Types of tea: BLACK

For a better understanding of the beverage we all love so much, one should be well informed about all the different types of teas. Let's start with one of the most common one, the black tea.

Black tea is more rich in flavor than oolong, green, and white teas, because it is more oxidized (fermented). This means that the leaves are left in in a climate-controlled room where they turn darker over time from the heat and humidity. Oxidation is highly responsible for the final taste of the tea, so it is important for the producer to stop it at the right time. Black tea is usually 100% fermented, meaning that the leaves will end up completely black by the end of the process.

Picture from NaturesTeaLeaf.com's catalogue.

Instead of boring you with the endless varieties of this type, let's take a look at different blends.

Earl Grey

This is probably the most well-known blend; black tea with bergamot oil. Bergamot is a type of citrus, or more specifically, a type of orange which is less sour than lemons but more bitter than grapefruit. It's also used in a Calabrian traditional medicine used to treat malaria, and in different aromatherapy applications.

English Breakfast

The most common type of tea in British tea culture (it's quite obvious from it's name). It was known under the simple name of Breakfast Tea for a while and got popular under Queen Victoria's reign. English Breakfast Tea is very rich and goes well with milk and sugar.

English Afternoon

Compared to English Breakfast tea, this blend is less bold, and more bright and refreshing.

Irish Breakfast

This is a very strong blend, usually served with milk, or with lemon and sugar. In Ireland milk and dairy products are traditionally a major part of the diet, so the flavoring variation is more common.

Masala Chai

A strong mixed-spice black tea, flavored with a mixture of Indian herbs and spices. Chai comes from the Persian  چای chay, which originated from the Mandarin word 茶 chá, which means tea (how disappointing!). It is usually sweetened and flavored with milk.

Source: http://tea.wikia.com/