Tea styles

Though there are many styles of tea, the following three account for most of the world consumption:

Green tea preserves some of the original qualities of the fresh leaf. It is made by cooking fresh or briefly withered leaves to inactivate their enzymes, then pressing them to release moisture, and finally drying them via hot air or a hot pan. "Pan firing" gives tea a characteristic aroma of roasted foods. In Japan, the leaves are steamed, so they have a more grassy flavor and green color.

Oolong tea is made by allowing modest enzyme transformation. The leaves are significantly withered, then lightly agitated and bruised. Enzymatic action occurs during the subsequent rest period, usually a few hours long. Once the bruised edges turn red, the leaves are pan-fired at high temperatures. The tea is rolled and dried at moderate temperatures, which gives it a light amber color and fruitful aroma.

Black tea undergoes profound enzymatic transformation. The leaves are withered for hours, rolled repeatedly, and air-dried at around 100 degrees Celsius. The tea develops a deep, dark color.

Other teas tend to be variations or additions to one of the above mentioned styles. For example, white tea is a version of Chinese green tea made almost exclusively from buds that are steamed and dried. Scented teas tend to be Chinese teas held for 8-12 hrs in containers with flowers such as jasmine, cassia bud, rose, orchid, and gardenia. They may include 1-2% flower petals. Other teas vary in the type of heat they receive, such as wood fires, or high temperature roasting.

Herbal tea, also known as herbal tisane, is made from ingredients other than the Camellia sinensis plant. There are three main categories: rooibos tea is primarily made from the South African red bush; mate tea is made from the South American Yerba Mate plant; and finally, herbal infusions are made from spices, fruits, flowers, or a variety of other plants.

Iced tea, the most popular form of tea in the US, is made from any kind of tea that is brewed and cooled. Black tea is most commonly brewed for iced tea. It was introduced by Richard Blechynden, a tea plantation owner who, in an attempt to promote his tea during the summer time, threw ice cubes in the mix and had people sample it during the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Rapid cooling from ice makes the brewed black tea cloudy as caffeine and theaflavin compounds complex and precipitate out. To avoid this, brew the tea at room temperature or colder over several hours. The long process extracts less caffeine and theaflavin, so when chilled, they do not complex and the liquid remains clear. Iced tea is often sweetened or flavored.