Tea by Type: Black, Green, Oolong, White

Tea bags versus loose tea
Although tea in tea bags is readily available on supermarket shelves and in gourmet shops, the range of bagged tea is limited, compared with that of fine, loose-leaf tea. Moreover, the tea leaves in bagged tea tend to be cut or chopped to maximize surface area and reduce brewing time. Be sure to check out my wisdom about brewing a great cup of tea, where you'll find that brewing tea from loose leaves can be much more convenient than you might think.

What's the difference between black, green, oolong, and white teas?
All "tea" that isn't herbal tea or botanical tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis bush. The leaves are oxidized to varying degrees during processing, and it is the degree of oxidation that determines whether a tea is termed "black", "green", "oolong", or "white". Teas within each category vary considerably with respect to aroma, flavor, bitterness, and – of course – color of the brew. Such teas may be flavored dried herbs, fruits, or botannicals.

So many teas, so little time
We tigers have tried many a tea, and each of us has his or her favorites. I encourage you to try as many different teas as you can, preferably brewed from loose leaves. Some tea vendors sell "sampler packs" that offer limited quantities of a variety of loose teas – a good way to get started.

Click on one of the links below for more specific information on each of the types of tea.