Tea comes in various kinds. The flavored teas that are among the most well-known teas are made using every type of tea produced. The most crucial aspect of getting a flavorful and delicious tea is the high quality of the base.
Teas are planted in thousands of tea gardens across the globe, and some are superior to others. In simple terms, the most effective tea gardens are attentive to the small details of cultivating different kinds of tea. The best tea is brewed in the top tea gardens.
The tea varieties differ principally in the method they are made and harvested. The tea is all derived from the Camellia sinensis plant. However, the various forms of processing and gathering the tea plant give it multiple flavors.
Black tea, the most popular beverage worldwide, is fermented. Tea leaves are picked dry, then fermented until they turn a deep red. (This is why black tea is known as red tea throughout Asia.) It is a nutritious drink. But the process of fermentation that black tea undergoes alters the levels of antioxidants in the tea leaves and decreases the benefits they provide to health, especially compared to other tea types.
Green tea is not fermented. The leaves are steamed and dried, then separated and packed. This straightforward process leaves tea in a natural state. The leaves can be brewed to a light or green-amber hue and possess a sincere, sometimes grassy, taste. Green tea is adored for its health advantages.
Because green tea is subject to minimal processing, tea’s antioxidants remain in their natural form. These antioxidants can effectively protect against serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and slow aging.
It is not fermented. Therefore, it can provide the same antioxidants and health benefits as green tea. However, white tea differs from green tea because it is harvested early. The leaves of white tea are gathered at the beginning of spring, long before the buds have opened, and are covered in white hair. This early harvest gives the tea a soft, sweet, and delicate taste. White tea is harvested only annually, making it one of the rarest teas.
It is considered to be semi-fermented that is somewhere in between black and green tea. The fermentation time varies between countries. However, it is considerably shorter than the time for fermentation that black teas have. Oolong teas contain a significant amount of natural antioxidants and are healthful tea. Particularly Oolong tea is believed to be a highly effective fat-loss aid.
Each tea requires different processing methods. However, they all come from well-managed tea gardens.
The initial work of the year for tea gardeners is usually in March or February when tea plants are cut. The timing of pruning and also the timing of the first pruning depends on the climate.
The first harvest starts when the plants for tea are in full bloom. The finest tea gardens harvest the leaves manually so that they can select only those leaves which are suitable to process. The leaves are dried first under sunlight and occasionally in sheds, based on the region. White teas tend to be dry on the field.
The tea then needs to be then processed. This process is dependent on the tea type. The fermentation of black teas occurs in this stage, while green teas are steam-brewed or fired afterward to stop fermentation from taking place. Oolong teas are crushed to initiate the process of fermentation before being shaped into a ball using a cloth sack. They are shaken or tumbled frequently during fermentation and checked regularly to ensure they have the chance to ferment for the correct length of time. When fermentation is finished, the leaves are steamed or fired to end the process.
Drying or steaming the leaves should be done carefully to produce the perfect taste. The tea then needs to be made. The finishing process involves sorting the leaves by grade and occasionally firing or roasting them one last time before packing them.
For teas that are flavored, adding flavorings is done at this moment. Many tea growers make flavor-infused teas using only the flavors they can access within their local area. For example, most jasmine tea is produced in China, where jasmine blossoms are the biggest and most aromatic around the globe.
The tea needs to be stored properly to preserve its flavor. Tea leaves must be kept in airtight containers to ensure that moisture cannot get in.
Green tea farmers may have another, third, or sometimes even a fourth harvest in the summer. In some regions, tea gardens and some varieties can continue harvesting tea until the frost. It is, however, the first tea harvest of the year that yields the highest quality of green tea. The subsequent crops will always be inferior in quality.
In the summer months, tea gardeners will also battle with insects and weeds. Because the most beautiful tea plants are natural, no herbicides, pesticides, or other chemicals are utilized to keep the garden free of pests and weeds can be a very labor-intensive process.
The autumn months are when tea trees are at their peak of growth. Gardeners will amend and aerate the soil and fertilize the tea trees. The tea trees must be pruned in October before winter arrives. Pruning must be done carefully so spring buds will bloom precisely at the right time.
In the winter months tea gardens, tea gardeners should be attentive to their young tea plants because they may require protection from cold. Additionally, some tea farmers create new parks and will plant new tea trees when the weather is favorable.
Tea gardens of high quality are labor-intensive and require many skills to manage. Only tea gardeners with patience, skill, and determination can produce the best teas.