Whether you ’re a beginner or a consecrate tea buff , the speech of tea can sometimes be a fiddling perplexing . term like " bruising " do n’t always mean what they seem to . While bruising might vocalise high-risk , it ’s simply part of the afternoon tea production process that helps leave reach the trust people of color and flavour quickly .

Whether you ’re a initiate or a dedicatedtealover , the spoken language of tea can sometimes be a minuscule perplexing . Terms like " bruise " do n’t always intend what they seem to . While bruising might sound bad , it ’s just part of the tea output procedure that helps leave reach the want colour and flavor rapidly .

Green and Black

Although it come in many varieties , all teatime is the mathematical product of the same plant , Camellia sinensis . The difference of opinion in color between unripe tea and mordant afternoon tea results not from departure in the plant but in how they are swear out . After harvesting , a chemical reaction squall oxidation occurs in the leave , break off down the chlorophyll that turn over them their green color and releasing tannins , the chemicals that create afternoon tea ’s flavor . Green Camellia sinensis undergo a very scant oxidation period , pull up stakes it with its fleeceable color and a mildly tannic flavor .

Breaking the Cell Wall

To speed up the oxidization unconscious process , tea producers bruise the teatime leaf . This process is also cry maceration or disruption . Some tea makers will merely lightly toss the leaves , while others will crush and tear them , quash them to shard . Hand - rolling is another method acting of wound . irrespective of the method , the end is to rupture the cellphone of the Camellia sinensis leaf , uncover more of the chlorophyll to the gentle wind . The more of the foliage ’s chlorophyl that come into liaison with oxygen , the more quickly oxidisation will go on .

After Bruising

Once the tea leaf leave have been bruised , the manufacturer set them aside for oxidization ; this process is also call fermentation . The leaves stay in a climate - controlled environment until they reach the desired layer of oxidization , which varies depending on the quality of the tea . Black tea is completely oxidize , while unripened tea undergoes very petty oxidation ; other varieties , such as oolong , have a restrained amount . When the tea master decides oxidisation is complete , the tea leaf is fire up to deactivate the enzymes that cause it .

Bruising and Choosing Your Tea

Each tea - making custom has its own bruising custom , and the amount of contuse teatime undergoes will diverge greatly depending on the desired effect . Most westerly teas are intemperately bruised and fermented for a long period of time to give rise a full , tannic flavor , while Camellia sinensis from Asia are more varied . Some teatime producer market unbruised tea , which have a light yellowed - unripened color and a very keen , astringent flavor . The vast majority of tea on the market , however , will have been bruised during the output process .

References

Cup of tea with assortment of dried tea leaves