Tea Classifications
By Ron Campbell, Owner of Merkaba
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The quality, aroma and taste of the tea depends largely on the soil in which it is grown, the water which helps it grow, and the skill and experience of those who pick and process the tea leaves.

The processing of the tea leaves at each plantation may be quite individual to one another. Yet, there are several key processes which are common to all. The notes below give a brief description of the common classification determined in tea processing. The processes are not necessarily performed in the order shown, and, depending on the variety of tea, the leaves may undergo a particular process more than once. After undergoing the appropriate combination of processes, the tea leaves are sifted into different grades according to size and shape ready for packing and shipping.

Although originally from Asia, tea is now cultivated in many countries around the world. As a result, there are many, many varieties of tea, and the grouping of so many varieties into classes is not always easy. There have been several attempts to formalize tea classifications, the latest having occurred after the Second World War. The amount of processing and fermentation the tea leaves undergo define the classification.

The commonly used classifications in regards to this method are:

* White Tea:
  White tea is made from the youngest buds, picked in Spring, before they are open and still covered in fine white hairs, it is the most natural of all teas. It utilizes the youngest leaves (new growth buds) that have undergone little to no processing and no oxidation; the buds may be shielded from sunlight to prevent formation of chlorophyll. White tea is produced in lesser quantities than most of the other styles, and can be correspondingly more expensive than tea from the same plant processed by other methods. It has more antioxidants and less caffeine than green tea. Its popularity is growing, increasing with the increased research of tea benefits and wider spread commercial usage.
  The quality of white tea is greatly dependent on the season of harvesting and the weather conditions when the tea is made.. The best white tea is picked in early spring and is subject to numerous requirements. First of all, picking top-grade white tea is prohibited on rainy days or when the early morning dew is not dry. It should never be picked when the buds appear purple; when they are damaged by wind, people, or insects; when they have begun to open; when they are hollow; when they are too long or too thin; when there is one bud with three to four leaves; and when there is frost on the ground. Only special groupings of two leaves and a bud are selected. These leaves must show a very light green almost gray white color and be covered with velvet peach fuzz down. The ideal is a leaf or two being wrapped around a newly developing shoot. Tips are harvested exclusively by hand. Or rather glove, because until it reaches your teapot, white tea never comes into contact with human skin. These shoots are plucked and segregated from the rest of the leaf being plucked.
  White Tea leaves are not steamed or pan-fired as is the case in green tea but rather the leaves are naturally withered, hand selected and sun dried. The tea leaves are tenderly spread out on wooden trays almost immediately after harvesting. While black tea is poured into industrial drying machines, white tea must dry naturally in the sun. White tea does not go through the process of the flowing of hot air, so that the fine white hairs are not destroyed. The delicate appearance and flavor of the leaf are also preserved.
  As noted by Kit Chow in All The Tea In China, in hard times, very poor Chinese homes would serve guests boiled water when they could not afford tea. Both the host and guest would call the water "white tea" and act as if the tradition of serving guests tea had been carried out as usual.

* Green Tea:
  Green tea is made from more mature tea leaves than white tea, and may be withered prior to steaming or firing. It is not fermented and, therefore, generally contains more antioxidants than other teas, except white, and less caffeine than oolong and black teas. Green tea has beauty of shape, a strong fragrance and a rich, natural, fresh taste. It has a great potential health benefit since most nutrients and antioxidants are preserved.
  The process for making green tea is the shortest. Withering is normally done first, but this step might be omitted. The oxidation process is stopped after a minimal amount of oxidation by application of heat; either by roasting, steam or blown with hot air. This kills the active ingredients in the cells of the leaf. Also, more of the water content of the leaf evaporates making the leaf more pliable and easier to roll. After withering, the leaves are pan fried or fired to further prevent any oxidation from occurring. The last step is to roll the leaves and dry them one last time for its final shape. The green tea leaves usually remain green. The tea is processed within one to two days of harvesting.
  During the Tang Dynasty, wild tea was gathered and then processed. Processing involved steaming the tea on a bamboo tray, grinding the tea into a fine pulp called tea mud and then placing this mud into moulds. The tea was then pressed and left to harden. It was then transferred out of the mould, dried in the sun, and baked to prevent rotting. This is very different to how green tea is processed today; whilst this practice of grinding tea continued into the Sung Dynasty by the Yuan Dynasty, it had all but vanished in favor of leaf teas.

* Yellow Tea:
  “Yellow” tea is commonly used either as a term for high-quality tea served at the Imperial Court, or of special tea processed similarly to green tea, but with a slower drying phase. Yellow tea usually implies a special tea processed similarly to green tea, but with a slower drying phase. It can, however, also describe high-quality teas served at the Imperial court, but this is not discussed in the article. The tea generally has a very yellow-green appearance and a smell different to both White tea and Green tea, but similarities in taste and smell can still be drawn between Yellow, Green and White teas.
  The leaves are first heated to stop the fermentation by killing the active ingredients in the cells of the leaf. Next comes yellowing, rolling, and finally baking. The “Yellowing” process dissolves the chlorophyll in the leaf taking away its green color. The color of the brewed tea is also yellow.

* Oolong Tea:
  Oolong tea is a class of tea and also a common name for a tea. It is also known as “Blue Tea”. Not as processed as black tea but more so than green tea, oxidation is stopped somewhere between. Although it has a taste more akin to green tea than to black tea, it does not have the stridently grassy vegetal notes that are typically found in green tea. The best Oolong has a fine nuance flavor profile.
  The term "oolong" means "black dragon" or "black snake" in Chinese. Legends describe the origin of this curious name by which the owner of a tea plantation was scared away from his drying tea leaves by the appearance of a black snake. When he cautiously returned several days later, the leaves had been oxidized by the sun and gave a delightful brew. Another tale tells of a man named Wu Liang who discovered oolong tea by accident when he was distracted by a deer after a hard day's tea-picking. By the time he remembered about the tea, it had already started to oxidize. Others say that the tea is called "oolong" because the leaves look like little black dragons that wake when you pour hot water on them.
  The oxidation period for oolong is about half that of black tea. Oolong tea undergoes a few delicate processes in order to produce the unique aroma and taste. Typical Oolong tea is processed according to the following steps: Withering by means of sun or air drying to remove some moisture. Bruising the edge of the tea leaf by rolling, tumbling or shaking to bruise the outer edges of the leaves, creating more contacting surface for oxidization. Once the veins become clear and the edges of the leaves become reddish brown, while the center remains green, the oxidation process is stopped by firing. Depending on the quality of the leaves, they will be fried either by hand (for premium tea) or by machinery to stop further oxidation. Cooling comes next and then additional drying, if needed, to remove excessive moisture. The oxidation process will take two to three days.

* Black Tea:
  With black tea, the leaves are allowed to completely oxidize. The Chinese call it red tea because the actual tea liquid is red. Westerners call it black tea because the tea leaves used to brew it are usually black. However, red tea may also refer to rooibos, an increasingly popular tisane from South Africa.
  Fully fermented, it contains more caffeine than other teas but still only half as much as coffee. Black tea is made from the more mature leaves on the plant. It stores very well, matures with age and is generally stronger in flavor. Though ready to drink after processing, the longer black tea is stored the better, retaining its flavor for several years. For this reason, it has long been an article of trade, and compressed bricks of black tea even served as a form of de facto currency in Mongolia, Tibet and Siberia up to WW II. 
  The expression black tea is also used to describe a cup of tea without milk (served black), similar to coffee similarly served without milk or cream.
  The oxidation process will take around two weeks and up to one month. Once the leaves are picked, they are left to wither for several hours. Then they are processed in either of two ways, CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) or orthodox. The CTC method is used for lower quality leaves that end up in tea bags and are processed by machines. This method is efficient and effective for producing a better quality product from medium and lower quality leaves. Orthodox processing is done by hand. Hand processing is used for high quality teas. Next, the leaves are fermented. Since fermentation begins at the rolling stage itself, the time between these stages is a crucial factor. Rolling causes oils from the leaves are brought to the surface. These aromatic oils aid in the oxidation process, which last for several hours and will determine the quality of the tea. The leaves are then placed into ovens until they are 80 percent dry, the leaves may complete their drying over wood fires. dried to arrest the fermentation process. Finally, the leaves are sorted into grades according their sizes (whole leaf, broken, fannings and dust), usually with the use of sieves. Unblended black teas are identified by the estate they come from, their year and the flush (first, second or autumn). Orthodox and CTC teas are further graded according to the post-production leaf quality by the Orange Pekoe system.

* Kukicha:
  Kukicha is also called stick tea or twig tea (owing to the long thin shape of this leaf-stalk blend) or winter tea (referring to the older leaves that have been pruned from the tea plant during its dormant season). Also known as the “peasant's drink“, so-called because farmers drank it after selling the leaves to sophisticated urbanites as a cash crop.
  Kukicha Tea is created in Autumn when the last tea harvest takes place and the caffeine level is at its lowest. The tea is made by collecting the stalk fractions of Gyokuro and Sencha. The small twigs and some dried leaves are picked from the tea bush, allowed to age and dry before steaming to soften them. It is strictly made from stalks produced by harvesting of one bud and three leaves. The leaves go on to make Gyokuro and high graded Sencha. They then undergo a traditional process that calls for four separate roastings in wood fired, iron cauldrons. This process delivers a rich roasted flavor and aroma. This patient and ceremonious roasting slowly develops the distinctive flavor and aroma that has made Kukicha Tea so popular.
  It is popular as a health food in Japan. Among macrobiotic and natural food aficionados it is considered to be the perfect complementary beverage for a grain based or mostly vegetarian diet. This due to its alkaline qualities and very low level of caffeine.
  Kukicha is the lowest in caffeine of the traditional teas, 90 percent less caffeine than regular brewed coffee. Because caffeine is concentrated in the leaves, twig tea is low in caffeine and can be drunk even at night. It is considered to be an ideal beverage for both children and adults.

There are also two other classes of tea that are used because the tea undergoes additional special processing:

* Scented-Flavored/Artisan/Blending:
  Scented tea is a base of any tea in which the fragrance of a flower is diffused. Jasmine is the most fragrant and popular scented tea. With scented teas it is desirable to have no other particles of the flavoring component remaining with the tea when completed. Flowers may be added and removed a multiple amounts of times until the desired fragrance, flavor and strength are obtained. When complete, these teas are commonly (but not always) rolled into balls, pearls or rings.
Flavoring differs from scenting whereas the flavoring agents (oils, herbs, etc.) are left remaining blended in with the tea. This is a less desirable method for many coinsures.
  Artisan tea is hand crafted, in which edible flowers are hand tied in a ball of tea leaves; making each ball can take up to one hour. When brewed (best in a glass teapot or cup) the blooming tea ball can be seen to slowly open, giving the appearance of a blossoming flower.
  Tea blending describes the process of blending different teas together to produce a final product. This occurs chiefly with black tea that is blended to make most tea bags but can also occur with such teas as Pu-erh, where leaves are blended from different regions before being compressed. The aim of blending is a stable taste over different years, and a better price. More expensive, more tasty tea may cover the inferior taste of cheaper tea.
There are various teas which have additives and/or different processing than "pure" varieties. Tea is able to easily receive any aroma, which may cause problems in processing, transportation or storage of tea, but can be also advantageously used to prepare scented teas. Tea is usually flavored in large blending drums and essential oils may be added.

* Compressed Tea Bricks & Cakes:
  Tea bricks or compressed tea are blocks of whole or finely ground tea leaves that have been packed in molds and pressed into block form. Yunnan Province, China is the home of Pu-erh tea. This is the most commonly produced and used form of tea in ancient China prior to the Ming Dynasty. Although tea bricks are less commonly produced in modern times, some teas such as Pu-erh is still commonly found in bricks, discs and other pressed forms. Compressed tea cakes are commonly referred to as "Chi Tse Beeng Cha" in China.
  The tea leaves used in the production of tea bricks may vary widely in quality, ranging from the use of twigs and mature leaves in coarse grade tea bricks, to the use of pekoes for the production of higher grade tea bricks. Harvested tea leaves are either partially dried and pressed into bricks as whole leaves or thoroughly dried and ground before being pressed into bricks. Newly formed tea bricks are then left to cure, dry, and age before being sold or traded.
Pu-erh is formed using pu-erh tea leaves, the leaves are steamed, pressed into shape and dried; common shapes are bricks and cakes. Tuocha compressed tea can be described as the shape of a bird's nest, a bowl or a mushroom head, usually 100g in weight; for the convenience of everyday use, mini tuocha, weighing about 5 grams, are popular. Compressed pu-erh tea can be stored for years, decades even, it undergoes continuous fermentation and should be stored in contact with air at room temperature. Similar to black tea, compressed tea improves with age; some of the best pu-erh tea cakes can be up to 70 years old and very expensive.
  Teas bricks were preferred in trade prior to the 19th century Asia since they more compact than loose leaf tea and were also less susceptible to physical damage incurred through transportation over land by caravans. In the past, some tea bricks were mixed with binding agents such as blood or manure in order to even better preserve their form such that they could withstand physical use as currency.
  Brick teas are classification by shape, such as: Jincha (Jin Tea), Shaped like roof tiles, hard like a brick. Zhuancha (Brick Tea), Shaped like bricks. Bingcha (Bing or Biscuit Tea), Shaped like rice cake. Tuocha (Bird’s Nest Tea), Shaped like twisted cloths.
  Considering their density and toughness, tea bricks were traditionally consumed after they had been ground to a fine powder or by shaving pieces off of the bricks. They are still sometimes seen through modern Japanese tea powders.
Tea bricks have been used as a form of food in parts of Tibet and Central Asia. The legacy of using of pulverized tea leaves can be seen in the Lei Cha eaten by the Hakka people. In Tibet pieces of tea are shaved from tea bricks, and boiled overnight in water. The resulting concentrated tea infusion is then mixed with butter, roasted barley flour and sometimes salt. When churned together and served as thin gruel through the addition of more tea, the mixture is called po cha or butter tea. Tsampa is the same mixture with the addition of much less tea. Individual portions of the mixture are kneaded in a small bowls, formed into balls and eaten. Some cities in Japan have food similar to tsampa, where concentrated tea is mixed with grain flour. However, the tea may or may not be made of tea bricks. In parts of Mongolia and central Asia, to help provide for needed roughage normally lacking in the diet, a mixture of ground tea bricks, grain flours and boiling water is eaten directly.
  Most bricks and Pu-erh are best brewed at 210°F using one part tea to six parts water. It is commonly brewed using the Gong Fu brewing method.

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Ron Campbell and his wife Kathy own and operate Merkaba, which features a wide variety of teas and tea items, and gifts for all your spiritual and cultural needs. Their teas come from all over the world and include organic herbal teas, healing teas, Yerba Mate, green teas, black teas, oolong, white teas, pu-erh, flavored tisanes, chai teas, flavored and blended teas. You'll find all kinds of tea products including filters, thermometers, tea bag squeezers, tea cozies, gourds, tea pots and tea sets, mugs and cups, mesh tea infusers, bombilla and even coffee and tea scoops. For more information about Merkaba's retail shop in Idyllwild, CA, or online store visit: http://www.southwestblend.com/merkaba/index.htm