Tea Flagstaff

Tea Flagstaff

Our Teas

The leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant are the source of all tea. By changing the leaf’s chemical and shape, a process unromantically referred to as “processing” or “manufacturing,” many varieties of tea are created.There are five fundamental phases in the processing of tea; some teas don’t use them all, while other teas repeat them numerous times.

Plucking, Withering (letting the leaves wilt and soften), Rolling (to form the leaves and squeeze out the juices), Oxidizing (see below), and Firing are the basic processing steps (ie: Drying).

The most important component, which establishes the various types of tea, is oxidizing. After the cell walls are torn away, oxidation happens when the enzymes in the tea leaf interact with oxygen. This may occur swiftly through rolling, cutting, or crushing, or it may occur more gradually through the leaf’s natural disintegration. Actually, a slice of fruit exhibits the same procedure. An apple will gradually turn brown if left unattended. The apple will brown much more quickly if it is cut or bruised.