Puerh Tea is a unique tea that traces its origin to the Puerh town in Yunnan province. It is most outstanding brewed in freshly boiled water in a porcelain or Yixing teaware at 90º C to 100ºC. Ideally, the tea should be brewed in a wide teapot so that the leaves get sufficient space to expand and release their unique flavor.

After brewing in boiling water, the tea appears dark red in color, and has an earthy taste.

Unlike other teas that lose their freshness and flavor with time, the flavor and taste of Puerh tea gets better with age. That is why the merchants save a small proportion of this tea from each harvest to sell later at high prices — very much like good wine.

The tea, which has recently started gaining popularity in the western world, is harvested from a very ancient strain of tea having broad leaves. It is generally not sold as loose leaves; instead it is compressed and then sold. The compression takes location during processing, where the processors press the leaves using different moulds to give the compressed tea a wide range of shapes. The popular shape is that of ‘tea bricks’, which was once used as a currency. To make tea from this brick, you need to scratch off some tea from this brick and put it in your teapot.

Puerh is usually collected from old plants. The broken or oxidized leaves are removed, and only those leaves that are full and green are retained for processing. The leaves are then boiled till 90% of the moisture is removed. They are then left to wither in the hot sun.

After this, the leaves are graded and steamed into various shapes and then stored in a dry environment for several years. The leaves that break off during processing are sometimes sold off as loose Green Puerh. However, these leaves do not command the same price as the compressed Puerh tea.

The Puerh tea not only has a unique taste but it also has medicinal value. According to researchers, Puerh tea reduces cholesterol. It also helps in digestion of fatty foods and should ideally be taken after a heavy meal.

The Chinese had unceasingly liked this tea. It is now being accepted in western markets too. However, it is yet to break into the big league.

Tealeaf grading is done in different ways in different countries. The most popular way to grade tealeaves is according to the leaf size. The tea can then be whole leaf, broken or small leaf, fannings & even dust. Usually the leaves with the most “tip”- the term used to indicate leaves plucked from the very top of the plant – receive the highest rating.

The following are the most popularly accepted gradings for Black tea, Green tea and Oolong tea:

Black tea grades: The first grade of black tea is called OP or Orange Pekoe. This comprises the most terrific and most tender leaves, plucked from the tips of the plant’s young shoots. The other grades are:

• Flowery Orange Pekoe (FOP): This comprises fine, tender, young leaves rolled with a sure proportion of “tips”.
• Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (GFOP): As the name suggests, this is FOP with “golden tips”.
• Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (FTGFOP): This grade is of exceptional quality FOP
• Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (SFTGFOP): This tea is considered the very best FOP. A large proportion of leaves have golden “tips” in this grade of tea.
• Pekoe (P): These are shorter, less fine leaves without “tips”.
• Flowery Pekoe (FP): These comprise of leaves rolled into ball shape.
• Pekoe Souchong (PS): It is made of shorter, coarser leaves.

• Souchong (S): It is made of large leaves rolled lengthwise, and is generally used for smoked teas.
• Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe – A BOP with more tip than the FBOP.
• Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe (FBOP): Larger than the standard BOP, this grade often contains leaves with brown and silver tips.
• BOP: Broken Orange Pekoe – This is the smallest of leaf grades. It gives good colored strong liquor
• BP: Broken Pekoe – This comprises of very short, even, curly leaves.

The other grades are: Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings, Broken Orange Pekoe Dust, Pekoe Dust, Red Dust, Super Red Dust, Fine Dust, Super Fine Dust and Golden Dust.

Green tea grades: These are graded by the quality of their flavor, the location of growth and the way the leaf is flushed or picked. The general categories in different countries are:

Japan: Extra Choicest, Choicest, Choice, Finest, Fine, Good Medium, Medium, Good Common, Common, Nubs, Dust and Fannings.

China: Gunpowder, Imperial, Young Hyson, Hyson Twanky, Hyson Skin and Dust.

India: Fine Young Hyson, Young Hyson, Hyson No.1, Hyson, Soumee, Fannings, Dust.

Oolong tea grades: These follow the following descending order grading system developed by the Taiwanese government: Standard, On Good, Good, Fully Good, Good Up, Good to Superior, On Superior, Superior, Fully Superior, Superior Up, Superior to Fine, On Fine, Fine, Fine Up, Fine to Finest, Finest, Finest to Choice.

The tea clippers sailed the high seas for less than two decades. But in this brief period in the middle 19th century they captured the imagination of the entire world. They became the symbols of romance and glamour, of speed and courage, of seamanship and racing skills.

The London docks would be lined by cheering public when the tea clippers would be towed in loaded with precious tea. The cheers were not for the cargo alone but for the speed with which the clippers made their journey from China to Britain.

The clippers that landed first had their cargos lifted at a premium, and their sailors rewarded and feted for having beaten the rivals on the high seas. The entire journey of the clippers would be telegraphed back to Britain from several points en route, and the closer the clippers came to the British shores the talks in pubs and cafes would focus on the racing clippers.

The credit for building the first clippers went to Americans. These were fast and slender ships with narrow hulls that were deeper at the back than at the front. The speed came from the acres of sails tied to tall masts that were whipped by strong sea winds. The first ‘true” clipper was Rainbow. It was built in 1845 and clipped two weeks on its first sail from New York to Canton.

The repeal of British navigation Laws in 1849 made it possible for American tea clippers to ferry tea from China to Britain. With this was born a fierce rivalry between the sea crews to bring the first tea harvest home from China. The rivalry was egged on by the British merchants who wanted to be the first to sell fresh Chinese tea, and were willing to pay high premiums for it.

Their imaginations were fanned by Oriental, an American tea clipper that took 97 days to reach London from Hong Kong. As against this East Indiamen – that were ferrying tea till that time — used to take nine to 10 months to make the same journey.

In 1851, a British ship owner Richard Green decided to take on the sleek American clippers. He had a new clipper built to beat the American ships. This clipper was named Challenger. Its first voyage from Canton to London coincided with that of Challenge, an American clipper. The passage evoked mass hysteria across Britain, and huge amounts were bet on the two ships. The fact that the British Challenger could beat Challenge by two days led to widespread revelry and jubilation.

For almost two decades after this there was much fanfare associated with the arrival and departure of tea clippers. Unfortunately, this glorious era came to an end with the opening of Suez Canal, which made it possible for steamships to sail from London to China. The tea clippers fell into disuse; today, only stories of their incredible feats remain.

There are seven tea brewing tips that can add extra flavor to your tea. These are:

1. Quality of the tea: Never compromise on the quality of tea. Value the pleasure more than the price. You must remember that tea that costs $100 per pound, only costs 50 cents per cup when steeped.
2. Quality of the water: After tea leaves, this is the most important ingredient. Make sure that you use fresh, clean water and not filtered or distilled water. Also, avoid boiling water because boiling expels oxygen and makes the water go flat. It is most terrific to steep tea in water that is not fully boiled.
3. Correct measurement: You can standardize your flavor by using a tea balance. The best brews are made by using Two.5 to 3 grams of leaves per 5-six ounces of water.
4. Correct steeping temperature: Different teas require different steeping temperatures. : If you are a meticulous person and love your morning or evening tea then you must purchase a thermometer. Use it to infuse tea at the right time. Here are some widely accepted steeping temperatures:
   • Black tea should be made with water at full boil — that is 212 degrees.
   • Oolong tea should be made between 190 and 203 degrees.
   • Green tea should be made with slightly cooler water — between 160 and 180 degrees.
   • White tea is brewed best in water whose temperature ranges from 150 to 160 degrees.
   • Herbal teas should be made in boiling water.
5. Correct steeping time: This is another important parameter. You can use the following yardsticks while deciding the time that suits you best:
   • Black tea should be steeped for Four-Six minutes.
   • Oolong teas have different steeping times. Some need to be brewed for 3-4 minutes, while others may need 6-8 minutes. You have to find the right time through experimentation.
   • Green teas don’t take much time. They are ready for serving in 2 to 3 minutes.
   • White teas are the most delicate. They should not be steeped for more than 2 minutes.
   • Puerh teas are hard teas and should be steeped for least Seven-8 minutes.
6. 6. Space to expand: You should never cramp the tea leaves. Make sure that there is enough space in the infuser for the teas to expand. It is best to infuse tea in kettle because the tealeaves can easily expand to three times their size, releasing the stored flavor and aroma. This does not happen in the case of tea balls.
7. 7. Storage: Finally, don’t forget storage. The tea loses flavor if it is exposed to oxygen and light. To enjoy your tea longer make sure that you keep it in an airtight, opaque container. The dark colored and tightly rolled teas will stay fresh for more than 6 months.

The origin of the humble teapot is clouded in mystery. The most common theory is that either the teapot design was borrowed from the Islamic coffee pots or the globular Chinese wine vessels of the mid 1600s.

Historically, the European teapots were made of a heavy cast with short, straight, replaceable spouts unlike their Chinese counterparts, which were similar to the wine pourer. There were also octagonal & melon shaped teapots as well as plant or animal shaped teapots. However, Europe at this time did not have the porcelain technology to produce a quality teapot.

The East India Company started directly commissioning Chinese artists and craftsmen, using patterns sent from England. These designs fell into four main areas: mock-ups of Oriental designs, designs adapted from European prints, armorials and innovative designs

The production of teapots began in full swing in Europe in the early 18th century when imperial craftsmen found that the clay near Meissen, Germany, produced porcelain that could be compared to the most outstanding Chinese porcelain. They therefore started using it to make teapots. The Baroque and Rococo designs were also adapted into porcelain along with some pear shaped designs. Interestingly, at this time spouts of the teapots were shaped as dragons and handles were elaborately engraved with scrolls and similar designs.

The 1730s saw the introduction of silver teapots. The globular teapots were phased out and the straight-sided silver teapots became the rage. The 1770s saw another innovation. This was the arrival of the oval teapot. This was followed by footed teapots, which were manufactured to protect tabletops from being scarred by heat.

The 19th century teapot designs reflected every major trend in Victorian art and craft styles including Renaissance, Gothic, Chinese, Moorish and Japanese. The 20 th century designs returned to simpler forms and functionality became important. However, in between there were periods when imagination took wings.

For instance, there was a period in 1920s when square-shaped “cube teapots” were introduced. Then came teapots that were shaped like racing cars, railroad engines, airplanes, and even tanks. This happened during the 1930s. Fortunately there was not much innovation after that though the 1970s witnessed the return of teapots shaped like animals.

Even today teapots continue to come in different shapes and sizes. But their basic function remains the same: to pour tea in cups placed in a tray or on a table.

There are many benefits of green tea. The ancient Chinese knew several of these while a few have been established by recent research. Together, they make compelling reason to switch to green tea.

Green tea among other things:

• Lowers cholesterol & serum triglyceride levels and prevents their oxidation
• Slows arthritis by preventing inflammation
• Prevents the growth of cancer cells and kills existing cancerous cells
• Assists weight loss by increasing the metabolism rate and fat burning capacity of body
• Reduces the risk of colon, breast, and lung cancer
• Boosts the immune system
• Helps in the prevention of tooth decay.

Green tea’s beneficial qualities come from powerful antioxidants like polyphenols (catechins) and flavonols. In fact, a cup of green tea contains more antioxidants than a dish of broccoli, spinach, carrots or strawberries. These antioxidants keep the DNA intact and stabilize the cell membranes.

Drinking green tea after having a good meal is considered a boon because green tea prevents excess cholesterol from entering the bloodstream. Green tea also retards the conversion of cholesterol into clogs. Besides this, EGCG in green tea retards the growth of cancer cells by binding to a specific enzyme, especially in case of prostate, breast, and lung cancers.

The consumption of green tea or its extracts by patients of pre-cancerous prostrate is also believed to retard the development of cancer. Green tea is also good for smokers. Research shows that smokers who consume green tea are much less likely to develop lung cancer than smokers who don’t consume green tea.

Green tea, when taken before menopause, dulls breast cancer pain and also reduces the chances of recurrence. Women who drink green tea are 50% less likely to develop breast cancer. Green tea also provides chemicals that bind estrogen, which is then not free to stimulate breast cancer cells.

Those who have been struggling to drop extra pounds find the green tea supplement especially useful. The extract boosts the metabolism rate by as much as four.five%, and helps obese men and women to cut fat by releasing antioxidants in the bloodstream.

A few therapists even advice taking two capsules of green tea extract a day. According to them, the capsules are equivalent to 20 cups of green tea in terms of the health benefits. But they don’t make your mornings as fresh as a steaming cup of green tea.

One of the most prized professionals in a tea plantation is the tea taster. It is this individual who judges the taste & flavor of each brand of tea. Based on this individual’s verdict a company goes ahead and markets the tea.

The tea tasters take years to perfect the art of tasting. They hone their senses of smell, sight, touch and taste to pick up the finest nuances of a tea’s flavor, aroma, color, viscosity etc.

The tea tasting process is like a ritual. The samples are arranged in a row or roughly a round table. Each sample is numbered, and placed next to the tea taster’s lidded cup and bowl. A row of steaming kettles is kept almost the table for the tea taster to infuse the tea.

The tea taster first examines the tealeaves. This is both a visual and a physical examination. The leaf is then transferred to the lidded cup and the tea taster pours boiling water from a kettle. The infusion time is normally six minutes, but a tea taster can change the infusion time.

The liquor is then transferred to the bowl, and the lidded cup is turned upside down. The wet leaves that fall on the lid are then examined by the tea taster. The taster also examines the liquor for color, aroma and viscosity.

Now, the tea taster is ready for the final act, of tasting the tea. The tea is scooped with a special spoon and sucked at a speed that is around 125 miles per hour. The sucking produces a loud, slurping sound, which is not pleasant but which sprays the liquor in a fine, thin mist to all parts of the mouth. It is this spray that becomes the tea taster’s final sample. The tea is then expelled in a gaboon, or a spittoon, and the tea taster gets ready to taste the next sample.

On an average a tea taster tastes 15 to 20 samples. Each sample is tasted twice, the first time to get rid of the flavor of the last sample and the second time to assess the actual qualities of the sample. The tasters enable the liquor to cool slightly before they slurp it. However, even then the tasters are used to getting the insides of their mouths scalded.

Good tea tasters are in great demand. They also command a high price. & why not. The art of tea tasting is unique. Very few people can do it. Those who can make full use of this skill.

Tea tasting is a process by which tea tasters determine the character, quality, and value of tea. The tasters examine the tea both before and after preparation, and then give their verdict. This is a very specialized task and very few are equipped to do it.

The physical examination gives the tasters an idea about the presence or absence of fiber, dust and stalk as well as the care taken in sorting and grading. New teas do not crumble easily when pressed in hands while the aroma from the warmed teas helps in distinguishing between Oolongs, Ceylons, Javas, Africans, Indians, and most black teas. This process also helps in determining the tea quality.

The open, flat leaves infuse quickly while the well-twisted leaves take longer to yield the full flavor. The taster then sniffs the aroma and looks at the infused leaf for color, evenness, and brightness. A bright, penny-coppery-colored infused leaf indicates good quality black tea; a dull-brown color is a sign of poor liquor; while mixed, uneven, and green color indicates that the liquor is raw or thin in taste.

Now the taster checks out the liquor itself in bright and consistent light. Light, bright greenish-yellow liquor indicates quality, body, strength, and pungency in green tea; dark or brownish-yellow color often indicates old or poor leaf. Young green teas yield very light liquors, while the finest oolongs have a pale amber color; Darjeeling tea yields light colored liquor.

Finally, the tasters proceed to the actual tasting of tea. This is the final confirmatory step that verifies or nullifies the physical indications. The tea is normally tasted at 106 degree to 110 degree Fahrenheit. Astringency or pungency of tea is not a taste, rather a sensation felt on the gums and cheeks. The body, or thickness, of the tea is determined by the weight or viscosity experienced when the liquor is swirled roughly in the mouth. The real sensation of tea is experienced more by the nose than mouth.

The flavor judging system – the nose and tongue – is one of the most sensitive of all our senses and therefore fatigues easily. Thus a taster can taste a maximum of two to 3 dozen varieties of tea in a day, after which he or she is required to rest for around 50 hours to remove any previous impressions. Each tea expert specializes in a particular flavor or odor, and should not be used to test tea out of his group — if he or she is to deliver the most terrific results.

The tea connoisseurs love their tea black; but there are millions of others who can’t have tea without milk. Over the centuries, these tea lovers have developed their own brand of milk tea, each peculiar to their region and taste buds. The simplest is tea with milk. Then comes Indian chai, tea latte and masala chai. Each has its own recipe, and its own flavor.

Tea with milk is also known as separate tea because the tea brew and milk is served separately. It is for the tea drinker to decide the right proportion of milk and tea. It is also for the tea drinker to decide whether to pour tea first or milk first. Some love to pour the golden yellow brew on steaming milk while others like to do the reverse.

Unlike coffee, cream is greatest avoided when having separate tea. It dilutes the flavor. Also, when going for tea with milk avoid oolong or green teas. These teas should be had without milk.

The Indian chai is an omnibus name for all kinds of milk tea served across the Indian peninsula. This tea is brewed by tossing tea leaves into a kettle of boiling water, allowing it to simmer and then adding milk and sugar. The brew is removed from the gas stove when the milk boils, and poured into a teapot or mugs that may be of porcelain or steel.

This tea is usually strong, milky, and sweet. In fact, the commercial stalls that serve Indian chai rarely change the tea leaves. They continue to add water and milk for each new serving, making the concoction bitter and strong. This tea is largely sold at roadside tea stalls, markets and commercial centers.

The Masala Chai is the America version of milk tea known simply as “chai.” This tea is prepared like Indian chai but also uses spices, such as cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, and so on. Pre-mixed packets of spicy chai have made the brewing of this tea easier.

Tea latte is another milk-based tea brew that is becoming increasingly popular on the West Coast. It is a strong tea with steamed milk and flavored syrup. The two popular syrups that are used for making tea latte are almond and vanilla. The syrups are largely used to enhance the flavor of the drink, very much like in the case of coffee. However, when selecting a syrup it is important to avoid strong syrups because they kill the taste of tea.

If you love milk in your tea then you decidedly need to explore these varieties.

White tea is tea made by steaming and drying new growth buds and young leaves to inactivate polyphenol. Before steaming, the buds are protected from sunlight to prevent chlorophyll formation. Similarly, the leaves are plucked young so as to retain high concentrations of catechins.

The name White tea comes from the silvery white hairs that cover the little buds giving the plant a white appearance. The most popular bushes from where these leaves are plucked are Da Bai (Large White), Xiao Bai (Small White), Narcissus and Chaicha bushes.

For centuries, White tea has been identified with the Chinese province of Fujian. This tea too has medicinal properties like green tea. In fact, some suggest that White tea is more powerful when it comes to preventing stomach tumors or cancer.

White tea is considered to be the first tea consumed in the world. It is made with the least amount of processing, a fact that makes it medically more useful than all other forms of tea. Later, green tea was developed by using a process of steaming and roasting and black tea by semi-fermented or fermented methods.

The way White tea is brewed is also slightly different. It should never be boiled in water. Instead the tealeaves should be added to hot water and left to steep for five to 8 minutes. Unlike other teas, you need to add a large amount of leaves.

There are several varieties of White tea reachable in the market. The most common ones are:

1. Chinese White Teas: These include:
   • Bai Hao Yinzhen: The Bai Hao Yinzhen is fleshy, bright colored and covered with tiny white hairs. It has a uniform shape with no stems or leaves. It uses only the undamaged and unopened buds.
   • Bai Mu Dan: A grade down from Bai Hao Yinzhen tea, it has the bud and 2 leaves covered with a fine, silvery-white down.
   • Gong Mei: This uses leaves from Small White tea trees, and forms the third grade of White tea.
   • Shou Mei: This is a fruity, furry White tea with tips and an upper leaf. It has a stronger flavor than other White teas. It is the fourth grade of White tea and may be dark in color.
2. Ceylon White: The Ceylon White tea gives a very light liquor with a touch of pine and honey. It has a golden coppery infusion.
3. Darjeeling White: This is a pale golden brew with a mellow taste having a hint of sweetness and a delicate aroma. For strong flavor, a little extra tea needs to be added to the infuser.