on being worldy What better way to take a trip around the world than to sip a cup of black tea? You may think all black teas are the same, but where it’s grown, when it’s picked and who is processing it greatly changes the aroma and flavor of those powerful little leaves. Climate, altitude, and soil can all create different flavor profiles in your tea. Many popular black teas come from India, China, Sri Lanka, and Africa. One sip of a high-mountain grown Chinese black tea and you can taste that crisp mountain air. A cup of Darjeeling will conjure up misty plantations with its signature muscatel flavor. on being fully oxidized Black teas are considered fully oxidized which give them a bold, full bodied taste. If you’re looking for a morning tea to get you going, this is a great place to start. Whether a breakfast blend or single-estate Assam, black teas have enough strength and body to get you through the toughest morning. It takes a series of steps to create the finished black tea in your cup. After the tea is plucked, it is allowed to wither. Withering removes moisture from the leaves to get them ready for further processing. The withering can be done outside in the sun or in a temperature controlled environment. After withering, the leaves are rolled into a particular shape. The rolling helps to bruise the leaves, which breaks down the cell walls to start the oxidation process. Rolling can be completed manually or by machine. Now that the leaves are rolled, the oxidation process can really get going. Oxidation is a chemical process, and the easiest way to imagine it is to think of an apple. You’ve probably seen what happens to a sliced apple if it’s left alone exposed to the air. The flesh begins to turn brown and it even changes in flavor. This is the same process the bruised tea leaves are put through. The leaves are spread out and allowed to oxidize for several hours in a humid environment. This step is key to creating a bold, brisk flavor and the bright reddish color you get in the cup. Black teas are considered 100% oxidized. on being sorted and sold Once the oxidation step is complete, the leaves are fired to completely halt the chemical reaction. They are then dried through a baking process. Once the processing is complete, the leaves are sorted for quality and grading purposes. Tea leaves are graded differently depending on the country of origin. The best way to learn about different varieties of loose-leaf black tea is to taste them all! After experiencing black teas from all around the world, you’ll being to notice how the location, climate, and processing all work together to create a delicious cuppa.
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