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What is black tea?

Publish on 09.26.2024 by Gaia Gardens

Black tea is a tea that undergoes complete oxidation. It was the Chinese who first developed the technique for processing black tea. Today, black tea is produced in some fifty countries around the world. It is one of the most widely consumed teas in Europe.

Unlike other types of tea, such as green tea, black tea has a long shelf life. This is because the leaves are better able to retain their fragrances and aromas. On the oxidation scale, black tea is considered to be second only to oolong teas.

Black tea plucking: an important element

This operation determines the quality of the infusion.

At the tip of each branch, a bud forms, covered with a fine white down. This bud evolves, becoming a young shoot, lengthening, then transforming into a leaf. This bud is called a pekoe. The fine tips of this bud (proof of quality) are called "tips".

There are several types of picking:

Imperial" harvesting involves removing only the bud and the first leaf. Today, this type of picking is rare.
Fine" picking involves removing the bud and the first two leaves. This is currently the best picking method used in plantations. Most of the teas we sell come from this type of plucking.
Rough" plucking involves picking 3, 4 or even 5 leaves. These are the most common teas on the market

How is organic black tea processed?

There are two processing methods:

THE ORTHODOX METHOD

This is the most common method.

Withering: in a room at room temperature, the harvest is spread in thin layers on wide, overlapping racks. This operation softens the leaves, causing them to lose 40-70% of their moisture content. A stream of hot air is circulated. This operation, which lasts between 8 and 15 hours, prepares the sheet for rolling without breaking it.
Rolling: the aim is to break up the leaf cells to release the natural essential oils they contain. This facilitates the enzymatic reactions that trigger fermentation. Once done by hand, this phase of processing is now carried out by "rolling machines".
Oxidation: the green leaves are transformed into black tea. This determines the tea's taste, color and subtle aroma. The leaves are laid out in beds on oxidation tables, in a room with a constant temperature (between 18 and 25°C), good ventilation and high humidity (90%). The leaf cells will now oxidize in contact with the air. Oxidation lasts from 1 to 4 hours.
Drying or roasting: stops oxidation and puts an end to the transformations that the tea leaf has undergone since it was harvested. The leaves are dried in a desiccator, a kind of large oven. This sudden stop to oxidation lasts an average of twenty minutes at a temperature of 90°C.
Screening or sorting: sorting involves separating the leaves by size and condition, using sieves. In many gardens, the final sorting is done by hand. This final phase determines the different quality grades. In addition to leaf grades, harvest seasons are often indicated (for Darjeeling teas, for example).

THE CTC METHOD

"Crush, Tear, Curl"

The withered leaves pass between two rollers that rotate in opposite directions. They are then pulverized and disintegrated into tiny particles. This is followed by fermentation and drying.

This method produces small grains that infuse quickly, giving powerful teas with a rich, dark infusion.

This quality of black tea is often used in India to prepare chai (tea with spices and milk).

Darjeeling first flush teas

The first harvests of the year or FF (First Flush) offer very fresh and delicious teas. This annual event is eagerly awaited by tea lovers, as these teas are so lively and complex!

The tea bushes wake up at the end of winter, caught between large temperature swings between day and night. If the winter rains have fallen, the buds have time to gorge themselves with the first rush of sap, rich in essential oils.

Harvesting takes place every four days over a three-week period. The resulting teas have aromas that reflect the quality of their terroirs, and are much sought-after by connoisseurs

But the secret of the great Darjeeling Primeur teas, apart from the weather and the care taken during harvesting, is tempo. The buds are harvested at the right time, sometimes late if the grower deems it necessary. It's not a question of racing, but of choosing the right moment to offer exceptional products.

The different grades of tea

For whole leaf teas, the gradation is as follows:

F.O.P. (Flowery Orange Pekoe) grades, which designate fine plucking + 2 leaves, in ascending order of quality:

O.P. (Orange Pekoe) grade for fine picking, but later, when the bud is unfurled.

P. (Pekoe) grade, for tea without buds.

Souchong grade: tea made from the oldest and therefore least fine leaves.

GFOP (Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): fine plucking containing many golden buds;
TGFOP (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): fine plucking containing only golden buds;
TGFOP 1 (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe One): superior quality TGFOP;
FTGFOP (Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): Very high quality TGFOP;
FTGFOP1 (Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe One): even finer selection of FTGFOP;
SFTGFOP (Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): FTGFOP of exceptional quality;
SFTGFOP 1 (Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe One): even finer picking than SFTGFOP.

For Broken Tea (BT), the gradation is as follows:

BPS (Broken Pekoe Souchong): coarse picking of inferior quality;
BP (Broken Pekoe): lower leaves (2-3rd) without buds;
BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe): fine picking, but broken leaves;
BOP 1 (Broken Orange Pekoe): High-quality BOP;
FBOP (Flowery BOP): even finer picking, but broken leaves;
GBOP (Golden BOP): harvest with many golden buds, but broken;
GFBOP (Golden Flowery BOP): even finer picking, with many golden buds, but broken;
TGBOP (Tippy Golden BOP): picked with only broken golden buds.

Please note that at Les Jardins de Gaïa we only offer whole leaves, with the exception of a few BOPs and TGBOPs.

Must-haves: English Breakfast and Earl Grey

English Breakfast and Earl Grey are two popular black teas, first in England and then in Western countries. These black teas are favorites among tea lovers.

English Breakfast is usually a blend of plain teas, and is often drunk for breakfast for its stimulating taste. Earl Grey is renowned for its bergamot fragrance.

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