The world’s most popular flavored beverage comes from a single plant grown on six continents and may be languishing in your pantry right now. It’s tea, a prismatically delicious drink that’s thousands of years old and made into about as many distinct varieties. There’s a lot more to it than big tea companies would have you believe—and a lot fewer rules than Downton Abbey suggests.
Okay, but what even is tea in the first place?
All tea, whether it’s floral Earl Grey or roasty hojicha, begins with a single shrub—Camellia sinensis—that’s native to a subtropical stretch of land between present-day India and China and also includes areas of Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. The young leaves of that plant are full of compounds that, when manipulated by skilled hands, can become a delicious caffeinated brew. Much of that transformation comes down to oxidation, the same reaction that’s responsible for browning on a sliced apple.
There are hundreds, even thousands, of distinct tea styles, but most fall into one of these six categories:
If you apply high heat to a tea leaf within a few hours of picking, you’ll halt oxidation, thereby preserving its fresh green flavor and vegetal aroma. Green teas are almost completely unoxidized. They tend to taste, well, green. This is one of the oldest types of tea, and up until a few hundred years ago, the most commonly consumed.
These teas are all about simplicity. Leaves destined for white tea are simply picked and withered until they dry, sometimes with an oven or fan but never with elaborate processing. Since they aren’t exposed to high heat, they oxidize a bit while drying, giving them a floral aroma and creamy texture distinct from green teas and other types.
More oxidized than green teas but less oxidized than black teas, oolong teas are carefully withered, rolled, squeezed, and roasted to develop complex flavors ranging from fresh butter and daisies to hickory nuts and coffee. While all good teas can be steeped multiple times, some oolongs don’t reveal their full potential until five or six brews in.
Black tea leaves are nearly 100% oxidized, which creates rich fruit and malt flavors along with a crisp tannic backbone. Black tea production began in China and is now the tea of choice for the Americas, Europe, and parts of Asia and Africa.
This style, uncommon outside of China, includes some of the world’s most expensive and beloved teas, like pu-erh and liu bao. Post-fermented teas undergo oxidation as well as bacterial and fungal fermentation to develop a gut-soothing brew with deep earthy flavors. These teas are often aged for years or even decades to further improve their flavor.
Brews such as chamomile, mint, and rooibos aren’t technically teas, as they’re not made from leaves of the tea plant. They’re sometimes called tisanes, though if you’d rather call them tea colloquially, no one’s gonna stop you!
Herbal teas take many forms beyond the common mint and chamomile. Try linden, chrysanthemum, and elderflower for a naturally honeyed and floral cup. Greek mountain tea and lemon balm are great for brisk refreshment. Or, if you can handle some caffeine, seek out yaupon and guayusa (two members of the holly family native to the Americas), which yield snappy tealike brews. And if you’re a die-hard coffee person, roasted grain teas like barley, buckwheat, Job’s tears, and corn silk from Korea and Japan make for toasty brews.
Where can I get good tea?
For better tea, skip the supermarket! The best teas come from dedicated tea sellers who work directly with farmers. There’s never been a better time to buy tea online—here are some retailers to try:
- Camellia Sinensis: Its expansive collection includes great sample sets that can guide you through the world of tea
- Kettl: If you love green tea and matcha (or have a thing for beautiful ceramics), this Japanese tea specialist is for you
- Eco-Cha: Based in central Taiwan with a heavy focus on the country’s famous oolongs, it provides the perfect introduction to this varied and delicious category
- In Pursuit of Tea: Its wide selection of traditional teas come from China, Japan, and the Himalayas, and it also carries chai blends and esoteric herbal brews
- White2Tea: It specializes in post-fermented pu-erh from Yunnan, China, as well as intriguing white and black teas.
- Happy Earth: A great place to find single-estate teas from the renowned Darjeeling region as well as some unusual finds
What about loose leaf tea vs. tea bags?
For economy and consistency, tea bags are generally filled with chopped leaves and powdery particles that steep quickly for a bold but one-dimensional flavor. So if you’re looking to explore the incredible world of traditional teas, upgrade to loose leaf. While great quality tea is available at every price point, you won’t often see it cramped into bags—those leaves need room to unfurl.
What is the best temperature for tea?
Water temperature matters, but it’s not like all black teas have to be steeped at one temperature and all greens at another. Most quality teas can handle a wide range, so steep according to your personal tastes. In general, brewing with lower temperatures like 170° will yield sweeter and more delicate flavors—nice for most greens and whites but also for some fragrant black teas and oolongs. Temperatures closer to boiling, on the other hand, will brew bolder, with a richer texture and more astringency. This is where black teas tend to thrive, but some greens, whites, and oolongs also taste best when brewed this way. The choice is yours!
There’s a lot of stuff in water that can affect the taste of your tea too. A good rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t drink your local tap water on its own, try using a charcoal filter before you brew it into tea.
Can you re-steep tea?
Quality whole-leaf teas are made to be re-steeped! Some last two or three brews; others, including many oolongs and fermented pu-erhs, can run for a dozen.
- Shake out every last drop from your previous pot to keep the next round from turning bitter.
- Refill your pot with water heated to your choice of brewing temperature.
- Add 30–60 seconds to your previous steep time and repeat!
