BhakTea's Profile

Bio

TYPES OF TEA
All types of tea (not counting herbal teas) come from the same plant: Camellia sinensis. The different varieties of tea come from various ways the plant is grown, harvested, and processed. There are many variables that can affect the plant, such as soil composition, elevation, amount of sunlight, amount of water, time of harvest, etc. Because these factors have an impact on he final flavor, many varieties of tea are named after the region where they are grown (Assam, Darjeeling, Ceylon, etc.).

WHITE TEA
White tea is the uncured, unoxidized, unfermented leaves of Camellia sinensis. White tea is typically made up of young leaves and buds, and as such can sometimes have less caffeine than other teas. A study at Pace University in 2004 showed white tea had more anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities than green tea.

GREEN TEA
Green tea is made from mature leaves of Camellia sinensis that has undergone minimal oxidation during processing. The primary difference between green tea and white tea is that white tea is made from young leaves and buds, while green tea is mature leaves.

OOLONG TEA
Oolong tea is partially oxidized leaves of Camellia sinensis. The leaves are partially sun-dried so they wilt, and then bruised to aid in oxidation. Once the desired level of oxidation is reached, the process is stopped by the application of heat. The leaves are then roasted in low heat to completely dry them.

BLACK TEA
Black tea is the fully oxidized leaves of Camellia sinensis. The leaves are prepared similarly to Oolong, but the oxidation process is extended.

PU-ERH TEA
Pu-erh is a very unique tea. It is made from either black or green tea, and is slightly fermented, then pressed under great weight into cakes. These cakes are then aged for several years to bring out its characteristic deep, earthy flavor. It is the only tea that actually increases in flavor and value as it ages. Much like wine, Pu-erh tea is commonly sold by vintage, with very old cakes sometimes selling for thousands of dollars.

HERBAL TEA
Herbal tea, also known as Tisane, is an infusion in water of any plant other than Camellia sinensis. All of our tisanes are caffeine-free, with the exception of Yerba Mate, a South American staple. For that reason, we have put all of our Yerba Mate blends in their own category.

ROOIBOS
Also in its own category is South African Rooibos (pronounced roy-boss). Rooibos is Afrikaans, meaning "red bush." Popularly known as "red tea", rooibos is one of our favorite herbals, and has a deep, earthy flavor that we find very satisfying. Rooibos also comes in different varieties, depending on oxidation. Traditional "red" rooibos is fully oxidized like black tea, while "green" rooibos is unoxidized like green tea. Unless otherwise specified, all of our rooibos blends are made with oxidized "red" rooibos.

Male, Born on July 9

Favorite Materials

Licorice, Mint, Ginger, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove, Jasmine, Green Tea, Yerba Mate