The most popular types of tea. The best tea

Raw materials go through all stages of processing - withering, rolling, fermentation, drying and sorting - to end up with the best grade of black tea. This type is the most difficult to produce, while the production of green tea requires only three phases - rolling, drying and sorting.

Types of tea

There are three types of high-quality black tea - leaf, granulated (the so-called CTC tea) and. The first two are known in the CIS, and the last one is used only in China. There is also powder - bagged - tea. But it does not belong to the elite species.

Packaged and granulated teas, in comparison with the large-leaf type, are distinguished by their strength. They are in no way inferior to him in taste, but during processing they lose most aroma.

High-quality dry black tea has a dark color. Mostly black or brown-black. If the tea leaves have a low tide, this indicates a low quality product. Gray color signals tea spoilage, for example, that the tea leaves are damp.

High-quality black tea has a characteristic mother-of-pearl sheen, called by professionals a spark. And the presence of white villi, called tips, is permissible only in tea with flower additives.

Indian varieties

The best variety of black tea produced in India is called "Darjeeling Tea". Darjeeling gets its name from the province where it is grown. Belongs to the elite varieties. It is not too strong and does not differ in astringency, but its aroma has characteristic floral and almond notes. To buy a real "Darjeeling", you need to take tea from the first or second harvest.

Indian "Assam Tea" is more intense tart taste compared to Darjeeling. But its faint malty flavor doesn't compare to the intoxicating Darjeeling Tea. Assam tea is often sold as a mix under the label "Irish Breakfast", up to 80% of the original raw material.

Tea "Nilgiri Tea" is not considered elite. It has a rough taste and a slightly pronounced aroma. And Sikkim Tea, although of high quality, is not very popular in Russia.

Ceylon varieties

High-quality black tea from Ceylon came to the expanses of the former Soviet Union thanks to manufacturers from England. Prior to this, the CIS had a wide selection of mediocre drinks made in Sri Lanka.

Elite today Ceylon tea produced by companies Ahmad Tea' and 'Twinnings'. The rest of the teas marked "Orange Pekoe" are just a blend of ordinary plantation crops.

Chinese varieties

In China, green tea is preferred. And black, or as they are called at home, red varieties, are more common in the CIS countries.

The most famous Chinese black tea is Lapsang Souchong Tea. Lapsang souchong is fumigated with coniferous smoke during the drying process, which gives it a special aroma.

The Keemun Tea variety is often included in a variety of mixes labeled "English Breakfast". IN pure form Keemun is sold very rarely. It tastes more like Georgian black tea, which radically distinguishes it from Indian varieties.

Black tea, unlike green tea, has more sophisticated technology preparation, consisting of several stages:

Stage 1. Collection and sorting tea leaf. Depending on the place and time of collection, more or less valuable teas. The best are considered collected in April-May. Tea of ​​summer and autumn harvest is coarser, with parts of branches included, used for the production of budget varieties.

Stage 2. Withering. This process allows to reduce leaf turgor for its further twisting. Natural withering is a more painstaking and lengthy process, so it is used to make elite varieties tea. During this process, bitter tannins are partially destroyed, essential oils accumulate and the tea acquires a characteristic taste and aroma.

Stage 3. Twisting. This step is necessary to start the fermentation of tea. The process is automated and takes place in a roller. After 3-4 times twisting, the tea leaf is sorted.

Stage 4. Fermentation. Biochemical changes in the leaf, leading to the appearance of certain properties of the drink: strength, astringency, aroma.

Varieties

In free sale, you can buy a great many varieties of black tea, which are combined into the following types:

• Black long leaf. Consists of large and medium leaves collected from the bush. Poor quality tea may contain foreign fractions (branches, broken leaves). Black elite tea will consist of homogeneous raw materials, have correct color and a minimum of broken leaves.
• Granulated. Pressed and granulated tea with high astringency but no aroma.
• Packaged. Most often, this type is made from lower quality leaves and tea dust. Can be flavored with additional additives.
• Pressed. Sold in the form of briquettes or tablets. Convenient for storage and transportation. Requires a long brewing process.

How to choose a good drink?

A diverse range of varieties of black tea causes certain difficulties in choosing it. What should I pay attention to when buying?

Country of origin. Most best tea grows in the highlands. Therefore, acquiring leaves grown and harvested in the areas of Assam, Indian Darjeeling, Nilgiri, Kazirang, Sri Lanka and the mountainous Japanese Uji, you can make the right choice.

Compound. The properties of tea are directly related to the content of buds (tips), chopped and whole leaves in the leaf mixture. Therefore, tea containing tips will be the most expensive and delicious. What is the best tea that does not contain tips? When choosing a variety, pay attention to its labeling.

"O" - high level; made from whole twisted leaves.

"OP" - young twisted leaves without the addition of tips.

"BP" - low level; cut or broken leaves.

"P" - from a poorly twisted, rough sheet.

"STS" - granular; he has good fortress but not a pronounced aroma.

"D" and "F" - screenings, from which packaged mixtures are prepared.

The price of a variety depends on the country of origin, the method of collection and its composition. Large-leaf, with the addition of tips, tea will cost more than its bagged or granular counterparts. When choosing a drink, you should pay attention to its packaging - ceramic containers will contain good quality tea.

The best varieties

Among the Indian drinks, Assam is considered the best, which gives a terracotta-colored drink with a characteristic malt aroma, and Darjeeling, which has a floral flavor and a delicate, transparent color.

Black Ceylon tea Orange Pekoe gives a rather dark, tart infusion. Chinese teas include Keemun with a slight floral flavor, Lapang Souchong with a unique smoky aroma, and Yunnan with oolongs.

How to brew

This traditional drink served at the end of the meal or as independent dish. The properties of black tea allow us to consider it healing: due to the content of caffeine, it increases efficiency, tones and excites nervous system; has bacterial properties, disinfecting the oral cavity. Due to the contained theophylline, it stimulates the metabolism and lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood.

Let's talk about a drink so beloved in our country. Strong, freshly brewed, fragrant, it invigorates not worse than coffee. Guess what it's about? Of course, about tea. And even if we are far from Chinese, and drinking ceremonies this drink we don't devote so much time, but still... And what is the best tea? You will not find an answer to this question, because each person has his own taste. Someone likes black, someone - green, and someone generally prefers to use herbal.

What are the teas?

There are more than a hundred species worldwide this product. Teas vary in leaf quality, harvest time, enzyme levels, and aging time. There are some species that are very popular in some countries and completely unacceptable in others. In general, people often associate the best tea not even with a variety, but with a certain atmosphere and environment. For example, cooked outdoors in a pot on a fire (fragrant, with smoke) or in a restaurant at a tea ceremony ... Agree, there is a difference.

Therefore, it is somehow more logical to divide it into varieties and talk about which one is the best. strife, and you will see this now. So...

Oolong

Oolong tea is a Chinese variety. It has an average level of enzymes. It has the aroma of fresh green tea, but at the same time with a pronounced floral taste. Depending on the variety, oolong can be brewed seven to fifteen times. And every time you will again enjoy its aroma and taste. When brewed, it has a sweet floral aroma and honey aftertaste, and can range in color from orange-red to emerald green.

There are more than two hundred and fifty varieties of this tea in the world. They are truly beautiful and deserve to be tried at least once. But among them there is one who received the largest number good reviews worldwide. Probably, we can say that he is the best tea from this category. This milk oolong. This special variety was bred in Taiwan and named "golden flower". The technology of its manufacture is rather complicated, but also interesting. A tea bush is pollinated with a sweet solution sugar cane, watered with milk, which is why the leaf, when harvested, already has a sweetish milky aroma.

good green tea

Worldwide green tea the most popular among all varieties. Eat great amount its types and varieties. hallmark is a processing technology that does not subject raw materials to a fermentation process. Green teas are divided according to the varieties of manufacturing technology, place of growth, quality.

He has miraculous powers. Certainly, tea good drink, quenches thirst, relieves fatigue, has a thick and rich aroma, has a wonderful taste. The Chinese are probably the biggest connoisseurs of this drink. And here's what's interesting: their favorite is jasmine green tea. It turns out that the taste of jasmine in the drink is a Chinese invention. This drink is very refreshing and invigorating, gives strength. The aroma of jasmine itself is clean and fresh, it helps to stabilize the energy balance of the body. After its use, there is a feeling of some kind of freshness and lightness, an energy boost is noticeable.

The best tea - Puer

Motherland Pu-erh tea considered the village of the same name in Yunnan province. Several trees that are almost a thousand years old grow in this region. The best varieties are obtained from leaves plucked from trees, and not from bushes. And the older it is, the more refined taste prepared drink.

A feature of this is that fermentation is constantly going on in it. Each year of its aging gives it new taste and color. Some like the taste of young Pu-erh, while others like aged Pu-erh. Brewed, it has a dark red color, persistent rich aroma, long lasting taste. Puer is the best tea for true connoisseurs quality varieties.

How to choose a good tea?

How can an inexperienced novice tea drinker choose good variety? You need to know the characteristic properties of this product, for which it is valued.

The best tea is alpine. Although modern technologies allow you to grow it anywhere, but it is considered the most delicious green variety cultivated in the mountains. After all, it is there that nature created ideal conditions for plants.

In Japan, due to the lack of land, highland varieties are grown very little. The very best is Chinese tea, good and Taiwanese.

The next advantage of such a product is its price. Remember that highland varieties are quite expensive. In the country of origin, the minimum price is two hundred and twenty dollars per kilogram. And rare and unique varieties generally have a colossal price.

The most important feature of any tea is its freshness. If it is stored for a long time, it loses its properties (except for some expensive varieties).

Very good tea should have a uniform color, but if green or whitish leaves come across in it, then this indicates that this is a mixture of different crops. And this is unacceptable.

At all, right tea the one that is sealed with you in the package. Packaged at the factory, it will likely keep for years. Of course, modern packaging will not let it lose all its properties, but it will still not be fresh.

In order to store good tea, it is better to use a porcelain container. After pouring some leaves, tightly close the container with a lid. After all, tea very quickly absorbs foreign odors. And contact with air is harmful to him. In a porcelain box, raw materials can be stored both in the refrigerator and at room conditions.

Instead of an afterword

In general, the best tea is the one you like. This drink is unique in its properties. In addition to being soothing and relaxing, it also has a positive effect on vision. A vitamin such as B2 will protect the skin from peeling and dryness, and strengthens blood vessels, thus supporting the work of cardio-vascular system. Tea lowers cholesterol and helps break down fats. You can list the advantages of this drink for a long time. And therefore, if you have not been fond of tea drinking before, we advise you to reconsider your attitude towards it. Perhaps you just have not yet found your variety that will win you over with its taste and aroma.

Black, green, white - we explain why it's time to switch to tea and which tea is healthier. By the way, they didn’t forget about milk oolong!

Many drinks are now called tea, but real lovers consider only black, green, white, oolong and real pu-erh teas. Derived from Chinese camellia leaves, these teas are rich in special antioxidant flavonoids.

Natalia Vyaznikova

All types of tea are made from the tea bush (in China) or tea tree(India, Ceylon), although it is also produced in other countries - Kenya, Japan, Vietnam, Nepal.

Each type of tea has its own characteristics of the impact on the body. The beneficial properties of tea depend on the growing conditions of the tea bush and the method of processing the tea leaf. Tea leaves are known to contain theine, or tea caffeine. It has a tonic effect on the body, increases blood pressure, but more gently than the caffeine in coffee. This is due to the fact that theine is in the drink in a bound form, unlike coffee caffeine. Therefore, tea acts softer and longer than coffee.

What determines the concentration of tea caffeine in tea? The smaller and “younger” the leaf, the more caffeine it contains. This means that tea with tips - tea buds - is the richest in caffeine, like highland tea (temperature changes affect the caffeine content in tea leaves, and this leaf grows more slowly in the mountains). The more sunlight the more caffeine in the tea. Therefore, in tea northern countries less caffeine.

Green tea

The taste of green tea is milder than that of black - the leaves are dried and processed almost immediately after harvest, and this stops the fermentation process.

What is useful: Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate, a compound that can prevent many diseases, including certain types of cancer and heart disease. Just one cup of green tea a day can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 10%.

Inessa Shkurina

Up to 500 useful substances and compounds have been found in tea, and in the huge palette that exists on the market, you can always find what you like by the degree of fermentation. Of course, green tea is healthier, it contains more useful substances if it is brewed correctly. But for some, this type of tea may not be suitable.

There are very simple requirements for tea. If it is green tea, then the water temperature should be from 60 to 80 degrees; You don’t need to insist for a long time, literally two minutes. Good green teas brew very quickly. Temperature regime- this is a prerequisite: green tea is not brewed with boiling water, because it immediately kills useful material, and burnt leaves can be bitter. Many therefore do not like green tea: they pour a lot, hold for ten minutes, and then say that it is disgusting.

Black tea

Black tea is made from fermented leaves and forms the basis of most flavored teas.

What is useful: black tea protects the lungs from the effects of tobacco smoke, lowers cholesterol levels and, if you drink several cups a day, reduces the risk of stroke.

Inessa Shkurina

Black tea is more fermented, "tolerates" a temperature of 90 degrees. It is important to select good water, and the tea itself is better to buy in specialized stores, after all enough. If you buy bagged tea in supermarkets (people appreciate it, bagged tea is fast), you need to look at the time of collection on the pack, because when tea is transported in bags, it loses its aroma and properties, and if it is packaged on the spot, freshness lasts longer . And it is better, of course, to choose vacuum packaging.

White tea

young leaves white tea processed the least, so its taste is the softest, and beneficial features teas are better preserved.

What is useful: What makes white tea different from other types is that it can improve glucose tolerance and lower cholesterol levels.

Oolong combines the qualities of black and green tea: it is only half-fermented - the edges of the leaves and part of their surface.

What is useful: the enzymes of this tea are capable of dissolving dietary fats, which are stored in fatty tissues, so the use of oolong contributes to the loss excess weight- of course, if in addition to it you drink a sufficient amount of plain water.

Green tea is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Its history is much longer and more colorful than coffee, and its homeland has been reliably established. Today, the production of this product is carried out in many countries of the world, but China still holds the first place in terms of quality, production volume and a special attitude towards tea drinking.

Varieties and producers

In the store you can buy bagged, small-leaf and large-leaf green tea at a variety of prices. If you focus on cost, then in Russia you can buy a really high-quality varietal product in the range from 7 to 800 dollars per 100 grams. Moreover, Chinese elite twisted tea is the most expensive, followed by Japanese, Indonesian, Ceylon.

The largest producers, as well as tea plantations, are concentrated in China, both in the south of the country and in the north. Hundreds of types of tea are produced here, from rare and expensive to simple, affordable, designed for everyday use. Good green tea is always large-leafed, and the stronger it is twisted, the stronger the infusion will be, the more delicate the taste and the healthier the drink itself.

Green differs from black in that it almost does not go through the fermentation stage, that is, it does not oxidize under the influence of external factors and its own enzymes. This allows the sheet to keep everything useful components without change and transformations into other compounds. To prevent fermentation, the collected leaf is slightly dried in vivo, and later subjected to high temperatures. This can be roasting in the oven, after which the leaves are manually twisted and dried completely.

Depending on the twisting option, teas are distinguished:

• strongly twisted along the sheet;
• strongly twisted across the sheet;
• slightly twisted.

If the sheet is twisted along the axis, it takes the form of twigs, sticks, spirals. This option is very popular in Japan, and a prominent representative is the famous Gekuro and most of its varieties.

Plantations in China have existed for thousands of years.

When the leaf is rolled across, it can resemble balls, scales, and is labeled Gunpowder in China and Sencha in Japan. In China, such teas are also called pearl, and if they contain many tips, they are called golden or imperial. The balls can be different sizes and forms, their diversity is very great.

Loose-rolled tea is a product that is naturally dried, so it can look like flattened blades of grass. It either does not curl at all, or is slightly wrinkled. The most popular product is called Long Ching.

Leaflets are twisted not only to increase their presentability. This is a way to keep the beneficial components of the tea inside longer and increase the shelf life. Weakly twisted leaves give a weak infusion, delicate, with a slight floral or citrus aroma. Strongly twisted ones are always more saturated, with a rich multifaceted aroma and taste. The color of green tea can vary from light green with a silvery sheen to dark green.

If at correct brewing the taste of tea is pronounced herbal - this is a low-grade product. A good and expensive product has a whole bunch of aromas from citrus to floral and light herbal, there may be a natural sweetness and honey flavor.

The most famous varieties

In the tea industry, there are many ways to attract people to a product. special attention. This is mainly advertising, beautiful packaging, original slogan. But for many centuries there are those who are in constant demand and love without any popularization.

Xi-Hu Long-Jing - large-leaf green tea from the island of Xihu

Below are the most important varieties of green tea that have received the mark of the best:

• Xi-Hu Long-Jing - Chinese large-leaved from Xihu Lake. Collected and produced since ancient times, today it is divided into 13 varieties, the best of which are considered the first three presented great content unblown buds collected in early spring. This tea has the lightest infusion color, which can be emerald green. The taste is very rich, the aroma is dense floral. It is brewed for about a minute and served in clear glasses to enjoy the subtle tinge of the infusion.
• Taiping Hou Kui is a tea that is harvested from a limited number of plantations and only on a sunny day. There are strict rules for the selection of raw materials. This is a tea bud, which is hugged by two young, freshly blossomed leaves of the same size as the bud. Such a product is called tea with sharp tea leaves.
• Bi-Lo-Chun - goes through the stage of manual twisting, from which the tea leaves take the form of small coiled spirals, which are also called snails. Inside the variety, there is a division into 7 sub-varieties, and the lower the type, the weaker the taste and aroma. When brewed, Bi-Lo-Chun gives a light emerald color of the infusion, fresh fragrance, thick, rich taste. Fruity notes are felt in its taste. It is also customary to serve the drink in transparent glasses. The largest plantation is located in Jiangxi province.
• Yongwu is one of the most expensive Chinese teas. Grown in small plantations located on wet and damp mountain slopes, where they rarely get Sun rays. Goes on domestic market, therefore rare outside the country.
• Gunpowder - tea leaves look like gunpowder balls, refers to pearl teas, is consumed very sparingly, as it has a very dense and rich taste.
• Chan-mi - chief loose tea in China, the second name is "eyebrow", which is derived from the shape of tea leaves. It has classic taste and fragrance mixed with flowers, herbs and citruses.
• Huang Shan Mao Feng is the highest Chinese tea, the tea leaves have a light yellowish color, the taste is sweetish, the aroma is fresh and rich. Tea leaves resemble sparrow tongues.
• Maojian is a large group of teas, the production of which is the upper bud with a leaf. Infusion after brewing acquires amber, delicate taste with a pleasant aftertaste. To get the true Maojiang for 1 cup, you need to take 2 tsp. tea leaves.
• Tien Shan Yin-hao - natural flavored Jasmine tea. The infusion is light and transparent, the taste is classic, and the aroma is rich floral.
• Dong Yuang Dong Bai is a light yellow drink with a bright floral aroma and a multifaceted aftertaste.

Chinese teas are considered the most fragrant and delicate in taste. In this country, a huge number of varieties are produced, different in organoleptic properties and unimaginable in shape. Japanese teas darker in color and less fragrant. The most popular are Sencha, Bancha and Gyokuro. The product from India is considered the lowest grade, although it is in demand due to affordable price. He can give light spicy taste and aroma.

Beneficial features

Green tea is the healthiest due to its content of vitamins, amino acids, essential oils, antioxidants. It is rich in fluorine, iodine, zinc, calcium, potassium, and antimicrobial components. It has a high biological activity, which is expressed in the following effects on the human body:

• strengthens the immune system;
• makes vessels elastic and reduces their permeability;
• heals the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract;
• activates mental and physical performance;
• useful for weight loss;
• has an antitumor effect;
• removes toxins, including salts of heavy metals;
• strengthens the skeletal system.

Green tea retains its beneficial properties only when properly brewed. Boiling water is destructive for them. The water temperature should be from 60 to 80 degrees, and the infusion time lasts from 1 to 3 minutes. If the drink is overexposed, it may become bitter due to high content caffeine. Important Ingredient in brewing is water. It must be necessarily soft, spring, so as not to spoil the taste of the drink.

A cup of green drink promotes weight loss

You need to know when is the best time to drink this tea. This time is from morning to 16-18 pm. Green tea is a highly energizing drink, so evening time Not recommended. Pregnant women and children should not get involved in tea.

The best green tea

If we talk about which green tea is better, then this is a product of an early spring harvest with big amount tips. It is considered the most fragrant, delicate in taste and useful. Such raw materials are always treated with care, excluding the possibility of damage, as it costs ready tea expensive and acquired by people who know a lot about it.

The best green tea is produced in China, and has been doing this for thousands of years. Many works of Chinese sages are devoted to the benefits and beauty of the tea leaf. In Russia, 50% of the product sold on the market is purchased in China, the rest in Sri Lanka, Georgia, Vietnam, Japanese varieties are very rare.

1. Greenfield Flying Dragon is a Chinese leaf from a plantation in Hunan. Gives a light color infusion, light floral aroma with herbal notes. Does not have bitterness and astringency;
2. Princess Java Best - inexpensive Chinese s mild taste, light infusion, good tonic;
3. Ahmad Green Tea - introduced Chinese variety Jang Mi, which has a mild pistachio flavor. Gives a light infusion with a slight astringency.

When buying tea, you need to pay attention to the completeness of the information provided on the package. It is best to opt for loose teas, which are sold through a network of specialty boutiques. Here you can not only see tea leaves, but also taste the desired variety. It is important to check the timing of tea production, the less time has passed since the moment of collection, the more aromatic and healthy the drink will be, because spoil the taste of the tea itself. expensive variety Maybe long term storage under the wrong conditions. Buying such tea is even dangerous.

Homemade green tea

In Russia, black and green tea has long been prepared from a wide variety of plant materials. Fireweed was the most popular, although using a similar technology, tea leaves can be prepared from currant leaves, cherries, raspberries, medicinal herbs. To make myself green leaf tea, necessary:

• during the flowering period, collect fireweed leaves;
• split them into flat surface in a warm room for several hours, so that they wilt and lose some of the juice;
• then they are laid out on a baking sheet and sent to the oven for frying to stop the oxidation process;
• after roasting, the final drying takes place, which can be done with or without twisting the leaves by hand.

Store tea in glass or tin cans in a dark closet room temperature. Can be added to them dried leaves currants, cornflower flowers, oregano and other aromatic natural additives.