Tea
Varieties, processing, terroir, and ceremony. The depth of the world's most consumed beverage.
What's covered
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01
Classification
Green, white, oolong, black, and pu-erh: how oxidation defines category
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02
Processing
Withering, rolling, oxidation, firing: from leaf to finished tea
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03
Regions
Fujian, Darjeeling, Assam, Yunnan: the world's great tea-growing areas
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04
Brewing
Gongfu cha, water temperature, steeping times, and the art of infusion
Tea is the world's most widely consumed beverage after water, and its subject matter spans botany, chemistry, geography, and ritual. The six major categories (green, white, yellow, oolong, black, and pu-erh) are defined by oxidation levels and processing methods, each with dozens of regional subcategories and production styles.
Formal tea education is increasingly sought after by professionals in hospitality, retail, and production. Mastering tea knowledge means moving beyond names and flavors to understand why different teas behave the way they do, and active testing across terminology, geography, and processing is the most direct way to get there.
Frequently asked questions
- What makes green tea different from black tea?
- Oxidation. All true tea comes from Camellia sinensis; the category is set by how far the leaves oxidize after picking. Green tea is heated early to halt oxidation, black tea is fully oxidized, and oolong sits somewhere in between.
- Is herbal tea really tea?
- Strictly, no. True teas come from Camellia sinensis. Herbal infusions like chamomile, rooibos, and peppermint are tisanes — they contain no tea leaf. Tea study focuses on the six Camellia sinensis categories.
- What is gongfu brewing?
- Gongfu cha is a Chinese method using a high leaf-to-water ratio and several short infusions from a small vessel, revealing how a tea evolves across steeps. It contrasts with the single long steep common in the West.