Gallery
Black Tea-orthodox
Production:
First the leaf is withered, often overnight. Then the leaf is rolled with great pressure, inducing a thorough bruising and oxidation of the leaf over the next three to four hours or so. The oxidation is most often arrested by drying, in some cases by pan firing.
Leaf Style:
Some of the common orthodox black tea grades:
Whole leaf: Orange Pekoe or flowery Orange Pekoe (OP and FOP grades)
Broken Leaf: Broken Orange Pekoe or Pekoe (BOP grades)
Small Particle broken leaf: Fannings to dust grades (BOPF and Dust Grades)
(note: grade means size of leaf, not quality)
Cup Characteristics:
Pungent , good body (thick), rich, often sweet, some can take milk well (usually India and Sri Lanka teas), China black teas are often more complex and sweeter as they are usually not processed with the use of milk in mind. They can be bright red brown to rich smoky brown in color.
Production Area:
China, India, Sri Lanka
Additional facts:
1tsp. per 8 oz. of water and steep for 3 to 4 minutes
Water should be at 195 degrees
20% caffeine content of coffee
Health Benefits:
The caffeine tea acts as a gentle stimulant to the heart and circulatory system, Helps keep the walls of the blood vessels soft, Prevents heart disease and strokes, Helps with cholesterol by preventing of cholesterol into the blood stream, Assists with blood pressure levels