crawling through the rows of bushes while cutting off the top growth, can also be used to mechanically pluck tea leaves. Unfortunately, these machines can never be as discerning as a human hand, so machine-harvested tea will inevitably include stalks, older and coarser leaves and fresh growth. 

Crafting tea is an ancient art form that has been passed down through tea masters for generations. The skill, care, and precision that go into every finely-processed tea are a reflection of a deep respect for tradition and quality tea.   The way the leaves of a tea plant are processed and manipulated after plucking determines which type of tea is created. The definitive stage of the process is oxidation. Each tea type is processed slightly differently; there are hundreds, if not thousands, of variations in processing which produce the loose tea we consume today. What most differentiates one tea type from the next is its level of oxidation. Listed below are the stages of processing which produce our beloved tea.

Stages of Processing:

Withering: During the process of withering, the moisture content of the leaf is reduced. This physically and chemically prepares the leaves for further manipulation, without which the brittle leaves would simply break and crumble during the next stage.

Crushing or Rolling: Crushing, rolling, twisting or pounding the leaves out flat has a crucial role in the production of tea. This technique gives each tea type its signature shape while also breaking down the cell wall structures, thus allowing the enzymes within the cells to begin the oxidation process.

Oxidation (a.k.a. Fermentation): This essential stage of processing is a naturally-occurring chemical reaction in which the enzymes in the tea leaf are exposed to oxygen after the cell wall structures are broken. A familiar example of oxidation is that of a cut apple left out for a few minutes. Everyone knows the apple will start to turn brown. Why? It’s because the oxygen in the air reacts with the enzymes in the apple. This is also the same chemical reaction that occurs when a copper penny turns green over time. For tea leaves, the more they are crushed and rolled, and thus exposed to the air, the more oxidized they will become. It is this stage which most determines the type of tea created. 

Firing:  Proper firing is extremely important in creating loose tea. Firing stops the oxidation process and dries the tea leaves to prohibit any further unwanted processes such as molding. Interestingly, firing can either improve poor tea production or completely ruin perfectly processed tea. For this reason, gauging the correct temperature and timing is absolutely essential. Leaky dryers can cause the leaves to be tainted and have a smoky note. Today, however, few dryers are still heated by wood. Most are gas fueled, which reduces the risk of unwanted smokiness. A few dryers, however, are still dried by woks, producing teas called “pan-fried” or “hand-fried”.

Sorting: The last stage in processing tea leaves is sorting. The leaves can be sorted visually by size and color, or mechanically by size of like tea leaves.

For information regarding how each tea type is processed, please check out the tea links above.

There are two basic methods of processing, orthodox and unorthodox. The orthodox method was the original method for processing tea and includes two variations of the method. The first variation of orthodox processing was created by the Chinese to produce green tea. Over the centuries, this style changed to create white, oolong and lastly black tea. The second variation of orthodox processing developed in the eighteenth century, when the British modified the Chinese method to produce their own black teas in India and later Sri Lanka. Instead of using human labor to mince, shred, and crush the leaf, the British invented machines which replicated hand motions.

The orthodox method seeks to preserve the flavor and integrity of the leaf. Highly qualified tea masters vigilantly monitor and insure the proper application of each stage. Because of the meticulous attention to detail, the orthodox method is much more time-consuming and expensive than the unorthodox method.

Grading & Naming

Grading refers to the type of leaf after it has been processed rather than the quality in the cup. In fact, there is no universal grading system which evaluates quality. Nor is there a universal naming system; each region has its own unique method of grading and naming.   The one exception, however, is Taiwan. 

In Taiwan, where Oolong tea is the most commonly produced tea, growers must follow grading guidelines set by the Taiwan Tea Experiment Station, the official tea institute of Taiwan. Oolong Teas are evaluated on appearance, liquor color, aroma and taste. Each category is weighted. Appearance counts for twenty percent and evaluates the shape and color of the dried leaf. Liquor color counts for another twenty percent and should be clear and bright. The most important factor in grading is aroma and taste, which accounts for sixty percent of the grading. The aroma should be sweet and the taste must be fresh and soothing.   The grading is overseen by an in-house tea master who meticulously reviews and calculates each teas quality and subsequent grading.

The Chinese method of grading uses a system based on “good, better, best” as well as region and leaf style. For the Chinese tea lover, watching the so-called “Agony of the Leaf” can predict the quality of the tea. The “Agony of the Leaf” is the time during which the tea leaf slowly and exquisitely unfurls itself, releasing its unique oils into the warm water. An experienced tea drinker has the ability to tell from the “Agony” whether the leaf has been properly curled, folded, rolled or twisted.   Due to this, the appearance of the leaf is very important to the Chinese system of grading. Usually poetic, names also became indicative of appearance and region.

Countries which use the British method of orthodox processing, such as India, generally use a naming system based on region and estate while using a lettered grading system based on the Orange Pekoe (OP). OP is used for teas that are whole leaves with no tippiness, and despite the name, are not orange flavored. This can be confusing, however, as each estate has slightly different standards, which means teas with similar names may be quite different from estate to estate. As a rule, TGFOP grades denote the largest and fanciest teas.

 

 

Tea & Caffeine

The caffeine in tea is quite unlike the caffeine in coffee and most energy drinks you are probably familiar with. The caffeine in tea is different because of a certain component which helps steadily build and maintain your energy level rather than spiking your energy up and then rapidly crashing. To read more about the effects that the caffeine in tea has on your health please visit our Tea & Your Health section. 

All tea has some caffeine in it, even if just minute amounts. Some tisanes such as Rooibos, however, can be labeled caffeine-free but anything containing tea cannot. Don’t’ let this discourage you. There are two official methods of decaffeination for tea approved by the FDA and both are described as “natural“. One involves the chemical ethyl acetate, the other uses carbon dioxide in the supercritical state. Both solvents are added to tea to dissolve the caffeine and then removed. The tea is then purified and reused. There are two major advantages in using carbon dioxide over ethyl acetate: there is no leftover chemical residue, and there is minimal effect on the flavor and beneficial compounds in the tea leaves.