Knowra Black tea Black tea Black tea is tea made from Camellia sinensis leaves that are extensively oxidized before drying. Oxidation darkens the leaves and develops the infusion’s characteristic robust flavors.
Tea processing : The sequence of withering, shaping, oxidation, and drying used to turn tea leaves into finished tea. Black tea is defined by how its leaves are processed, especially extensive oxidation.
Tea in China : The long history of tea cultivation, preparation, and consumption in China. China’s tea traditions shaped early black-tea production and its later spread.
Tea brewing : The extraction of soluble compounds from tea leaves using hot water. Water temperature, steeping time, and leaf quantity shape a black tea’s strength and flavor.
Green tea : Tea made from Camellia sinensis leaves that are heated early to prevent substantial oxidation. It contrasts with black tea’s extensive oxidation and generally lighter infusion.
Caffeine : A naturally occurring stimulant found in tea, coffee, and several other plants. Black tea delivers caffeine, though the amount varies with leaves and brewing.
Tea oxidation : Enzymatic reactions in damaged tea leaves that transform catechins and other compounds during processing. This stage creates many of black tea’s characteristic pigments and flavor compounds.
Lapsang souchong : A Chinese black tea traditionally associated with the Wuyi Mountains and smoke-drying over pinewood. Its distinctive smoking shows how regional processing created recognizable black-tea styles.
English breakfast tea : A robust black-tea blend traditionally served with breakfast, often with milk. Its strong profile is designed to remain noticeable when diluted with milk.
Oolong tea : Tea made from Camellia sinensis leaves that are partially oxidized before drying. Its intermediate oxidation distinguishes it from both green and black tea.
Theaflavin : A class of orange-red polyphenols formed during tea oxidation. Theaflavins contribute to black tea’s color, briskness, and astringency.
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