Black tea is consumed on a daily basis in Japan.
It is a standard menu item at coffee shops and cafes, and canned or bottled drinks can also be purchased at convenience stores and vending machines.
We all drink tea without thinking much about it, but have you ever wondered or researched what kind of drink it is?
You may know that black tea is just one of many types of tea, but how much do you know about how it is made and where it comes from?
This blog will cover various topics related to "black tea", as well as touching on the characteristics and appeal of "Japanese black tea" made in Japan.
First, let's introduce some basic knowledge about tea and answer some simple questions.
Black tea and green tea come from the same trees and leaves
First, the difference between black tea and green tea.
There may be more than a few people who think that there are "black tea trees" and "green tea trees"...
In fact, the raw material for both is the same "tea plant" (Camellia sinensis), which belongs to the Theaceae family.
This means that both black tea and green tea can be made from the leaves of the same tree.
The difference between the two is whether or not they are fermented.
So, what is the specific difference between black tea and green tea?
The difference lies in the process that takes place after picking.
First, in the case of green tea, the tea leaves are immediately steamed at high temperature after being picked.
The key point is that the heat penetrates into the tea leaves by steaming.
After that, it is kneaded repeatedly to remove moisture, then shaped into a long, thin shape and dried to complete the process.
The color of the tea leaves remains green.
On the other hand, black tea does not require a high-temperature steaming process.
The tea leaves are dried in the shade and then rolled, during which time they undergo rapid oxidation.
This process is called "fermentation."
Once kneaded, the dough is left to ferment for a while and then dried with hot air to finish.
Black tea leaves turn red, which is proof that fermentation has progressed.
The reason why the color of green tea does not change is because heat was applied at the beginning to stop the fermentation process.
Should the tea leaves be steamed immediately after picking to stop fermentation, or should they be processed without being steamed and allowed to ferment?
This is a big difference between black tea (fully fermented tea) and green tea (unfermented tea).
What creates the unique aroma of black tea?
Black tea is made from fermented tea leaves, but fermentation is not necessarily a bad thing.
Fermentation produces the aromatic compounds that are unique to black tea.
The aromatic components vary and differ depending on the place of origin.
It has floral, fruity and even menthol scents.
These are produced during the fermentation process, and the components contained in the leaves give the leaves a variety of unique aromas.
It is thanks to the fermentation process that we can enjoy the wide range of flavors and aromas of black tea.
Which country produces the most tea?
According to the Japan Tea Association, the total annual production of black tea in the world in 2022 will be approximately 3.52 million tons.
By country, India ranks first, with annual production of 1.3 to 1.5 million tons.
Following them are Kenya, China, Sri Lanka, Türkiye and Indonesia.
By the way, China is the overwhelming number one producer of tea overall, but in recent years, its production of black tea has also increased significantly.
In contrast, Japan's annual black tea production is around 250 tons.
There is a big gap with India, so why is there so little tea production in Japan?
Next time: Why is Japanese black tea production so low? >>
