Black Tea

Black tea comes from the leaves of a tea plant called Camellia sinensis, a plant that is native to Asia but now cultivated around the world. The leaves are typically plucked by hand. They are then processed to make the dry leaves used for brewing tea. Popular types of black tea include Assam and Darjeeling from India, Keemum and Yunnan from China, Ceylon from Sri Lanka, and Turkish Tea from the eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey. -

How is Black Tea Processed? Black tea is made from leaves that undergo these four steps: 1. Withering. Leaves are spread thinly on trays and either placed in the sun or exposed heated air, depending on the climate. This removes excess water. 2. Rolling. The leaves are twisted and rolled, either by hand or by machines, causing them to break apart. This releases some of the leaf juices. o Tea intended for tea bags often goes through the CTC (crush, tear, curl) method. This grinds the tea leaves into very small pieces that brew quickly. o The Orthodox Method of processing tea is when tea is either rolled by hand or with a type of machinery that preserves the tea leaf. Whole leaf tea is usually processed in this fashion. 3. Oxidization. Leaves are left in a climate-controlled space where they absorb oxygen and increasingly darken. The length of this process determines the type of tea (black, green, oolong, or white). Black tea is 100% oxidized. 4. Drying. The leaves are spread out and dried in the sun or in an oven. Sumber : http://www.blackteaworld.com/what-is-black-tea.html