Types of Chinese Tea
There are six basic types of Chinese tea: green, white, yellow, red, oolong and dark tea (puerh, pu'er).
GREEN TEA
Green tea has the highest amount of antioxidants and tannins compared to other teas. The secret lies in the way it is processed: it is typically plucked and dried on the same day. This allows minimal oxidation to take place, and it gets to retain its natural rich green color, vitamin C, minerals, and antioxidants, among others. That is why green tea is the best choice as a cleansing and even slimming drink.
RED TEA (BLACK TEA in the West)
This tea is made from the fresh, new shoots of the tea plant. Then the leaves are prepared through multiple processing methods. It is withered, rolled, and crushed and is allowed to fully oxidize. As a final processing step, the leaves are fired in the oven, which stops further oxidation. It has an exquisite but complex fragrance.
YELLOW TEA
This tea has a characteristic light golden color, mildly sweet taste and aroma, and smooth mouthfeel.
Yellow tea is processed the same as green tea, but with an additional step called sealed yellowing. This process involves encasing and steaming the leaves to increase oxidation and remove the grassy smell and taste.
WHITE TEA
White tea is among the rarest and most expensive as leaves and buds for white tea are harvested only at the dawn of spring, once every year.
Young tea buds used for making white tea are picked, while leaves are still tightly enclosed. The leaves would still have its silvery, downy hair intact. Being the least processed tea of all the teas, it is withered and dried only when about to be used. Since the leaves are not crushed or rolled, white tea has a delicate aroma and flavor.
OOLONG TEA
This tea shares the qualities of 2 other teas: the green and the black. It has the complexity of black tea and the freshness of green tea. Oolong tea leaves processing includes withering and rolling, traditionally by hand. Oxidation and firing result in its characteristic dark color.
Oolong tea’s color and flavor vary due to its different processing levels. Sometimes, there is a method where they use charcoal smoke to give it a deep, earthy taste. Oolong tea’s flavor profile ranges from mild floral to rich and luscious.
DARK TEA
Dark tea is probably the least known tea there is. This type of tea is derived from the post-fermentation of leaves. In standard processing, leaves are dried or fired to reduce moisture level and halt oxidation. That’s where the first process stops, and the second fermentation starts for dark tea production. The second fermentation entails sprinkling the tea leaves with water and piling them to ferment.
The action of natural bacteria on the leaves during the fermentation process influences its color and taste. Unlike the other teas, dark tea’s flavor improves with age. It takes on a deep reddish hue and has a mild yet full-bodied flavor.