The term tea refers to the amalgamation of products that come from the cured and treated leaves and leaf buds of the carmellia sinensis plant. It most commonly refers to the hot brew created by steeping said leaves in boiling water. Tea leaves, thus, refer to the leaves used for said infusion or, less commonly, to any leaf in the carmellia sinensis.
Despite the fact there are four main types of teas they are each brewed from the same plant. There are no differences in the base, natural ingredients. It is the picking of the leaves and the way they are processed that makes a tea white, green oolong or black. Once a leaf has been picked it will soon begin to wilt and oxidize if it is not immediately dried. As the wilting process begins the leaves turn darker and their flavor/properties change as its chlorophyll breaks down. It is by heating the leaf that the process of oxidation can be halted.
White tea is produced from leaves that are neither wilted nor oxidized which is why its leaves must be dried immediately before it begins to oxidize. Green tea is made from leaves that have slightly wilted and have mostly not oxidized. Oolong tea comes from wilted leaves that have been bruised and have partially oxidized (anywhere from ten to seventy percent). Black tea comes from leaves that have wilted, have been either heavily bruised or crushed and have fully oxidized.
It is not only the processing, however, that makes the tea but the moment when the leaves themselves were picked. White tea, for example, is composed of very young leaves, and their buds, that are picked very early in the spring. Green tea comes from leaves that are not much older. Oolong and black teas are made from more mature harvested leaves. The levels of concentration in caffeine, the taste, the strength and even the beneficial properties of teas are affected very strongly by when their leaves were harvested.
The brewing of the tea also differs depending on their type. White tea and green tea, for example, which are made from the youngest of tea leaves, are typically brewed in water that is very hot but not boiling and only steeped for two to three minutes during for the first infusion. Any longer than that and the product will be bitter, though there are exceptions with extremely high quality white teas that can develop further aromas and complexities when steeped for up to ten minutes without revealing a bitter aftertaste. Ooolong and black teas, because of their leaves, can be steeped in hotter (even boiling) water for longer. They are more concentrated so the amount of leaves necessary per infusion is also less.
It is generally preferable to use tea leaves as opposed to tea bags when brewing. Making loose leaf tea not only affords the brewer more control over the resulting product's overall taste and concentration but also maximizes the flavor and health properties of the tea as the water will be allowed to encircle it entirely and the leaf will be able to expand.
To learn more about the equipment needed to brew Loose Leaf Tea and how to use it, see out Tea Equipment section
Shop for Loose Tea, Teapots, and Accessories in our Loose Tea Shop
The term tea refers to the amalgamation of products that come from the cured and treated leaves and leaf buds of the carmellia sinensis plant. It most commonly refers to the hot brew created by steeping said leaves in boiling water. Tea leaves, thus, refer to the leaves used for said infusion or, less commonly, to any leaf in the carmellia sinensis.
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