Processing of Tea and Grouping Of Tea

Tea can be sorted by means of processing. Camellia sinensis tea leaves soon wilt and oxidize if not dried quickly after picking. The drying process makes the leaves become dark, because there solving element of chlorophyll and release tannin. The next process in the form of wet heating with steam heat to evaporate water content in the leaves and the oxidation process can be stopped at the stage that has been determined.

Processing of tea leaves are often referred to as "fermentation" although this usage is incorrect. Tea processing does not use yeast and there is no ethanol produced just like the actual fermentation process. Improper processing of tea can indeed cause the tea grown by fungi that cause the fermentation process. Fermented tea that has experience with mold should be discarded, because it contains elements of toxic and carcinogenic elements.

The grouping of tea based on the level of oxidation:

White tea
Tea made from leaf that did not experience the oxidation process and has not learned when protected from sunlight to prevent formation of chlorophyll. White tea is produced in much smaller amounts than other types of tea, so the price becomes more expensive. White tea is less well known outside of China, albeit slowly white tea in tea bag packaging is also gaining popularity.

Green tea
Tea leaves used as green tea is usually processed immediately after picking. After the leaf is oxidized in the minimum amount, the oxidation process is stopped by heating (traditional Japanese way of using steam or the traditional Chinese way with menggongseng over a hot pan). Tea is dried can be sold in sheets or tea leaves shaped like a tightly coiled small balls (green tea called gun powder).

Oolong
Oxidation process is stopped in the middle between green tea and black tea which usually takes 2-3 days.

Black tea or red tea
Leaf tea is fully oxidized left about 2 weeks to 1 month. Black tea is the most common type of tea in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh) and most countries in Africa including Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Literal translation of the script Hanzi for Chinese tea (红茶) or (红茶) in Japanese is "red tea" tea because the water is actually red. Westerners call it "black tea" because black tea leaves. In South Africa, "red tea" is a term for tea rooibos herbal tea which includes class. Black tea is still divided into 2 types: Orthodox (tea mixed with traditional processing methods) or CTC (Crush tea production methods, Tear, Curl has been growing since the year 1932). Black tea is not mixed (unblended) are grouped based on the home plantation, production year, and picking period (early spring, picking second, or autumn). Orthodox tea and CTS types are subdivided again according to post-production leaf quality standard Orange Pekoe.

Pu-erh (Pou lei in Cantonese)
Pu-erh tea consists of two types: "raw" and "mature." Pu-erh tea is still "raw" can be directly used to make tea or stored for some time to "mature". During storage, pu-erh tea is oxidized microbiology second stage. Pu-erh tea "mature" is made from tea leaves that are artificially oxidized flavor that resembles a tea pu-erh "raw" which has long kept and experience the natural aging process. Pu-erh tea "mature" is made by controlling the humidity and temperature of the tea leaves are similar to the composting process. Pu-erh tea is usually sold in solid form after the press become like a brick, a small plate or bowl. Pu-erh tea pressed for the second stage of the oxidation process could walk, because pu-erh tea is not pressed will not experience the process of maturation. The longer stored, pu-erh tea aroma becomes more comfortable. Pu-erh tea is still "raw" are sometimes stored up to 30 years even 50 years to mature. Specialist field of tea and tea enthusiasts have not met an agreement about the storage period is considered optimal. Storage for 10 to 15 years is often considered sufficient, although the Pu-erh tea can be drunk after being stored in less than a year. Pu-erh tea is made by boiling the Pu-erh tea leaves in boiling water often up to five minutes. Tibetan people have the habit of drinking Pu-erh tea mixed with yak butter from fat, sugar and salt.

Yellow tea
The term for high-quality tea served at the imperial court or tea from tea leaves are processed as green tea but with a slower drying process.

Kukicha
Low quality tea leaves and stems from a mixture of old tea leaves plucking the second, and roasted in the pan.

Genmaicha
Green tea mixed with popcorn from rice that has not been milled, scented and very popular in Japan.

Flower tea
Green tea or black tea is processed or mixed with flowers. The most popular flower tea is jasmine tea (Heung Pin in Cantonese, Hua Cha in Chinese) which is a mixture of green tea or oolong tea mixed with jasmine flowers. Other flowers are often used as a mixture of tea is a rose, lotus, lychee and chrysanthemums.

The tea is also often associated with its use for health. Green tea and Pu-erh tea is often used to diet. People also often link the tea with the balance of yin yang. Green tea tends to yin, black tea tends that, while oolong tea is considered balanced. Pu-erh tea is considered to contain brown energy and often mixed chrysanthemums that have yin energy for balance.