Tea definition / terminology from A to Z : what is genmaicha tea, caravan tea,  Yunan tuocha, Cambric tea, brick tea, bubble tea, Chanoyu, Decaf tea, fannings, etc, etc

Afternoon Tea :   A British meal eaten in mid afternoon, consisting of sandwiches, scones,and pastries accompanied by tea.

Agony of the leaves:
The unfurling of tea leaves during steeping. Certain teas provide a spectacular show if steeped in a glass container.

Anhui: A major tea producing province in China.
Antioxidant:  A compound which retards oxidation.
Aroma: Also known as the nose, the odor of the brewed leaf and the resulting liquor.

Assam:  A major tea growing region in India.

Darjeeling Tea Premium

Assam Tea : A very hearty Indian tea, often deep red to orange-red and somewhat malt flavored. This tea is the backbone of most of the world’s blends. The processed leaves may look very black to dark brown and may sometimes contain a lot of tips.

Astringency: The drying sensation, (or bite) in the mouth caused by certain teas.
Autumnal: Tea produced late in the growing season – often used in reference to Darjeeling 4th flush teas.

Bancha : the lowest quality of Japanese green teas, made from the last of the three or four harvests of tea in a season. Tend to be bright green and coarse. Still a delicious cup of tea that’s a bargain for the price.

Bakey : tea taster expression for overfired teas
Bergamot: A citrus oil derived from the bergamot orange used to flavor black tea to make Earl Grey tea.
Billy tea :   Tea made by Australian bushmen in billy cans.

Black Teas : Green tea leaves are left to wither or “ferment”, which causes the enzymes to break down some of the cellular structure of the leaf. The “fermented” leaves are then twisted or rolled and cut then dried by one of many processes. Drying styles include: basket or pan firing, smoking, air drying, or compressing and sun-drying which further define and add complexity and color to the tea. Black teas are often scented with flowers or more commonly with oils or spices.   Black teas are the most popular tea in the world and are also known as Red tea in China referring to the color of the infusion in the cup.

Blend: Method to establish consistency between lots of teas.
Body: Tea taster’s term to denote strength and viscosity of a brewed tea.
Brick Tea: Tea leaves that have been steamed and compressed into bricks. Pu-erh is a common brick tea.

Bubble Tea : Bubble tea is a novel beverage gaining popularity in some parts of the country. It is made by pouring hot tea over cooked and cooled tapioca pearls. Any hot tea can be used. Bubble tea is served in a tall glass, usually with milk.

Caffeine: An alkaloid which acts as a Central Nervous System stimulant and diuretic.
Chanoyu : Japanese tea ceremony or ritual.
Cambric tea : a very weak tea infusion in an excess of milk and sugar

Camellia Sinensis: the common tea plant, is widely prized for its various forms and incarnations as many characteristically different beverages. Below is an index and guide to the different types of teas that we carry and how you might best enjoy them.

Caravan tea: Tea taken by camel from China to Russia before modern transportation.
Catechins: The class of polyphenol found in tea which function as antioxidants.

Ceylon : This region, now called Sri Lanka, produces incredible amounts of fine tea. Although Sri Lanka produces large amounts of green as well as black teas, Ceylon generally describes a rich black tea with amber color and an almost floral aroma. A delicious cup, and perfect for iced tea.

Ceylon tea: Tea from Sri Lanka.
Cha: Romanized spelling of Chinese and Japanese character which defines the word tea.
Chai: The word for tea on the Indian subcontinent. In the west it generally means a spiced black tea made with milk (masala chai).

Chest: Traditional container made of wood with a metal lining used to ship tea from tea estates.
Chesty: A term denoting an odor in tea absorbed from the wood of a traditional storage chest.
Chunmee: A grade of Chinese tea with a curled form.
Congou:  Chinese Black, or Red, Tea.

Ctc: Acronym for Cut, Tear, and Curl, a machine process which cuts the withered leaves into uniform particles to facilitate a complete oxidation. Typical of most black tea grown in India and other lowland producing countries, and used in teabags to create a stronger more colorful tea.

Darjeeling Teas : Grown at the Darjeeling Hills of India,  foothills of the Himalayas, this tea is widely known as the champagne of teas. Its rich red-gold colored color and distinctive, slightly nutty aroma makes this tea incomparable to any other.  These teas are renowned for their muscatel flavor.

Decaf tea :is any tea that has undergone a process which eliminates most of the
caffeine content. Two processes are currently used to commercially
decaffeinate tea, an ethyl acetate and a CO2 method. While the ethyl acetate
method is cheaper and easier, the CO2 method has been proven much safer. Decaf
tea is the perfect alternative for tea lovers who are trying to lower their
caffeine intake.

Display Tea: A tea that has a special appearance once steeped.
Dust: The smallest grade of tea, typically associated with lower quality. Dust is prized for its quick extraction and is commonly used in teabags.

Earl Grey : This black tea is scented with oil of bergamot, a type of citrus named Citrus bergamia. It is said that British Prime Minister Earl Grey was given the recipe for this mixture in 1830 from a Chinese mandarin, however the Chinese are not known to drink this tea.

“English” or “Irish Breakfast” Tea, Keemun : This is one of the best known China Black teas. A richly red colored tea with a distinctively floral and strong cup. This tea is best when taken with milk and sugar or honey.

Fannings: Small particles of tea one grade larger than Dust produced as a by product of the tea making process.
Fermentation: More properly termed – Oxidation. Describes the process of enzymic oxidation, where elements in the leaf react with air to create a darker brown-red color and characteristic aroma to the resulting tea.
Firing: The process whereby the tea leaves are dried to arrest further enzymic changes. This makes the tea fit for packing and storing.

fibrous : teas which contain a large percentage of fannings
flat : teas lacking astringency or briskness
flowery : used in grading the size of tea, it typically indicates a leaf style with more of the lighter colored tips.

Flush: Flush refers to the four separate plucking seasons throughout the year, each known for it’s distinctive flavor.
Formosa Teas: Tea produced in Taiwan, typically oolong teas.
Gaiwan: [GUY-wan]A traditional Chinese lidded tea drinking vessel with accompanying saucer.

Genmaicha: [GEN-my-cha]Green tea blended with roasted rice.
Golden: Refers to the orange colored tips present in high quality black tea

Gong Fu: Meaning skill and patience (it’s the same “kung fu” as the martial art). The style of brewing tea with a high proportion of leaf to water and repeated short infusions.
Grade : term used to describe a tea leaf or particle size of leaf

Green Tea:   Fresh tea leaves which have been sterilized in steam, hot air or hot pans, to prevent fermentation (un-oxidized) and preserve the green color. Available in many forms, from many countries, mostly found in China and Japan..

Gunpowder or “pearl tea” : Tiny pellets of hand-rolled, fresh Chinese tea. Generally made from small to medium-sized leaves. Keeps the longest of all teas, green or black. Leaves unfold in your cup as you brew them. Sometimes scented with dried rose or jasmine flowers. A Green Tea rolled into tight pellets.

Gyokuro: [G'YOH-koo'roh] Translates to ‘Pearl Dew’, a Japanese Green Tea made from shaded plants.

Herbal Teas, “tisanes or herbal decoctions” : Rainbow carries a huge assortment of herbal teas to help you nurse through practically any ailment. From soothing a sore throat, to easing yourself to sleep and curbing a mood swing from stress or PMS, we strive to bring you the best quality herbal teas. Here you’ll find companies like Yogi Tea, Traditional Medicinals, Triple Leaf, Bija, Numi, Stash and Celestial Seasonings.

Harsh : bitter teas
Heavy : a thick, colory infusion with little briskness or astringency
Hyson :   A general term for Chinese Green Teas.   Brand of tea in common usage during 18th century. “flourishing spring”.

Iced Tea : Tea brewed and served chilled
Infusion : The process of extracting elements from tea, herbs, fruits or berries by submersing in boiling water. This process is often used for obtaining medicinal properties from herbs.

Jasmine: Green or Oolong Tea scented with jasmine flowers.
Keemun: Chinese Black Tea from Anhui Province and often used in English Breakfast blends.

Kukicha, “twig tea” : This tasty tea is made from the toasted stems and twigs of the tea plant. It has a beautiful golden brown color and has a lot of savory taste with less caffeine than ordinary tea. This tea is an excellent choice for those who seek a substitute for coffee, or are sensitive to caffeine.

Lapsang Souchong : Black Chinese tea that’s been smoked over pine branches. Usually a dark red-brown tea with a smoky, musky flavor.
Lung Ching, “Dragon Well” : Delightful steamed green tea, which offers a tasty, light green cup with lots of flavor. The best is somewhat rare and often a little pricey.

Masala Chai : A blend of black tea and spices such as cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, clove, carom, black pepper and star anise. The spice mixture varies from maker to maker, and generally focuses on the cardamon, ginger, and cinnamon with the black tea. The other spices in the mix add to the complexity of the flavor and the uniqueness of the brewer. Chai is very refreshing with milk and honey to sweeten its spicy bite.

Moroccan Mint : Green tea with fresh mint leaves. Traditionally taken with lots of sugar, to accompany large meals and settle the stomach.
Matcha :   Powdered green tea from Japan used in the Japanese tea ceremony.
Meat Tea : Another term for High tea.
Metallic : A term describing the dry, coppery taste of some teas.
Muddy: A term describing a dull, brownish infusion
Muscatel: A muscat grape like taste associated with many Darjeeling Teas.

Nose: The aroma of brewed tea.

Oolong Teas or Wu Lung, “Black Dragon” : Partially fermented tea with characteristics of both green and black teas. It appears half green, half black and tends to have fruity scents, however, this is a very diverse category of teas, ranging from very light green or gold to medium black. These are true connoisseur’s teas, prone to nuances of flavor and scent much like fine wines.

Orange Pekoe: The larger leaves of the tea plant. Does not refer to flavor characteristics of any tea.

Orthodox: Traditional method for picking and processing teas in India without using CTC technology.

Pan fired: Method of heating leaf and arresting enzymic oxidation of tea.

Pekoe: [PECK-oh] : A term used to describe the largest leaves used to produce whole leaf teas. Also refers to an un-distinctive blend of tea. Pronounced ‘pek-o’.

Plucking: the process of harvesting the tea by cutting the flush from the growing tea shrub.
Polyphenols: Antioxidant compounds present in tea.

Pouchong Teas : A slightly fermented tea, closer to green tea than to black. It is often used as the base for scented teas such as the traditional jasmine tea.
Pu-erh : A pickled black tea from Yunnan China, which is believed to be of high medicinal value, especially for reducing cholesterol. Aged in underground caves for a minimum of three years, this tea has a delicious flavor and unique scent, and is sometimes found as compressed wafers rather than loose leaves.   These teas are known for aging quite well. Some prized Pu-erhs are 40 years old.

Pungent : tea taster’s term to denote a very astringent tea
Rawness : bitter taste
Rolling:  The process by which withered leaves are rolled to initiate enzymic oxidation   and impart twist..

Rooibos, “African Red Bush Tea” : Not actually a member of the tea family, this exciting introduction comes to us from South Africa. Rooibos is packed with antioxidants and vitamins, much more than regular green tea. With a beautiful red cup and a fruity taste, rooibos blends well with dried fruits if not enjoyed alone. It is also an apt for those looking for a black tea flavor without the caffeine.

Scented tea : Teas that have been flavored by adding flower petals, fruits spices and/or natural oils.
Self drinking : rounded, well bodied tea that can be served unblended
Semi-Fermented tea : Tea that has been partially oxidized before being fired and dried. Most often referred to as Oolong tea.

Sencha : Premium Japanese green tea, made from the first and second pickings. This tea produces a pale green cup with a delicate herbal scent and a refreshing flavor.
Single Estate Tea : A tea from one particular estate, plantation, or garden.

Stalk : describes teas with presence of red stalk pieces from a hard plucking
Tannin : erroneous term referring to the astringent polyphenols of tea, unrelated to tannic acid polyphenols of other plants

Tarry : tea taster’s term for teas that have been fired over smoky flames, imparting a smoky flavor
Tat : shelf made of wire mesh or burlap used to spread the leaves out for withering and fermentation
Tea: The processed leaves, or the infused beverage brewed from the processed leaves, of the Camellia sinensis plant.
Ti Kuan Yin: [TAY-gwan-yen] “Iron Goddess of Mercy”- a type of Oolong Tea with a fragrant aroma. Also known as Tieguanyin.

Theanine : unique amino acid in tea.
Theine : synonym for caffeine

Tip : the bud leaves on a tea bush
Tippy: Term denoting tea that contains white or golden tips, indicative of high quality

Tisane: An infused beverage made with plants other than Camellia sinensis.

Tuocha: [too'oh-cha]Chinese for bowl tea. A common shape for pu-erh teas.
Two and a bud: The ideal plucked tea for production, consisting of the new tea shoot and the first two leaves
Vintage :   Used to describe teas from the same harvest at market.

White Tea :This is green tea that is produced using the very tips only, which appear white when dry, and is generally regarded as the rarest of all teas. It has a very, very delicate flavor and had the least amount of caffeine of all teas. It is usually combined with flowers such as chrysanthemum.

Winey: Mellow quality, characteristic of some Keemun teas which have been given six months to a year to age. Used in the gung fu style of brewing tea.
Withering: The operation which removes moisture from the recently plucked leaves making them less brittle and preparing them for further processing. Generally done by spreading leaves allowing the air to pass over.

Woody : tea taster’s term indicating an undesirable grass or hay flavor in black tea.

Yerba Mate : This delicious drink comes from a member of the holly/coffee family, and is highly nutritious and tonifying to the body. Mate does contain caffeine, mateine, B-vitamins and other natural constituents. This product comes from South America, usually Argentina or Paraguay, and can be found green or roasted, and flavored with spices or natural fruit oils. Generally mate is drunk sweetened in a pear shaped gourd called a mate, and sipped through a metal filtering straw called a bombilla. Mate now also comes in tea bags for convenience.

Yixing: [YEE-shing] Pronounced ‘yee shing’, a region of China noted for its purple clay, used to produce distinctive unglazed teapots often

Yunnan: A province in southwestern China

Another similar post will be here soon.

Tags: Chinese Tea, decaf tea, Green Tea, Herbal Tea, masala chai, Oolong Tea, rooibos, scented tea, tea dictionary, Tea Glossary, White Tea

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 at 2:05 pm and is filed under Tea Glossary. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.