BLACK TEA

Black tea is the class of tea that is fully-oxidized. Because of this, black tea is darker in color, stronger in flavor, and has a higher concentration of caffeine when compared to other teas. Preparation methods differ greatly between different producing regions, however they always involve four key steps. To make black tea, leaves are first spread out to wither loosing stiffness and much of their weight. Next, leaves are rolled and spread out, exposing essential oils to oxygen and starting the oxidation process, essential to the final color and flavor of black tea. The tea master determines when to stop the oxidation process by firing the leaves. If the tea is not oxidized enough, it will be green in flavor, while too much oxidation will ruin the tea. Next, some black teas are scented, like our Earl Grey or Passion Fruit teas. For scented black teas, additional flavorings are mixed with the processed leaf as a final step.