Chinese Teas Explained
![]() |
8 Types Of Chinese Teas Explained |
You've probably heard the Chinese proverb, "Firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea are the seven necessities to begin the day." Even though tea is at the bottom of the list, we can see how essential tea is to the Chinese.
There are thousands of different kinds of Chinese tea. These are often classified by technique, quality, and preparation methods, among other things. However, when it comes to tea quality, there are eight grades of Chinese tea. Green tea, oolong tea, black tea, red tea, white tea, yellow tea, floral tea, and compressed tea are examples.
Let's go over these courses one by one.
1. Green Tea
Green tea is regarded as the most natural form of Chinese tea. It is normally plucked, naturally dried, and quickly fried to remove the grassy odor. Green tea, unlike the other varieties, was not fermented.
Green tea, according to some experts, has the highest therapeutic benefit and the lowest caffeine level of all Chinese tea classes. The perfume of this Chinese kind ranges from mild to high, while the taste is often light to medium. Green tea now accounts for around 50% of China's tea production.
2. Oolong Tea
This sort of Chinese tea is partly fermented, making it midway between green tea and black tea. It is also known as "Qing Cha" in Chinese, and its usual leaves are green in the center and crimson on the margins as a consequence of the technique used to soften tea leaves.
Oolong tea leaves are wilted and distributed before undergoing a short fermenting procedure. Then it's fried, rolled, and roasted.
3. Black Tea
When brewed, Chinese black tea has a full-bodied amber flavor. In addition, this form of Chinese tea is withered, fermented for a long time, and then roasted. After processing, the leaves of this type are fully oxidized.
4. Red Tea
This sort of Chinese tea contains red leaves and a red tea color, as the name suggests. This hue is further enhanced throughout the fermenting phase. Red tea is also said to have a low scent and medium taste, and it is presently split into three subclasses: Kung Fu Red Tea, Ted Tea Bits, and Small Species Red Tea.
5. White Tea
This variety of Chinese tea is sometimes considered a subclass of green tea. Perhaps it's because it's simply wilted and then cooked. White tea, like green tea, was not fermented. It also has little caffeine.
6. Yellow Tea
Yellow tea seems to have yellow leaves and a yellow tea color. According to some experts, this variety of Chinese tea is a rare form of Chinese tea. Yellow tea has a gentle and pleasant taste.
7. Flower Tea
Flower tea is a unique sort of Chinese tea. It is really divided into two categories: flower tea and scented tea. The Flower Tea is based on the basic idea that dried flowers are utilized to produce tea without much processing. The scented tea, on the other hand, starts with green and red tea and then adds floral scents. In general, this class has a light to medium taste and a medium to strong scent.
8. Compressed Tea
The compressed tea is the last variety of Chinese tea. As the basis for tea in this class, black tea is used. It is steamed and crushed into bricks, cakes, columns, and other forms. Furthermore, compressed tea has all of the qualities of black tea. It may be preserved for years or decades.
Summary:
You've probably heard the Chinese proverb, "Firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea are the seven necessities to begin the day." Even though tea is at the bottom of the list, we can see how essential tea is to the Chinese.
There are thousands of different kinds of Chinese tea. These are often classified by technique, quality, and preparation methods, among other things. However, when it comes to tea quality, there are eight grades of Chinese tea. Green tea, oolong tea, black tea, red tea, white tea, yellow tea, floral tea, and compressed tea are examples.