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Welcome to Brew City Tea's new online tea community. Together we will learn of the benefits, discuss and taste various types of the Camellia sinensis plant and be able to share with others our interest in this very diverse plant. So heat the kettle, pull up a chair and start sipping the world's second most consumed beverage. I hope by gathering you to our new location, together we will learn more about the benefits and rituals of this intriguing plant.
Camellia sinesis, a warm weather evergreen, grows in various parts of the world. Depending upon how the fresh leaves of the plant are processed and the level of contact with oxygen determine the types of tea. After the fresh leaves have been picked, they may undergo a period of oxidation allowing a natural chemical reaction that result in a distinctive color and taste. Black tea is allowed to oxidize for two to four hours. Green tea is not oxidized at all; instead, the leaves are steamed, rolled and dried. Oolong tea falls somewhere between green and black tea as the tea leaves are only partially oxidized. White tea, which is fast-dried, is said to be the most delicate of tea as it is usually the bud and top leaf, the most tender part of the plant, that is picked. It is also because of this tender picking that white tea is believed to have the lowest amount of caffeine.
Grown in thousands of tea gardens around the world is what allows the variance in flavor. Tea is often compared to wine as the tea sometimes takes on its name from the district in which it is grown. A perfect example of this is Darjeeling, Margaret's Hope tea. Each district is known for producing tea with unique flavor and character. Where tea is grown, altitude and other environmental issues, affect the drink allowing for a unique flavor. Again like wine, some years certain tea is better than others. Tea is also divided by grades that are determined by leaf size. Smaller leaves or the dust as it is called is used in the tea bag, while the larger sized leaves are found in packaged loose-leaf tea.
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