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:
	Golden Monkey Black Tea	Teavana	Fujian, China	2
	Lapsang Souchong - Smoky Tarry	Numi Organic Tea	Fujian, China	0
	China Golden Needles 1st Flush	Plymouth Tea Company	Fujian, China	0
	Lapsang Souchong	ITO EN	Fujian, China	0
	Lapsang Souchong Superior Extra Choice	Murchie's Tea & Coffee Ltd	Fujian, China	0
	Lapsang Souchong Choice	Murchie's Tea & Coffee Ltd	Fujian, China	0
	Lapsang Souchong	Lupicia	Fujian, China	1
	510 China Golden Monkey (Fujian)	SpecialTeas	Fujian, China	0
	Lapsang Souchong	Tea Forté	Fujian, China	0
	594 China Golden Buddah	SpecialTeas	Fujian, China	0
	Lapsang Souchong	LeafSpa	Fujian, China	0
	Golden Monkey Paw	California Tea House	Fujian, China	1
	Organic Golden Monkey	Admari Tea	Fujian, China	0
	Lapsang Souchong	Admari Tea	Fujian, China	0
	Lapsang Souchong	California Tea House	Fujian, China	1
	Lapsang Souchong Black Tea Grade II	Life in Teacup	Fujian, China	0
	Original Lapsang Souchong Black Tea | Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong	Canton Tea Co	Fujian, China	0
	Bai Lin Gong Fu Black Tea	Canton Tea Co	Fujian, China	0
	Lapsang Souchong No. 210	Kusmi Tea	Fujian, China	0
	Tarry Souchong	Kusmi Tea	Fujian, China	0

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