Chinese black tea - what are the varieties and names of different types

Black Tea

& laquo; Black tea & raquo; - this is a general concept for different countries, but a single global classification of varieties still does not exist. In China, the following species are distinguished: white, green, yellow, turquoise (oolong), red, heicha, pu'er. However, Europeans' view of the "tea question" slightly different.

Let's try to understand this confusing story together.

Overview

For a real Chinese black tea & ndash; these are a number of drinks called "hei-cha."

But for the rest of the world, the main determining factors in this matter will be the chestnut color of the tea leaf and the finished infusion.

Concepts & laquo; black tea & raquo; in the Middle Kingdom did not exist at all until they began to trade with the inhabitants of Europe - all dark drinks belonged to hei-cha or to red varieties, but the Europeans, seeing the color of the cups, came up with their name, which quickly became fixed.

However, initially for the inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom historically to & laquo; black & raquo; included only a separate category of hei-cha, as well as part of the pressed varieties of pu-era.

Gradually, with the development of tea production, European standards begin to penetrate the world market, puers are separated into a separate category, they are divided into shen and shu, and only heavily fermented ones are classified as dark.

 

Black Chinese tea & ndash; what it is: China's story

The history of black tea in China is closely related to the origin of post-fermented drinks, that is, those in which the fermentation process has reached 70-90%.

These stories have ancient roots dating back tens of centuries to several thousand years.

Hei-cha was first mentioned in the Tang era.

In ancient times, when a tea leaf was taken along the silk road for sale, it often could not withstand a long trip.

The constant influence of humidity and heat during the journey negatively affected storage and taste. It was starting to go bad.

Once merchants, in order not to throw out the goods, gave it to the residents of the local village, who dried the bowls over pine wood.

This is how, as a result of attempts to save tea raw materials, a new variety was born & ndash; hei cha, with a distinctive woody aroma. Outwardly, it may resemble shu-puer, but the production technology is completely different.

China Manufacturing Considerations

Black Chinese tea scattered on the table Stages of the technological process for making red tea in the Middle Kingdom, India and Sri Lanka are the same.

Mature, thick, large tea leaves are collected for manufacture, sometimes with cuttings. They are the ones that withstand long-term oxidation.

The leaves are collected, withered, twisted, fermented and dried for some time in a special oven at high temperatures.

But in production technology & laquo; hei cha & raquo; longer fermentation included in China & ndash; the process of languishing or smoking smoke.

In some cases, open fire is also used for drying. Very often, the tea leaf undergoes a grinding process for 6-12 hours, drying is carried out in large containers at a temperature of about 200 & deg; C, sometimes using pine wood.

Compliance with all these technological features requires special attention, control and experience - a lot depends on the personnel involved in the process, their attentiveness and level of professional skill.

As a result, we get absolutely black tea in color, which has its own individual characteristics.

Black Chinese tea and wooden tea spoon

So, native black Chinese teas have a second name & ndash; post-fermented, that is, those in which fermentation reaches 70 to 90%.

Over the years, the technological process has been improved, made changes, experimented with and received several hundred types of drink, each of which has bright distinctive features in flavor, taste, and aftertaste.

The main production facilities are in Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan and Guangxi. In each province, the method of manufacture has its own differences, as a result of which the range of drinks unique in their individual characteristics continues to increase.

Chinese teas can be divided into two directions: red and black. The former differ in the stages of production, the degree of fermentation and the presence of typical raw materials, which gives an unforgettable honey dried fruit aftertaste.

The latter are based on coarser, tougher raw materials, which have more woody, sometimes nutty-earthy tones of taste.

They are more comparable to puers in terms of flavor and aroma depth.

The online store & laquo; Russian Tea Company & raquo; allows the customer to get acquainted with different teas: from an inexpensive segment to elite varieties, from simple to complex, the taste of which is understood and accepted not from the first sip, but only after a long tea.

For & laquo; amateurs & raquo; and & laquo; researchers & raquo; thin taste notes, we recommend purchasing red + black pairs to form your individual opinion. For example:

Methods of brewing black Chinese tea

There are two main ways to brew: Chinese and European, depending on the quality of the sheet and the number of brews.

First & ndash; preparation by spill method. On average, depending on the species, 2 to 4-5 infusions are possible.

First of all, do not forget to warm up the kettle for 15-20 seconds for brewing with hot water. This is very important for a tea leaf when it is poured into a heated container.

Heat envelops the cups, they soften and reveal their full & laquo; potential & raquo;.

For black tea, it is advisable to use individual pottery.

There are species with a very unusual aroma and taste. They are so rich and sharp enough that your clay brew can absorb the smell and keep it inside for a long time.

When brewing in the Chinese way, do not fill the kettle with a large amount of brew, you can get an oversaturated taste of the drink.

Take 3-5 grams of base per 200 ml of water. The water should be hot, but not boiling. The first brew lasts no more than 20-30 seconds, and the time of each subsequent one increases by 15-20.

Second way & ndash; classic European. It is more suitable for dark teas.

With this method of preparation, you can take a glass, ceramic or clay teapot. We also recommend that you warm up the dishes and prepare them for use.

Add 5-7 grams of tea per 350 ml of water. Brewing time 5 minutes. Water temperature 90 & deg; C.

You can refill the kettle with hot water to continue drinking until the tea leaf has cooled. The second brew may be a little weaker, calmer in taste, but it remains just as individual and attractive.

Pig-iron Teapot

How to store

Unlike green teas, which are recommended to be stored in the refrigerator to maintain freshness, there is no such requirement for black Chinese teas.

Storage & ndash; an important stage. The sheet does not like direct sunlight and sudden temperature changes.

It should not be held in bags, open containers, or cartons.

Tin glass, porcelain, ceramic jars with a tightly closed lid are suitable for storage.

However, if you have bought tea in a cardboard box, you can also transfer it to a Zip-Lock package and continue to store it in a dark place. Such storage is permissible and the drink does not lose its taste.

Useful properties

Black tea has a beneficial effect on the condition of the gastrointestinal tract, as it has the ability to alkalize the environment, contributes to the treatment of ulcers and gastritis. This variety & ndash; leader in zinc, selenium and fluorine content. Regular tea drinking improves hair, nails and skin.

In the & nbsp; Russian Tea Company assortment, you can find an individual solution for yourself:

  • Лапсанг Сушонг – bright representative. Coarse leaf has a flat twist. The brew does not have a strong rich infusion, but when brewed, you get a drink with a bright smoked aroma and taste. A characteristic feature of Lapsang Sushong tea & ndash; this is that in its production, smoking drying is used over pine wood. This gives a resinous tint.
  • Tuo Cha Black Tea & ndash; one of the compressed options in the assortment of the Russian Tea Company. All drinks of this type are simple and inexpensive, with their own individual character. When brewing, it has a woody-ororous smell and taste, with a slight shade of dried fruit aroma. Tea drinking may surprise you with a sweet, woody finish
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