Black Tea

Welcome to black tea.

By far the most oxided of teas, black tea generally tastes stronger and gives more of a caffeine kick than its white and green relatives.  It is probably the more familiar tea with most people, due largely in part to the fact that it keeps longer and therefore, is used more widely than other teas.  Black tea can actually retain its flavor for years if packaged properly.  Perhaps you might be surprised to know that you’ve had black tea, as it is the common tea used in many commercial tea bags used for iced tea.  

Black Tea is usually processed in four basic steps.  There is withering, rolling, fermenting and firing or drying.  Due to the firing process, the leaves get their telltale darkness , hence the name “black tea”. 

Where green tea has seemed to get all the star attention of late, black tea is readily becoming accepted as well as a health benefactor.

I typically favor strong drinks.  Please don’t water down my ice tea in the summer or use the recommended stingy scoops for coffee.  While I enjoy the whites in tea drinking, I really love a good cup of black for breakfast and it’s strong caffeine and flavor punch.

I recently purchased a China Breakfast tea from a local tea house here in the city.

Black tea needs to be steeped with boiling water or water that reaches 210º for around 5 minutes.  It requires a hotter water and longer steeping time than its white sister tea.

I truly love the flavor of this tea.  It is as smooth and silky as you can get in a black tea.  I am drinking it each morning and here’s a tip…you can re-steep tea sometimes 2-3 times. 

 I really enjoy this tea.  It’s liquor is dark and crimson colored, common for a black tea.

I’m really having a lot of fun experiencing the flavors of teas.

Three down -1000 more to go.

Happy Tea Tasting!