The main tea types include: Black tea, Oolong tea, Green tea, White tea.
Black Tea: Black tea is made from leaves that have been fully oxidized, the leaf is spread out and left to wilt naturally, before being fired, producing a hearty deep rich flavour in a colored amber brew. It is the oxidation process, oxygen coming into contact with the enzymes in the tea leaf, that distinguishes black teas from green teas. The oxidation process is also known as fermentation.
Green Tea: Green tea is not oxidized. It is withered, immediately steamed or heated to prevent oxidation and then rolled and dried. It is characterized by a delicate taste, light green color and is very refreshing.
Oolong Tea: (semi-fermented) Oolong tea
is gently rolled after picking and allowed to partially ferment, only until the edges of the leafs start to turn brown. After the tea has developed properly the oxidation is stopped by being fired, a process called 'panning'. Oolong refers to partly oxidized leaves, combining the taste and color qualities of black and green tea. Oolong literally translates as "Black Dragon" and usually served in Chinese Restaurants. Oolong teas are consumed without milk or sugar and are extremely flavorful and highly aromatic.
White Tea: White Tea is the rarest and most delicate of tea. Plucked forty-eight hours or less between the time the first buds become fully mature and the time they open, they are covered with silky white hairs. Unlike black and green teas, white tea isn't rolled or steamed, but simply aired dried in natural sunlight, this preserves more of its antioxidant properties - about three times as many antioxidant polyphenois as the green tea and the least amount of caffeine.
White tea leaves are bigger, lighter and more delicate than that of Black, Oolong and Green Tea, therefore you should use more leaves per cup than with other teas.
Flavored Gourmet Teas: Flavored teas are real teas (Camellia Sinensis), blended with fruit, fruit peel or flavored with the natural oil, essence, spices or herbs, such as Earl Grey Tea
, Berry Twisted
, Chocolate Shake
Chai Teas: Chai tea is basically a black tea brewed with selected spices and milk. Blending different ingredients changes flavors and brewing methods may vary. Chai teas My Masala Chai Tea
or Chocolate Chai Tea,
Herbal Teas or Tisanes: Herbal Tea infusions or tisanes such as Chamomile Tea
or Spearmint Tea
do not contain any real tea leaf. The term "herbal tea" is somewhat of a misnomer, since these products are not really tea at all. Herbal Tea beverages or infusions can be derived from a single ingredient or a blend of flowers, herbs, spices, fruits, berries and other plants. Herbal teas have soothing, uplifting and medicinal qualities.