A hot cup of tea is always a pleasure — but a question many people ask is what are the general differences between green tea and black tea?
The answer is quite straightforward and the science behind it is surprisingly simple, especially as both types of tea come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis.
A quick briefing. Camellia sinensis, the tea plant native to the China region, has been enjoyed for millennia whilst spreading to many parts of the world, becoming culturally significant in some areas. There are two main varieties of tea plant, C. sinensis var. sinensis and C. sinensis var. assamica. Each has different characteristics, enjoy different growing conditions and have many cultivars.
But back to the main topic. Both green tea and black tea begin as the young leaves of the tea plant and are available in a wide range of grades. Higher grade teas are picked by hand whilst commercial grade teas are picked by machine. After plucking, the young leaves are allowed to wither - but that’s where the similarity ends.
Once plucked, green teas are quickly steamed or pan-roasted to halt oxidisation and preserve their green soul. In other words, application of heat stops the natural oxidisation process and 'fixes' green chlorophyll, the organic compound responsible for photosynthesis. Without the quick application of heat, green tea left unchecked would slowly become black tea.
Green tea tastes fresh and vibrant and may be grassy or floral, nutty, sweet, fruity, toasty and even lightly earthy and spicy. The diversity of aroma and flavour is thanks to the terroir, growing conditions, cultivar, timing of the pluck, leaf age and selection, fixation method and shaping of the fixed leaf before final drying.
With a wide range of options to choose from, green tea prefers a gentle 80°C brew temperature and can be enjoyed over one or two brews or even infused repeatedly, if brewed for short intervals, where the character develops with each brief infusion.
The leaves for Black tea, on the other hand, are withered for much longer, losing around 50% of their moisture before being rolled under pressure. Rolling bruises and tears the leaves encouraging oxidisation - the same process of natural browning you see occurring to a slice of apple.
Bruising methods and timings vary. Mass market commodity teas often destined for teabags are heavily bruised to speed up oxidisation. Smaller productions are rolled under a lighter pressure with oxidisation levels being monitored closely by tea masters. At the required time hot air is applied to complete the drying process and the leaves are often passed over a series of sieves to achieve final grading.
Black tea blends are hugely popular worldwide and single leaf types have huge range of flavour possibilities depending upon the production method. Black tea may be bold and robust, malty and sweet, smoky, woody, refreshing and pleasantly astringent. Commodity teas are often simply bold and malty with a high astringency, lending themselves to enhancement with milk and sugar.
The strong flavours of black tea shine when brewed at a 100°C, with lower grade tea best brewed once. Higher grade loose leaf black tea may be brewed once, or repeatedly in short bursts where its multi-layered diversity develops with each infusion. Black tea is known as red tea in China.
Green and Black possibilities
Both green and black tea are delicious brewed in cold water. Cold brew keeps beautifully in the fridge - make a concentrate and serve over lots of ice or sparkling water for a refreshing summer cooler or a soft drink option at meal times.
Whatever your preference, the finest teas are loose leaf – vibrant, versatile and enjoyed the world over.
Explore our fascinating variety of green and black teas at The Tea House.
