Black tea isn't made from green tea; rather, both black tea and green tea are made from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, but are processed differently. The key difference lies in oxidation.
Here's a breakdown of the process:
-
Harvesting: Both black and green tea start with the same tea leaves, harvested from the Camellia sinensis plant.
-
Withering: The freshly harvested leaves are spread out to wither, reducing their moisture content and making them more pliable. This step is common to both green and black tea production.
-
Oxidation (Fermentation): This is the crucial step where the paths diverge.
- Black Tea: The leaves are rolled, crushed, or torn to break cell walls and release enzymes that cause oxidation when exposed to air. This oxidation process, often referred to as "fermentation" (though it's not true fermentation), is allowed to proceed fully, typically for several hours. This turns the leaves a dark brown or black color and develops the characteristic flavor of black tea.
- Green Tea: Oxidation is prevented. Immediately after withering (or sometimes even before), the leaves are heated – typically by steaming (Japanese green tea) or pan-firing (Chinese green tea). This heat inactivates the enzymes responsible for oxidation, keeping the leaves green and preserving their fresh, grassy flavor.
-
Firing (Drying): After oxidation (or its prevention), the leaves are dried to reduce their moisture content further and stabilize them for storage.
-
Sorting: The dried tea leaves are sorted by size and grade.
In short: Green tea production prevents oxidation through heating, while black tea production encourages full oxidation.
| Feature | Black Tea | Green Tea |
|---|---|---|
| Oxidation | Fully oxidized | Oxidation prevented |
| Leaf Color | Dark brown or black | Green |
| Flavor | Stronger, more robust | Lighter, vegetal, grassy |
| Processing | Leaves are rolled/crushed/torn to oxidize | Leaves are heated to prevent oxidation |
| Camellia sinensis | Yes | Yes |
