What are the 4 main grades of tea?
Black Tea.
What are the different grades of black tea?
Black Tea Grades: The Basics There are typically 4 main grades, based on flush, leaf size, and method of processing. They are Orange Pekoe (OP), Broken Orange Pekoe (BOP), fannings, and dustings. Orange Pekoe consists of full leaves, with no tips or buds.
How are tea leaves graded?
Tea grading is based on the size of the leaf and types of leaves included in the tea. Teas are often designated as OP or FOP. These designations are part of the grading system used for whole leaf black teas and refer to the leaf size and amount of tip in the tea. Pekoe means teas picked as 2 leaves and a bud.
What is the highest grade tea?
Orange Pekoe
OP or Orange Pekoe– This is the highest and main grade of tea produced. This comes as a whole leaf which is wiry, long and thin in character. Its flavor when brewed is of a delicate fragrance and tastes exquisitely delicious.
How can you tell if tea is high quality?
As you steep the tea, the leaves should unfurl slowly. Touch: In general, high-quality dried tea leaves should feel how they look: smooth, whole and sturdy. It should also have a slight heft in your hands; if your tea feels feather-light, it may be an indication that it was over-dried or is getting old.
What kind of leaf is black tea?
Black tea is made from the leaves of a bush called Camellia sinensis. It has caffeine as well as other stimulants and antioxidants.
How do you test the quality of tea leaves?
How do you determine tea grade?
Tea grades are used to identify the type and styles of dry tea leaf. Grading is done on the basis of the size of the leaf, types of leaves included in the tea mix, sheen or bloom on the leaves, aroma, taste and color of the liquor and other such parameters.
How do you test black tea?
Green tea should smell grassy, light and fresh, while black tea should smell earthy, floral and sweet. When steeped, excellent tea should be deeply aromatic and amplify the unique scents of the dry tea leaves. Taste: Great tea will have a strong, recognizable taste and mouthfeel.
How do you choose black tea?
How to choose a black tea?
- Ensure the dry leaves do not have any moisture or off-notes.
- Long, well-rolled and tippy tea leaves are considered to be of a superior quality.
- Look for strength and brightness in infusion.
- If you prefer a light black tea, opt for the ones made in spring and autumn.
The grades for whole leaf orthodox black tea are: Ceylon orange pekoe (OP) grades OPA—bolder than OP; long leaf tea which ranges from tightly wound to almost open FOP—Flowery Orange Pekoe: high-quality tea with a long leaf and few tips, considered the second grade in Assam, Dooars, and Bangladesh teas, but the first grade in China
What are the different leaf grades of dried tea?
Finally, the dried tea is sieved to separate the different leaf grades. The orthodox production method provides teas of all leaf grades: leaf, broken, Fannings and Dust. Leaf grades only refer to the leaf size, however: they are not necessarily an indication of the quality of the tea. CTC stands for crushing, tearing and curling.
What are tea leaf grading acronyms?
Tea leaf grading acronyms At its base we have the OP, which stands for Orange Pekoe and this is used to grade leaves in black teas. The word Pekoe most likely derives from Chinese pek-ho and refers to the silver hairs on leaves of certain types of tea bush.
What are the different grades of tea and how do they affect?
The tea grade also affects brewing. Whole leaves require the longest infusion times while fannings and dust infuse the fastest. The major classification of tea into grades are as — Whole leaf, Broken leaf, Fannings and Dust and then there are further classifications within them.