All teas come from one plant

What is truly remarkable is that all true teas – that is, all teas except herbal teas – come from from just one plant: Camellia sinensis. Yes, that's right! Whether it's English Breakfast you're drinking or Matcha, you're enjoying the produce of the exact same plant. What makes them taste different is purely down to the different processing techniques used, which allow a variety of flavours and aromas to blossom.

Let's delve into the magic behind each type of tea – white, green, yellow, black, and dark teas – and explore the art of tea making.

 

Processing and oxidation levels in tea 

A key concept to understand before we get stuck in is the idea of oxidation levels. Without going too far down the science rabbit hole, oxidation is the natural process that happens to all living things when you expose them to air. It's the same process that turns an apple brown and causes leaves to wither. 

When it comes to tea, oxidation is a key factor that massively affects the final product, not only altering the appearance of dry leaves, but also the colour of the liquor (the brew), and the taste too.

When tea people talk about oxidation, they're usually referring to biochemical activities catalysed by enzymes called polyphenol oxidases. These enzymes, with the help of oxygen, alter the abundant polyphenol molecules found in teas, which in turn gives us the beautiful variety of aromas and flavours we find in tea.

Green tea for example, has no oxidation, giving it a light, grassy and sometimes floral aroma. On the other hand, black tea is fully oxidised, which is what gives it an earther, maltier and heavier aroma.

So one way to understand tea is to bear in mind the level of oxidation of this tea, which will provide a basis for that informs you of what style you like and your taste in tea.

 

Tea styles along the oxidation spectrum

 

#1: Green Tea: Fresh and Vibrant

Green tea, as mentioned above, undergoes no oxidation. To achieve this, tea pluckers have to swiftly deliver freshly plucked tea leaves to the processing plant for the leaves to be pan-fired at high temperatures, often reaching 260°C.

This pan-firing process is not dissimilar to cooking a stir fry at home – imagine a stir frying some bok choi on a very large wok and you won't be too far off. The high heat halts the oxidation process entirely by breaking down the enzymes that are normally needed to carry out oxidation, and therefore "fixes" the leaves.

You'll often hear people referring to this process as "fixing" too.

Now, unlike the teas we usually conjure up in our minds when we hear green tea – think Longjing, Maofeng or Sencha – the Pu'er Green Tea found at brut tea, technically called "Raw" or "Sheng" Pu'er （生普洱）, does often undergo a brief period of withering between 8-24 hours, before being subjected to pan-firing. And this withering process gives Pu'er Green Teas an added aroma and a bouquet of sweetness that is not found in other types of green teas.

 

Oxidation Level: None

 

Key Techniques:

• Withering: Brief, to reduce moisture.
• Heating: The leaves are pan-fired or steamed to halt oxidation immediately.
• Rolling and Shaping: The leaves are rolled to shape and twist, enhancing flavor.
• Drying: Final drying locks in the green tea's fresh character.

 

#2: Yellow Tea: Rare and Mellow

Yellow teas are vanishingly rare in the world of tea, and is less than 0.5% production volume in the whole of China. Hunan is more famed for its yellow teas, but you can (if you look hard enough!) find yellow teas from Yunnan too. The process is very similar to green tea, with an additional step after pan-firing referred to as "yellowing" or "sweltering". The leaves are piled and covered for a period of time, which mellows the flavor and reduces vegetal notes.

 

Oxidation Level: Low; slightly higher than green tea

 

Key Techniques:

• Withering and Heating: Similar to green tea.
• Sweltering: The leaves are wrapped in cloth or paper and allowed to sit, promoting slight oxidation and a mellow flavour.
• Drying: Ensures the delicate yellow tea profile.

 

#3 Wulong Tea: You Got Me All Green and Black

Wulong (or Oolong) tea is the in-between of green and black tea. It's partially oxidised, and when you peer down the wet leaves after an infusion, this becomes abundantly obvious. Depending on the level of oxidation, you'll see a ring of red along the outer rim of the leaves – a result of the bruising process vital to achieving partial oxidation in thie style of tea. The flavour varies widely, from light and floral to dark and roasted. 

The most famous terroirs for Wulong tea are in Wuyi, Fujian Province and Taiwan. 

 

Oxidation Level: Partial (20-80%)

 

Key Techniques:

• Withering: Reduces moisture and softens leaves.
• Bruising and Shaking: Leaves are gently shaken or bruised to promote partial oxidation.
• Oxidation: Carefully monitored to achieve the desired level.
• Firing and Rolling: Stops oxidation and shapes the leaves.
• Final Drying: Completes the process and locks in flavour.

 

#4: Black Tea: Bold and Robust

Black tea is what many of us in the West are most familiar with. It's a fully oxidised tea, bold, rich flavour. English Breakfast Tea, for example is black tea. As is Earl Grey. It's the most widely consumed tea in the world, with variations depending on the region and processing methods. Unlike green tea, black teea

In Yunnan, we find a black tea generally referred to as "Dian Hong" (滇红). For those of you who read Chinese, you may find it intriguing why it contains the word for "red". That's because in China, the colour of the tea is derived from the colour of the liquor, whereas in the West, the colour of the tea was chosen based on the appearance of the dried tea leaves instead.

Dian Hong typically has a rich but still fruity taste to it, making it much less astringent than if you were to drink English Breakfast Tea on its own without milk. In fact, this tea has so much goodness in it we'd recommend drinking it without the milk to appreciate it fully.

At brut tea, we've gone to the ends of the earth (figuratively and literally!) to find a special kind of Dian Hong called Shai Hong ("晒红“). In principle, the processing is the same, with the exception of the final stage of processing. Instead of drying in an oven at high heat as with usual black teas, Shai Hong is dried in the sun (hence the word "Shai" which means sun-dried). This allows further aroma development, and the best instances of this style of tea, confers a subtle yet very noticeable sweetness of ginger, honey and sometimes even sweet potatoes.

 

Oxidation Level: Full

 

Key Techniques:

• Withering: Reduces moisture content significantly.
• Rolling and Bruising: The leaves are rolled or crushed to release enzymes, promoting oxidation.
• Oxidation: Leaves are spread out in a controlled environment to fully oxidise.
• Drying: Stops oxidation and preserves the tea.

 

Tea styles that trenscend oxidation

The four styles of tea above sit nicely along the oxidation spectrum from no oxidation to full oxidation.

Now that you've got this foundational knowledge, it's time to dig a bit deeper into where it gets messy... Teas that evolve over time.

 

#5: White Tea: Pure and Delicate

White tea is the least processed of all teas, known for its delicate flavor and subtle sweetness.

The leaves are simply plucked and allowed to wither and dry naturally, often in the sun. This minimal processing preserves the natural antioxidants and imparts a gentle, mellow taste.

Because is no fixing process, there is a small amount of oxidative activity that can still take place over time. In fact, aged white teas are highly prized for their development in body and taste.

 

Oxidation Level: Very low to none

 

Key Techniques:

• Withering: Freshly picked leaves are spread out to wither in the sun or indoors. This reduces moisture content and initiates minimal oxidation.
• Drying: The leaves are then dried, either in the sun or through low heat methods, to stop oxidation and preserve the tea.

 

#6: Pu'er Tea

Let's talk about Pu'er... a tea that provides infinite stories, anecdotes and fascination due to its history and diversity.

Pu'er is a bit like fine wine – the best examples have a vintage label on them, and can be aged for 30+ years!

 

It's important to understand the distinction between two types of Pu'er:

Sheng Pu'er (生普洱) – this raw or "sheng" version of Pu'er is produced very similarly to green tea. However, the pan-firing step is usually shortened so that the leaves are not 100% fixed. This means that enzymatic oxidation can still occur, albeit slowly over a long period of time. This is what allows the tea to age and acquire new aromas with time. You can try out brut tea's Pu'er Green Tea for a taste of Sheng Pu'er.

In short, Sheng Pu'er is lightly oxidised and aged over time, it develops a complex, earthy profile.

Shu Pu'er (熟普洱) – this ripe or "shu" version of Pu'er is produced exactly like Sheng Pu'er, except with an extra step called wet-piling, where tea leaves are arranged, piled and rolled around to allow microbial fermentation to take place. This process, invented in 1971, mimicks the fermentation that would've taken place along the ancient Tea Horse Road as traders were exporting tea cakes out of China into neighbouring countries. The result is what is called a Dark Tea (黑茶）in English (See below).

In summary, Shu Pu'er Undergoes a quicker, artificial fermentation, resulting in a dark, rich, and mellow tea.

Dark Tea: Rich and Aged

As discussed above, dark tea, including Shu Pu'er, is fermented to create complex, rich flavours. No tea other than dark tea goes through this post-production fermentation process. Aside from Shu Pu'er though, there are other Dark Teas too, with another popular one being Liubao from Guangxi Province.

 

Oxidation Level: Variable, followed by microbial fermentation

 

Key Techniques:

• Withering: Initial moisture reduction.
• Rolling and Bruising: Prepares leaves for fermentation.
• Pile-Fermentation: Leaves are heaped in piles, allowing natural microbial fermentation.
• Aging: The tea is aged, sometimes for years, developing depth and complexity.

 

Embrace the Adventure

Exploring the world of tea is like embarking on a grand adventure. Each sip tells a story of tradition, craftsmanship, and nature's bounty.

As we launch our tea brand, starting with exquisite Pu'er teas from Yunnan, I invite you to join me on this journey.

Let's savour the rich history, discover new flavours, and share the joy of tea together. Remember, in the world of tea, there's always something new to explore, and no barriers too high to cross. Happy sipping!