The classification of the leaf in loose leaf tea uses a number of so-called categories or degrees of quality, denoted by English terms or abbreviations by the first letters of words.
There are no international official standards for such a classification, below are the categories found on the tea exchanges. Please note that designations may vary slightly in different countries.
The base quality grade is Orange Pekoe (pronounced Orange Pekoe) or OP.
The word orange has nothing to do with oranges or the color orange. This is an English tracing-paper from the name of the dynasty of the princes of Orange (Dutch. Prins van Oranje), hereditary stadtholders, and then the kings of the Netherlands. The Dutch in the 16th century were the largest suppliers of tea, and the best varieties of tea went to the court of the stadtholders. Thus, “orange” is “tea delivered to the court”, “tea worthy of the Prince of Orange”.
It should be noted that the category of tea depends on several parameters. The main parameter - the sheet size is determined by sieving through the calibration network. An equally important parameter is the integrity of the sheet. The next parameter is the ratio of unopened buds (tips) and adjacent leaves in the mixture. Unopened buds are the most valuable component, followed by the first young leaf, then the second. The highest category can only be in tea of the last collection (flush). Usually there are two gatherings a year, spring and summer. Spring-harvested tea has a more subtle flavor, while summer-harvested teas are more intense.
Whole leaf tea
For whole-leaf black teas, the following quality categories are distinguished (in ascending order):
S souchong- Suchong) Large leaves twisted in length. Often used in Lapsang Souchong smoked teas. PS (English) Pekoe Souchong- Peko Suchong) Short rough leaves. P Pekoe- Peko) Shorter and coarser leaves without "tips". FP (English) Flowery Pekoe- Flowery Peco) The leaves are rolled into balls. OP (English) Orange Pekoe- Orange Peco) Long pointed leaves (larger than in FOP), twisted along the axis. This tea is harvested when the buds have already opened. Orange Pekoe rarely contains "tips". FOP (English) Flowery Orange Pekoe- Flowery Orange Peco) consists of tender young leaves with a certain addition of "tips", that is, the very tips of the bud leaves. The number of "tips" indicates the quality of the tea. GFOP (English) Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe- Golden Flowery Orange Peco) is FOP tea with "golden tips" (tips of special "golden" bud leaves). TGFOP (English) Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Peco) FOP tea with an increased amount of "golden tips". FTGFOP (English) Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - Finest Tippi Golden Flowery Orange Peco) FOP tea of exceptionally high quality. SFTGFOP Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Peco) is the best FOP tea with a high content of "golden tips" of young leaves - a guarantee of very, very high quality tea. Only the best and rare black tea in the world deserves this category.
Sometimes experts will add the number "1" or "2" to the description to indicate gradations, for example: FTGFOP 1 or S2.
broken tea
Similar powers are used to classify broken lines (eng. broken) teas, that is, consisting of pieces of individual leaves. Let's limit ourselves to listing:
B.O.P. Broken Orange Pekoe- Broken Orange Peco) GBOP (Eng. Golden Broken Orange Pekoe- Golden Broken Orange Peco) FBOP (Eng. Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe- Flowery Broken Orange Peco) TGBOP (Eng. Tippy Golden Broken Orange Pekoe - Tippi Golden Broken Orange Peco) GFBOP (Eng. Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe - Golden Flowery Broken Orange Peco) TGFBOP (Eng. Tippy Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe - Tippi Golden Flowery Broken Orange Peco).
Bran
BOPF (English) Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings- Broken Orange Peco Fannings).
Dust
Tea dust dust- the smallest particles of tea leaves, used for brewing strong tea, packed, as a rule, in paper bags.
BOPD (English) Broken Orange Pekoe Dust- Broken Orange Peco Dust) PD (Eng. Pekoe Dust- Peko Dust) RD (eng. red dust- Red Dust) "Red Dust". SRD (English) Super Red Dust- Super Red Dust) FD (Eng. fine dust- Fine Dust) "Fine Dust". SFD (English) Super Fine Dust- Super Fine Dust) GD (eng. golden dust- Golden Dust).
Additional facts
Notes
Sources
- Pokhlebkin VV The history of the most important foodstuffs. -M. Centerpolygraph. 2001.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010 .
See what "Tea leaf categories" are in other dictionaries:
This term has other meanings, see Tea (meanings). A branch of a tea bush Tea (Chinese 茶 "cha" on ... Wikipedia
Today, there are many more types of tea than the regions that are famous for its production. In addition to the classic and familiar to us from childhood black and green, yellow, white, oolong, pu-erh entered the scene. Yes, and the usual mate, herbal and fruit mixtures, which are not tea at all, have firmly taken their place on the tea shelves, further complicating the choice of buyers. Sometimes it is difficult to choose what kind of tea you want to see on your table, not to mention the fact that each of them has its own requirements.
How not to get confused in the variety and choose the one that would please you and your guests?
First of all, you need to decide which way of processing tea you like. Do you want to enjoy the thick aroma of black tea, fill your body with vitamins and energy thanks to green or yellow tea? Dreaming of pampering yourself with an expensive curiosity in the form of white tea? Or maybe you prefer the milky notes of oolong or the strength of pu-erh? It's up to you to decide here...
For many, an important criterion in choosing tea is the country of origin. Some prefer the birthplace of tea - China, which supplies ¼ of the total volume to the world market, because it is here that all types of tea are produced. India, second in terms of supply, “specializes” mostly in black teas (like Africa and Turkey), while Japan specializes in green teas. Indochina supplies both black and green tea to the market. Ceylon tea is often compared to Indian tea. Which country to prefer is everyone's choice. But it is important that the tea is packaged in its country of origin. Otherwise, during transportation, it may lose its taste.
It is useful to remember that the Tea Board of India approved a single logo for all tea products. It can be found on packages with authentic Indian tea - this is an undeniable sign of quality. Additional logos have been introduced for tea plantations in Darjeeling, Assam and Nilgiri. So did the Sri Lanka Tea Board, where the lion logo is a sign of quality and authenticity. This sign must be present on the packaging, the content of which is natural Ceylon tea.
The general requirements for the choice of tea are also the integrity of the package (after all, sunlight, moisture and other factors can adversely affect the quality and taste of the contents), unexpired shelf life, composition. The composition of natural tea should not include baptizers and flavors. Store packaged tea should be in a dark and cool place.
“When buying tea by weight, first of all, you need to pay attention to the appearance of the leaf. If the leaf crumbles, breaks at any touch, then the tea is already old, and you will not get a fragrant and pleasant drink. In addition, when buying tea, you need to pay attention to the aroma: if it is sharp, cloying, then it was sprayed with chemical flavors during packaging. When buying tea bags, you need to pay attention to the presence of a metal bracket on the package itself. If it is present, then the tea drink will turn out to be bad, since the iron will oxidize, giving the drink a bad taste. You should look at the date of collection of tea leaves: if it happened more than 3 seasons ago, the tea will be sugary-earthy, tart, tasteless. It is important to know when the packaging of tea by weight was opened, since tea tends to weather and absorb foreign odors, as well as the condition of the leaf - it should be slightly hairy. The aroma of tea should not be sharp,- says barista and manager of Coffee city coffee shop Christina Aparina.
It is worth noting that there are hotel requirements for some varieties of tea.
To date, Western experts adhere to a tea classification system that takes into account the degree of fermentation of tea, the peculiarities of the production process, as well as the size and shape of the tea leaf. Information about this should be on the packaging. For whole leaf teas distinguish the following categories of quality:
S(English Souchong - Suchong): large leaves twisted along the length. Often used in Lapsang Souchong smoked teas.
PS(English Pekoe Souchong - Peko Souchong): short rough leaves.
T(English Tippy - Tips tea): from unblown tea buds (tips, English Tips *). Pure tips tea is very rare and expensive.
P(English Pekoe - Peko): shorter and coarser leaves without "tips" *. Pekoe is the English version of the Chinese word "pak-ho" meaning "white hairs". Gives a strong infusion with a delicate aroma.
* Tips (from English tips - tips) - leaf buds (not to be confused with flowering ones) of a tea bush that have not yet opened or have just begun to open.
FP(eng. Flowery Pekoe - Flowery Peko): the leaves are twisted into balls.
OP(eng. Orange Pekoe - Orange Peko): long pointed leaves twisted along the axis. This tea is harvested when the buds have already opened. Orange Pekoe rarely contains "tips". Interestingly, the word "Orange" has nothing to do with either the orange or the color. The term comes from the Dutch name for the dynasty of the Princes of Orange (Dutch. Prins van Oranje). The Dutch in the 16th century were the largest suppliers of tea, and the best varieties of tea went to the court of the stadtholders. Thus, “orange” is “tea delivered to the court”, “tea worthy of the Prince of Orange”. Tea gives an infusion of medium strength with a delicate taste and aroma.
OPA(eng. Orange Pekoe A - Orange Pekoe A): unlike Orange Pekoe - large thick leaves.
FOP(eng. Flowery Orange Pekoe - Flowery Orange Pekoe): consists of tender young leaves with a certain addition of "tips". The number of "tips" indicates the quality of the tea.
GFOP(English Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): this is FOP tea with "golden tips" (tips of special "golden" bud leaves).
TGFOP(eng. Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): FOP tea with an increased amount of golden tips.
FTGFOP(eng. Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): FOP tea of exceptionally high quality.
SFTGFOP(eng. Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): the best FOP tea with a high content of "golden tips" of young leaves - a guarantee of high quality. Only the best and rarest black tea in the world deserves this category.
Similar degrees are used for classification broken teas, that is, consisting of pieces of individual leaves.
B.O.P.(eng. Broken Orange Pekoe - Broken Orange Pekoe): broken (cut) teas are made using the same technology as large-leaf teas. Broken Orange Pekoe is the main variety of broken tea, the production of which uses a special cutting of the leaf. Gives a strong infusion with a wonderful bouquet of aroma and taste.
GBOP(eng. Golden Broken Orange Pekoe - Golden Broken Orange Pekoe).
FBOP(eng. Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe - Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe): tea from a broken leaf and tips. "Flowery" is translated from English as "floral / flowery". However, the tea designated by this term not only does not contain the flowers of the tea plant, but also lacks a floral aroma. In this case, the word "Flowery" is used to refer to high-quality tea with golden tips that give the drink a delicate, surprisingly pleasant taste and aroma. Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe is a medium leaf tea. Gives a strong infusion with a rich persistent aroma.
TGBOP(eng. Tippy Golden Broken Orange Pekoe - Tippy Golden Broken Orange Pekoe).
GFBOP(Eng. Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe - Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe).
TGFBOP(eng. Tippy Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe - Tippy Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe).
Low-grade teas can be designated as follows:
CTC- granulated.
F/Fannings- seed tea.
BOPF(eng. Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings - Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings): there is a natural smell. This is a small screening of leaves used for the production of leaf or broken tea. Despite its small size, each tea leaf of this variety is clearly distinguishable. "Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings" is widely used for the production of tea bags. Gives a strong infusion of rich color.
D/Dust- dust, small crumbs. Usually brews very quickly.
BOPD(eng. Broken Orange Pekoe Dust - Broken Orange Pekoe Dust).
PD(eng. Pekoe Dust - Peko Dust).
RD(English Red Dust - Red Dust): "Red dust".
SRD(English Super Red Dust - Super Red Dust).
FD(eng. Fine Dust - Fine Dust): "Fine dust."
SFD(English Super Fine Dust - Super Fine Dust).
GD(English Golden Dust - Golden Dust).
1 and 2 - indicators of the tea variety. Tea labeled 1 is a higher grade than tea without a number label. The numbers also indicate the size of the tea leaf.
So, the basic degree of quality is Orange Pekoe or OP. In terms of excellence and quality, Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (GFOP) opens the tea parade. The series ends with the best Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (FTGFOP). This tea consists of only tops. After brewing, it turns out a light transparent drink. This type of leaf will never make a strong tea leaves, but it is always excellent and fragrant. Flowery Orange Pekoe (FOP) is perfect for afternoon tea, as is Orange Pekoe.
Like any other tea, it is difficult to determine the quality green in appearance. It is easiest to talk about the quality of tea when it has already been brewed: freshly brewed green tea leaves will give the drink a transparent olive hue. But after a while, high-quality green tea will become somewhat cloudy.
You can find out about the quality of raw materials by clicking on the brewed tea leaves: they must be soft. Solid leaves indicate a fake. The color of the tea leaf should be a natural pleasant green hue. It is also worth remembering that China and Japan are “famous” for theirs - it is these manufacturers that you should choose.
The packaging of high-quality pu-erh always contains the following information: its grade (shu or shen), shape ("brick", "pumpkin", "pancake", "mushroom", "bowl" or unpressed) and manufacturer. Often, elite varieties of pu-erh have their own name. If there are no markings on the packaging of pu-erh, it is usually leftovers from the harvest, which significantly reduces the quality of the drink itself. Airtight packaging should also be abandoned - it is quite possible that there is mold in the tea leaves. Try to purchase a factory-made standard 357g pu-erh pancake or a 250g briquette with a certificate or the name of a well-known Chinese tea factory, older than the production date.
Tea leaves should be whole, not crumbled and without cuttings, there should not be sharp color changes on the surface. Any high-quality pu-erh should have a characteristic aroma for it. The color of the infusion after brewing, as in the case of green tea, should be transparent. When it comes to sheng pu-erh, the color of the tea leaves should be light, its taste should be floral, fruity or herbal, the taste of green tea and camphor oil may be slightly pronounced.
For aged sheng and shu, the color of the tea leaves will be dark amber, rich, the taste should have a woody aroma with a long aftertaste, but should not give away rot and mold - this indicates improper storage conditions.
The taste of tea should last up to several brews, up to 10. Brewed leaves of high-quality pu-erh remain whole and do not crumble. The shen pu-erh leaf unrolls after brewing, while the shu pu-erh leaf remains wrinkled.
High-quality tea leaves consist only of kidneys with smoothed white villi, which are easily broken. Low-quality yellow tea is considered to be one in which you can find tips of a bright green color, as well as if there are gray tea leaves in the composition of the tea. Gray color means that the tea is soaked with dust. We do not allow the aroma of smoke from tea. If you brew such tea in a white bowl, a pale pink color should remain on its walls. The very same shade of tea leaves should be pale green or golden. It is important to remember that yellow tea is produced in limited quantities only in China.
The choice of one of the most expensive teas should be approached with the greatest responsibility. Both in China and outside the ego, this tea is considered a luxury, and it is sometimes difficult to buy a quality drink even in the country of origin. As a rule, it is produced in Fujian, Guangdong, and a little in Taiwan. When choosing this tea, you need to decide on the desired type. If only kidneys are used for production, then such tea is called "yinzhen" (silver needles), if leaves, then such white tea is called "shou mei", and if a kidney with undivided 1-2 leaves, then it is "bai mu dan" ( white peony). The most popular tea is "Silver Needles". When dry, the color of the tea is white with a hint of silver, the leaves are straight, like needles, of the same size and thickness, not too wet, but not dry. The color of the tea leaves is orange, clean, transparent. When brewing, tea leaves should not lose their elasticity, and the smell should not have sharp notes.
If you are new to choosing oolong tea and don’t know which type (yes, there are also a great many of them) to give preference to, buy the classic “Te Guanyin”. Teg Guanyin is one of the most famous Chinese oolongs from Anxi County (south of Fujian Province). In this case, tea must be packaged in its original packaging, which must indicate the composition and expiration date.
A quality indicator is considered if the tea inside is packed in several separate boxes. When brewing, the drink should have a light green hue, a light aroma of freshly blossomed lilacs, a slightly sweet taste and a long bright aftertaste.
As already mentioned, mate, fruit and herbal mixtures are not really tea. But since you went to a tea shop in search of your favorite - and most importantly, a quality drink, here you will most likely be offered them.
As a rule, the producing countries are Portugal, Brazil, Argentina. The quality of packaging, as well as the price of tea, directly depend on the content. Everything is simple here: the better the outside, the better the inside. As a rule, mate consists of twigs, leaves and dust. Classic mate contains: 10-20% twigs, 30-40% dust, and the rest is leaves.
fruit mixes
The mixture must necessarily include pieces of fruits, berries, flowers visible to the naked eye, declared in the composition. If the composition mentions “aromatic additives identical to natural”, but there is no talk of the fruits themselves, it is better to return such a mixture to the counter. A natural way to flavor mixtures is to add essential oils to the raw materials. But with all this, the smell of the fruit mixture should not be sharp.
Such mixtures are more often used not as tea, but as therapeutic and immunostimulating agents. Therefore, it is more reliable to buy herbal mixtures in pharmacies, and it is better to check the indications for use and the composition of the required mixture with a doctor. The same applies to herbal teas for weight loss, which are gaining popularity today. Read the information on the packaging carefully. If flavorings and dyes are included in the composition of the drink, then you can’t call it useful. Of great importance is the origin of the raw material itself: it is better to give preference to herbs collected in ecologically clean areas. The shelf life of the herbal mixture should be 12-18 months. The fresher the tea, the better. It is important to remember that expired tea is dangerous to health.
“Observing the preferences of the guests, I divide tea into seasons (seasons) or time of day (morning, lunch, evening). In the morning, guests prefer to drink classic green tea without additives, as it is rich in caffeine. At lunchtime, preference is given to black tea with bergamot, classic Ceylon. From 15:00 to 17:00 fruit mixes or black tea with fruit additives are popular. And in the evening, guests are more likely to take ginger tea, mint tea, green tea with lemon balm, as they have a calming effect. If we talk about preferences for the seasons, then in winter, guests prefer green classic and oolongs (Te Guan Yin, Gunpowder, Chinese green with mint, chamomile or lemon balm). In the spring they drink red, classic black, pu-erh more often. In summer - any fruit tea with the addition of ice, in autumn - yellow tea, green with jasmine,- shares her observations Christina Aparina.
Long leaf (loose) teas differ in the way the leaves are mechanically processed:
Large leaf (Big Leaf)- it is always tea of very good quality, made from good quality raw materials;
Broken leaf (Broken)- has its advantages: a broken leaf is better fermented and gives a richer bouquet when brewed.
fine tea- seedings, crumbs and even dust. Small tea does not mean that it is a waste product. By the way, the dust of good tea is valued more than the leaf of bad tea.
BIG LEAF
Big leaf is divided into 4 categories.
Flowery Pekoe (F.P.)- Flower Pekoe - the first two youngest and most delicate flush leaves, 5-15 mm in size, not too twisted, along with a tea bud. The word "flowery" in English means "floral". This is the highest quality tea.
Orange Pekoe (O.P.)- Orange Pekoe - the second pair of leaves, 8-15 mm in size, giving the orange color of the infusion. The word "orange" comes from Dutch and means "royal".
Pekoe (P.)- Peko - thick, hard, slightly twisted leaves of the penultimate shoot.
Pekoe Souchong (P.S.)- Peko Suchong - large leaves under the first and second shoots, twisted into balls. The word "sushong" means "rough" in Chinese.
BROKEN TEA LEAF
Broken tea leaves are also divided into four categories.
Broken Orange Pekoe (B.O.P.)- Broken Orange Pekoe - has a significant admixture of leaf buds and gives a strong, fragrant infusion. It is the main among the varieties of broken tea.
Broken Pekoe (B.P.)- Broken Peko - contains a lot of leaf veins, and the infusion from it is weak.
Broken Pekoe Souchong (B.P.S.)- Broken Peko Suchong - it is based on the largest parts of the leaves, twisted into balls.
Pekoe Dust (P.D.)- the most crushed grade of tea.
SMALL TEA
Small teas - "leaf crumb" are of 2 types.
Fannings (F.)- cuttings, powdered tea from old leaves (pieces no more than 1-1.5 mm)
Dust (D.)- the most crushed tea (pieces less than 1 mm).
Grades such as BOPF, Dust, CTC-PF provide fast brewing, so they are used for the production of tea bags.
The excellent quality of tea is evidenced by the letter G - "golden", i.e. "gold", about high - O - "orange" or F - "flowery", the letter F can also mean the word "fannings" - small, crushed tea, B - "broken", P - "pekoe", S - "souchong " (may have a different meaning and denote the word "specially" - a mixture of the best varieties of tea. The letter T (tip), translated from English as "tip", characterizes the highest quality tea, consisting of tea buds alone or containing them in large quantities. Buds (tips), are similar to small claws, shrouded in a silvery down, which is preserved even when brewing tea, they contain all useful substances and essential oils in high concentration, and it is they that give the tea a special, unique aroma, which real connoisseurs call "divine" .
Tea where all the leaves have a bud - Tippi Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe(T.G.F.O.P.) and Flowery Orange Pekoe (F.O.P.), in everyday life called "floral", - is available only to the elite, true connoisseurs with a delicate taste and a thick wallet, since it is made in very small quantities and costs fabulously (in our understanding) expensive at auctions - up to $ 500 for just one kilogram, such teas they are not withered or fermented, they are dried naturally, since it is believed that processing such expensive raw materials is simply blasphemy.
The word Pekoe - in translation from Chinese "pak-ho" means "tea leaf".
"Orthodox", "Leaf Tea", "Long Leaf"- refers to leaf tea.
"CTC"- granulated tea
"Tea Bags"- tea bags
"Pure", "Unblended" - it is pure, unblended tea
Blend- blend of different types of tea
"Fine blend" translates as "great mix"
Tea was given by Haleys, Scottish Pekoe. We drank, meditated on the taste and suddenly thought, what does Peko mean? Glory to the Internet - there and then there was exhaustive information. While looking, everyone wondered why I had not been puzzled by such a question before. I also remember there was such a postscript - orange baked .. So, I quote the entire article, otherwise sometimes sites are deleted, and links lead nowhere ... In this case: article title - link!.
Tea standards
Before making a purchase, each of us thinks about what tea to choose. And of course we turn to the label on the pack for help. And what do we see? Black tea, PEKO standard, black tea with tips, etc. What is PEKO? TIPS?
We want you, when buying tea, to know what you are buying and to be able to fully appreciate the quality of tea. And most importantly, so that you can get the maximum pleasure and benefit from tea drinking ...
FOP (Flowry Orange Peco) - Tea consisting of tips (tea buds) with the first unfolded still soft leaf, which puts it on a high level of quality.
Tipsy- (English - tips) Barely blossomed buds with silvery stripes on them, which make the aroma and taste of the tea drink especially refined. For this reason, the grade of tea is considered to be the higher, the more "tips" in it, which are easily visible in the placer of dry tea.
FBOP- in the name of these tea leaf standards, the prefix "B" is formed from the English word "Broken" and means that the leaf is cut.
OPA (Orange Peco Category A) is a large, uniform, twisted leaf with a high content of aromatic oils. According to one version, the term "Orange" comes from the Dutch word "oranige", which translates as royal and this term denotes all high-quality teas. The tea consists of long, pointed leaves that are larger than in FOP tea. The collection from which it is made was carried out after the opening of the upper buds (tips), and there are almost no tips in it.
OP (Orange Pekoe)- Large leaf with a strong infusion.
Pekoe- the English version of the Chinese word "Pak Hoa". In the old days, Western merchants used this word to refer to an unopened leaf bud and two leaves under it. Currently, the term "Peko" is used to refer to high-end teas. The tea consists of the youngest leaves - usually the first three leaves. The leaves are twisted into balls, the so-called "lambs"
Baykhovy (i.e. loose) - The name of the tea "bai" comes from the Chinese word "Bai hoa" (white eyelash), as the Chinese called tips, that is, the kidneys that give tea sophistication. But in Russia, gradually, the term “Baikhovy” began to be used to call all loose teas.
The main stages of processing tea leaves
1. Withering.Fresh green leaves are placed in rotating drums 25-30 m long and blown with hot air (45-50 s), the process lasts 8-12 hours. If withering is done in a natural way, then up to 22 hours. In this way, the tea leaves are prepared for rolling.
2. Twisting.
It is carried out in special machines (rollers), squeezing and twisting the leaves until the juice appears, which combines with oxygen. At the moment of squeezing, the fermentation process begins, when essential oils are formed - the sources of tea aroma. Twisting continues three times for 30 minutes. Very coarse leaves fall into the last, third fraction.
3. Fermentation.
One of the main stages in the production of black tea. To do this, the leaves are laid out on racks in layers up to 10 cm. Fermentation takes place at a temperature of 40 C and lasts about 4 hours. Fermentation activates the tannins in the tea and creates conditions for the emergence of new essential oils that affect the aroma of the tea.
4. Drying.
The main purpose of this operation is to bring the moisture content of the tea up to the international moisture standard (from 2% to 5%). Drying is a very important production cycle. After all, the duration of storage of finished tea depends on the degree of humidity. Drying is carried out in dryers at a temperature of 80-110C, the drying process lasts about 20 minutes. After drying, the tea becomes black.
5. Sorting.
Tea is classified not only according to the area of cultivation, but also depending on the size of the leaves. Sorting is done using sieves of various sizes. Screening (cutting), crushing and sorting of tea is usually carried out quickly, due to the fact that tea is very hydroscopic and can absorb up to 13% moisture.
6. Packing and packing.
Ready tea is immediately packed in branded boxes. Inside, to preserve the aroma, the boxes are lined with aluminum foil and paper, and then it is sent to the tea-packing factories, where they prepare commercial grades of tea by making mixtures from its various brands.
The classification of leaf in loose leaf tea uses a number of categories or degrees of quality, denoted by English terms or abbreviations by the first letters of words.
There are no international official standards for such a classification, below are the categories found on the tea exchanges.
The basic degree of quality is Orange Pekoe (read Orange Pekoe) or OP.
In Sri Lanka (until 1972 the country was called Ceylon), the following terms are used:
"Orange pekoe" (OR) - indicates that the tea is made from the top two young leaves covered with a delicate fluff (a very young, delicate tea leaf). One piece rolled sheet. The tea has a strong infusion and a pleasant aroma, which varies depending on the place of growth.
"Peko" (R) - just blossomed tea leaves. The leaves are twisted into a spherical shape, giving a not strong tea with a delicate taste and aroma.
"Flowry" (F) - indicates that the tea variety may contain tips (buds).
"Brocken" (B) - medium leaf broken tea
"Fannings" (F) - cuttings from the pulp of the tea leaf, which are used mainly for the production of tea bags
"Dust" (D) - crumb, the smallest particles of tea leaves
The most common abbreviations for tea
R- Peko - tea made from leaves twisted into a spherical shape. When brewed, the tea leaves open up, resulting in an excellent drink with a delicate taste and mild aroma. Large-leaf tea with a strong infusion.OR- Orange Peco. So the Dutch began to call the best varieties of tea, in honor of the ruling dynasty of the princes of Orange in the 16th century. Thus, “orange” means “tea delivered to the court” or “tea worthy of the Prince of Orange”. Peko comes from the Chinese "pakho", which means baby's hair, that is, a delicate tea leaf ... Large-leaf tea with a strong infusion.
ORA- Orange Pekoe, category A - tea from whole (up to 3-4 cm long) upper most juicy leaves. When brewed, a tea drink with an orange tint, a delicate taste and aroma is obtained.
OP1- Orange pekoe, category 1 - a variety of high-quality loose leaf tea with an infusion of medium strength.
THIEF– Small-leaf tea with strong infusion
FBOP– Middle-leaf tea made from broken leaves and tips (leaf buds) with a strong infusion.
FOP- Flowery Orange Pekoe (Flowery Orange Pekoe) - consists of tender young leaves with a certain addition of "tips", that is, the very tips of the bud leaves. The number of "tips" indicates the quality of the tea.
GFOP- Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) - FOP tea with "golden tips" (tips of special "golden" bud leaves).
TGFOP- Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) - FOP tea with an increased amount of "golden tips".
FTGFOP- Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) - FOP tea of exceptionally high quality.
SFTGFOP- Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) - the best FOP tea with a high content of "golden tips" of young leaves - a guarantee of extremely high quality tea. Only the best and rare black tea in the world deserves this category.
STS- granulated tea. When brewed, it acquires a golden hue with an infusion of medium strength.
GP- green tea made using a special technology of calcination in a Chinese frying pan. Strong tea with a unique aroma. Large leaf.
YH– Large-leaf green tea with a mild taste and aroma, with a light infusion.