Tea (Camellia sinensis): Black Tea

Last Updated: Aug. 19, 2010

Black tea is tea that has been fully oxidized (sometimes referred to as being "fermented" although it is not a true fermentation process). Both the leaves and brewed tea tend to have a dark color, although some black teas are golden in color. In Chinese, black tea is called hóngchá(紅茶), meaning red tea, although in English, red tea more often refers to rooibos, an herbal tea that is not made out of the tea plant. Black tea typically stays fresh longer than green or white teas (see storing tea). Black tea also tends to contain more tannins, chemicals giving the tea its characteristic dark color.

Black tea is the most popular and widespread style of tea in the world and makes up the bulk of the world's tea production and consumption; outside of southeast asia, most of the tea produced and consumed is black tea.

Black tea is grown in many countries and comes in many styles and grades; it is hard to generalize about the flavor or aroma of black teas. It is a widespread assumption that black teas are stronger, more bitter, and more heavily caffeinated than green teas; this is not true: green teas can be quite bitter, and black teas can be mellow. The strength of tea depends both on how it is brewed and the style and grade of tea used.

The caffeine content also varies greatly from one tea to the next and depends on how the tea is brewed--and it is not safe to assume that black tea contains more caffeine than green or other types of tea. In general, black teas with more tips / leaf buds such as golden monkey are the most heavily-caffeinated of black teas, and souchongs, made out of larger leaves, are less caffeinated.

In general, black teas should be brewed with boiling water, although a few of the more delicate black teas should be brewed with water slightly below the boiling point.

Listings of this style of tea: (1021 including sub-styles - hide sub-styles)

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	Tea:	Brand:	Region:	# Ratings:
	Savoury Lapsang Souchong	The Tea Set	China	0
	Sensual Keemum	The Tea Set	China	0
	Russian Caravan	Peet's Coffee and Tea	China	1
	ZS85: Organic China Lapsang Souchong	Upton Tea Imports	China	1
	ZS20: Lapsang Souchong	Upton Tea Imports	China	0
	ZS55: Lapsang Souchong Gao Ji Organic	Upton Tea Imports	China	0
	ZS80: Lapsang Souchong Imperial	Upton Tea Imports	China	0
	ZS90: Lapsang Souchong Black Dragon	Upton Tea Imports	China	0
	ZK05: Season's Pick Keemun BOPF	Upton Tea Imports	China	1
	ZS50: Season's Pick Lapsang Souchong	Upton Tea Imports	China	0
	#134 - Keemun Supreme	Tealuxe	China	0
	#135 - Golden Monkey	Tealuxe	China	0
	#141 - Lapsang Souchong Imperial	Tealuxe	China	0
	English Breakfast	Harney and Sons	China	0
	Keemun Hao Ya A 2009	Plymouth Tea Company	China	0
	Russian Caravan	Choice Organic Teas	China	0
	Lapsang Souchong Tea Bags	Taylors of Harrogate	China	0
	Keemun-Extra Choice	Murchie's Tea & Coffee Ltd	China	0
	Keemun-Choice	Murchie's Tea & Coffee Ltd	China	0
	Lapsang Souchong Extra Choice	Murchie's Tea & Coffee Ltd	China	0

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