The Professor's Relatively Succinct Explanation of Teas
There are six general types of teas:
Black Tea: This tea comes in a variety of flavors, but all of them pass through all six steps of processing before being packaged for sale. What really sets these teas apart is that they are allowed to oxidize 100% before firing. This makes these teas the darkest and most highly caffeinated. This is good for those of us that eschew sleep!
Black Tea: This tea comes in a variety of flavors, but all of them pass through all six steps of processing before being packaged for sale. What really sets these teas apart is that they are allowed to oxidize 100% before firing. This makes these teas the darkest and most highly caffeinated. This is good for those of us that eschew sleep!
Green Tea: The leaves of this tea are withered but not rolled. Then they are steamed and pan-fried to stop the oxidization process at about 50%.
Pu-erh Tea: In this case, the leaves are allowed to oxidize to about 50% but are dark and reddish in color. What makes pu-erh really interesting is that after being rolled and dried, the leaves are allowed to ferment and develop flavor. They are then frequently made into bricks. There are two types of pu-erh teas: raw pu-erh, which is rolled and then sun dried, and ripe pu-erh, which has the added step of "rough piling" or composting. Both types of pu-erh improve with age.
Oolong Tea: These tea leaves are withered and rolled and allowed to oxidize for half the time of black teas and then steamed. It should be noted that there are two types of oolong teas: darker oolong, which is 60-70% oxidized, and lighter oolong, which is only 30% oxidized, Both types of oolong improve with multiple steepings.
Yellow Tea: This exquisite and rare tea hails only from China and is processed in a manner similar to green teas. However, the leaves are allowed to turn yellow in color. It is a very delicate tea and should be treated with respect. Even now, we have an exposition leaving for China to bring this lovely tea to you, my friends.
White Tea: The leaves that become white tea are plucked with extreme care. They are then steamed and dried immediately. They are not allowed to oxidize. This gives them a subtle flavor that I find soothing after a day of inventing with Mittens III.
Everything else we steep in hot water is a herbal infusion. A single herb, root, or bush, or a delicious mixture of them, any of which can be quite pleasing to the senses.