About tea of its types and varieties: what are the varieties - their properties and characteristics

There are so many varieties of tea that you can get confused when choosing. Therefore, we will help you understand the varieties, types of tea and find out what tastes are. Let's talk about the features of tea from different countries.

Classification of tea by shrub growth characteristics

Connoisseurs know that tea infusion is very healthy, it invigorates in the morning, helps fight excess weight, soothes in stressful situations, and some varieties of the product are used in beauty salons for rejuvenation.

It is allowed to use several mugs a day for both children and adults. In the summer heat, it helps to relieve overheating of the body, and in the winter & ndash; warms.

Classic tea is divided into three main branches:

• The first came to us from China. It includes varieties grown in Georgia, Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan. These manufacturers account for more than 25% of total production.
• The second is Indian and Ceylon tea. The most popular in Russia.
• The third is a hybrid of the first two directions called Cambodian and grown in Indochina.

Differences in tea processing

The three types of tea varieties (which were listed above) are harvested and processed by different methods. The manual collection method is most appreciated, in which the highest quality raw materials come out. But there are also machine methods.

Major taste differences occur during the fermentation process. The mass of the product can twist, dry, grind and even in some cases smoke.

As a result, the same raw material can produce completely different types of tea with dissimilar tastes and properties.

So, there are six main types of products entering the world market, such as:

• Black tea. The most popular in our country and obtained at maximum fermentation.
• Green tea. In the south of Russia, in the Caucasus, in Central Asia, it is especially popular. Does not undergo primary processing. Helps you survive the heat very well.
• Yellow tea. In our country, it is underestimated. Came to us from China (Fujian province). It tastes and is very similar to green.
• White tea. It's a gourmet drink. It is present on the world market in a small volume. Processed by drying and curing.
• Puer. Its feature is a specific fermentation method. Most often comes to the shelves in the form of pressed briquettes.
• Oolong (aka Oolong). Only part of the leaf (edges and outer surface) undergoes primary fermentation. Therefore, he occupied a niche between green and black.

 

Tea types: list and properties by country of origin

Different countries have their own traditions for growing, collecting and processing tea leaves.

China

& laquo; Celestial & raquo; is the leader in terms of product sales in the global market. For thousands of culture, the Chinese have perfected the production of their goods.

Six species are famous:

• & laquo; Hei cha & raquo; & ndash; black.
• & laquo; Lü cha & raquo; & ndash; green.
• & laquo; Hong cha & raquo; & ndash; red.
• & laquo; Huang cha & raquo; & ndash; yellow.
• & laquo; Oolong & raquo; & ndash; soft blue.
• & laquo; Bai cha & raquo; & ndash; white. Is the most expensive.

India

The first seedlings were brought from China at the end of the 19th century. Indians have established plantations in four regions of the country.

Varieties and names of the tea variety by the name of the area where the future drink is grown and produced:

• & laquo; Darjeeling & raquo; is the most expensive and elite, possessing an aroma with barely perceptible fruit notes and a golden copper color.
  The classic is Assam, grown in the southern province of the country. When brewed, it has a rich burgundy tint.
• & laquo; Nilgiri & raquo; has a pungent smell and taste, so connoisseurs add it in small quantities to other brands.
• & laquo; Sikkim & raquo; grown in the youngest tea region in the Himalayas. The growing and processing technology is very similar to the first grade.

Taiwan

Wild tea trees were discovered more than 300 years ago, but they began to cultivate and produce tea in this country a little over 200 years ago.

At this time, bushes from the Chinese province of Fujian were imported. The climatic conditions and topography of the country are ideal for growing a plant.

The most prominent varieties & ndash; these are the Taiwanese Oolong and Baozhong.

Sri Lanka

This small country supplies more than 10% of the global market.

The tea leaf is famous for its unusual aromas (there are notes of caramel, honey) and color scheme (from black to silver).

Indonesia

Main cultivation and production takes place on two islands & ndash; Java and Sumatra.

Camellia seedlings have only taken root there because volcanic soil and high humidity support year-round shrub vegetation.

In flat terrain, hot tropical climatic conditions are not suitable for plant adaptation.

Indonesians export their products in large quantities & ndash; more than 160 thousand tons per year. Most often it goes to the shelves of such states as: Holland, United States, Australia, England. Black teas are sent abroad, and they leave green teas for their own use.

Japan

Mostly green varieties such as matcha, sencha and gyokuro are produced.

Kenya

Products from a hot African country are rarely found in our stores. & nbsp; Most often, blends collected in different countries are sold under the Kenyan brand.

Pure Kenyan has a transparent dark amber color of the infusion. And to taste it & ndash; very tart and bitter. Therefore, Europeans prefer to drink milk, lemon, sugar or cream.

Classification by sheet type

Depending on the collection, storage, processing method of the product, we will consider what types of tea exist:

• Whole leaf tea. On the packaging you will find various markings that give an idea of ​ ​ what material the product is made of. The letter & laquo; T & raquo; shows that the non-decayed buds of the bush have been collected and dried. Name & laquo; Pekoy & raquo; suggests that young leaves with villi on them were used. Sign & laquo; O & raquo; notifies us that the twigs were processed by twisting. & laquo; OP & raquo; indicates that kidneys have been added to the base stock.
• Low quality. When the product is made from broken leaves, as well as there is added garbage left over from the production process.
• Packaged tea. The lowest, as it consists mainly of dust and waste. (There are exceptions, such as Tea Berry
• Granulated is obtained by breaking the leaves and twisting them into balls. It is more popular among the Indian population.
• Pressed tea is made from young twigs of shrubs and old leaves. Its advantage is that it is stored for a long time. The brew is rich with tobacco notes.

Names by processing type

A certain class is assigned depending on how the enzyme oxidation process takes place (in which container the leaves will dry, what temperature regime is maintained in the room, and how long this process will take), so the tea will be called at the exit:

• Fermented tea: only black and red species are included.
• Raw tea: This is green and white oolong.
• Semi-fermented tea: Longjing, Te Guan Yin.
• Puer is manufactured by artificial aging.

Classification by additive

The main ingredients added to tea are:

• Flavors such as milk powder, chocolate, cream.
• Fruit: pieces of dried strawberries, cherries, lemons.
• Flowers and herbs: bergamot, Sudanese rose, jasmine, iris.

All tea varieties by degree of fermentation

The oxidation process involves drying, storing and processing the ingredients under certain conditions, and takes from 40 minutes to 3 hours. In the aggregate of all the operations performed, the output is different.

White

It is an elite species that does not undergo fermentation, so storage and transportation are difficult.

Non-decayed kidneys are collected strictly at certain times (spring and autumn), then dried without chemical treatment.

The drink is brewed with boiled water cooled to 80 & deg;.

White tea is very healthy, as it is rich in amino acids, pectins, and various vitamins.

Yellow

It is produced only in China in one of the provinces. It practically does not go through the oxidation stage. Young, immature kidneys are harvested by hand, placed in paper containers and left there for two days.

Green

Each country ferments leaves in its own ways. Therefore, the taste comes in different shades, but the healing properties remain the same.

Green tea is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, amino acids.

India, China and Japan produce fifty varieties that are exported worldwide.

Red

Young shoots undergo intermediate fermentation, so you get something in between that looks like black and green.

It is labor-intensive to manufacture, since 60% oxidation is technologically required.

Due to its rich biochemical composition, it is appreciated by doctors and is used in pharmaceutical production.

The red drink cleans blood vessels, normalizes pressure, calms the nervous system and strengthens the immune system.

Black

The leaves of the shrub undergo complete fermentation, which affects their color, they become dark brown.

After oxidation, the ingredients are withered and dried.

Turquoise (Oolong)

The most time-consuming method of processing, as leaf aging occurs naturally under the hot sun, where oxygen and bacteria lead to the start of fermentation.

After one hour, the raw material layers are laid on top of each other in the shaded part of the plantation and mixed periodically.

When the process comes to an end, the leaves are dried in ovens at a temperature of 300 degrees. This produces a unique raw material, where the leaves are twisted into a flower, and when brewed, they fully open. This is how you can identify the oolong.

Useful properties

Tea includes 300 biochemical compounds, the most useful of which are vitamins C, E, D, nicotinic acid, iodine, proteins, fats, thein, phenol, lipid sugars.

All these trace elements have a beneficial effect on the human body:

• Output radio elements such as strontium.
• Normalize the pressure.
• Strengthen vessel walls.
• Have diuretic properties.
• Improve dental health by preventing tooth decay.
• Rejuvenate, stop cell aging.
• Tannin eliminates the symptoms of stomatitis, sore throat, enteritis and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Application

Tea is widely used in various fields of pharmacy, medicine, cooking and food industry.

Consider a few recipes for home use:

• If a person is poisoned by alcohol, drugs or drugs, then a strong brew with the addition of milk will help him.
• With a strong cough, it is useful to drink with black pepper, lemon and honey to remove phlegm.

List of tea varieties, their properties and characteristics by processing type:

• The most familiar for Russians & ndash; black with a high degree of fermentation.
• The second most used in the world is green. Withering and drying of raw materials occurs without pretreatment.
• Red & ndash; oxidation is carried out partially. As a result, the taste becomes medium, between the first and second options.
• Yellow. A classic drink, only the material for the manufacture is a green kidney.
• White. Original ingredient & ndash; non-loose leaves, which are treated by drying, removing moisture.

 

Classification of ground product

Non-commercial raw materials or broken leaves are used for its production.

Low quality products include:

• packaged, where technological residues are poured into the paper;
• granulated, which after the oxidation process are placed in a twisting unit;
• brick, where low grade raw materials are pressed into briquettes;
• powder (tile) & ndash; they are obtained by grinding the ingredients, resulting in an instant drink.

Black varieties

These species differ from each other only in raw materials:

• Chinese;
• Cambodian;
• Assamese.

Many manufacturers in factories create their bouquets by experimenting with the composition.

PU

Conventionally, this is the same black variety. Although there is still no consensus on this matter. A special feature of its production is a special post-fermentation method and a processing method.

Types of green tea

It is distinguished by the country of manufacture, drying and withering methods, the form of delivery by stores (sheet, powder, tile).

All these products are united by the rejection of fermentation.

There is only drying in the fresh air and drying in the oven or on an open fire.

What is oolong

Oolongs (the second name of Oolong) are divided into two main types:

• Poorly fermented. The most famous of them is & ndash; Te Guan Yin.
• Highly fermented. For example, Da Hong Pao.

In our article, we described in detail what types of tea there are, what varieties there are, and illustrated everything with examples of photos with names.