Tea 101
Types of Tea
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” — Lao Tzu
If you’re here, it means you’re ready to start your journey through the wonderful world of tea. Good thing you have us to guide you all the way. We’ve got the 411 on tea history, flavor profiles, preparation tips, and much more.
For a quick, handy reference,
Black Tea
Ah, Black Tea—we just can’t get enough of it. But we aren’t alone in our appreciation. Black Tea is the most commonly consumed tea variety in the world. Known as Red Tea in China, Black Tea comes from Camellia Sinensis tea leaves, the same leaves used for Green Tea. The difference? To make Black Tea, these green leaves are crushed and then exposed to air. This process is known as oxidization and it’s what changes the color from green to a deep coppery red.
Consumed hot, or made into a refreshing iced tea, Black teas offer a world of flavor just waiting to be explored.
Herbal Tea
Here’s the thing about herbal tea…unlike true teas, herbal teas are not made with the leaves of the Camellia sinensis, meaning they’re not really tea at all.
Essentially, herbal tea is a caffeine-free infusion of herbs like mint, rosemary, sage, rooibos, chamomile, lavender, and other aromatics, along with fruits, spices, seeds, roots, and rare botanicals, that are added to hot water to enhance its flavor.
Green Tea
Though all green tea comes from Camellia sinensis, there are countless types of green tea from all over the globe, including China, Japan, Sri Lanka, India, Taiwan, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Hawaii and South Carolina. Green tea, however, is considered to have originated in China, where the word “tea” refers almost exclusively to green tea.
When it comes to processing, the tea leaves are harvested then quickly pan-fired or steamed, and dried, to prevent too high a level of oxidation, which turns green leaves brown and can effect its highly desirable, freshly picked flavor. When pan-fried, green tea expresses grassy and toasted notes. When steamed, it coaxes from the leaves a vegetal, sweet and seaweed-like flavor profile. If brewed correctly, green tea is mildly astringent and very light in color.
Brew some of ours today, and enjoy all the delicious advantages green tea has to offer.