Whole-leaf grades
| Grade | Description |
| OP | Orange Pekoe Main grade, consisting of l ... |
| OP1 | More delicate than OP; long, wiry leaf w ... |
| OPA | Bolder than OP; long leaf tea which rang ... |
| OPS | Orange Pekoe Superior Primarily from Ind ... |
...
Black Tea Leaf Grades.
| P | Pekoe | smaller, shorter leave than OP |
|---|---|---|
| FTGFOP | Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe | Better quality TGFOP teas |
What makes a good grade of tea?
Generally, the more whole the leaf is and the more buds it contains, the higher the grade of tea. There is no uniform grading system for green teas, but the better quality green consists of a leaf and bud, then two leaves and a bud and so on.
What is the grading system for tea?
There are different systems for tea grading, but one particular system, using letters, is in fairly widespread use. Broadly, tea is classified as Orthodox or CTC (Crush-Tear-Curl). This grading system is typically only used for black tea, and even then, not for all black teas.
What are the different grades of Japanese green tea?
Here are the basic grades you'll see for the most part: S encha (decocted tea): The first and second flush of green tea made from leaves that are exposed directly to sunlight. This is the most common green tea in Japan. The name describes the method for preparing the beverage.
What are the different grades of broken leaf tea?
Broken leaf grades Grade Description BT Broken Tea Usually a black, open, fleshy ... BP Broken Pekoe The most common broken peko ... BPS Broken Pekoe Souchong Term for broken pe ... FP Flowery Pekoe High-quality pekoe. Usuall ... 6 more rows ...
What are the 4 main grades of tea?
Tea Grading and Sorting Explained There are 4 basic groups in orthodox production: Leaf, Broken, Fannings and Dust. These categories specify and indicate the different leaf sizes and associated strengths.
How is tea divided into grades?
In the tea industry, tea leaf grading is the process of evaluating products based on the quality and condition of the tea leaves themselves. The highest grades are referred to as “orange pekoe”, and the lowest as “fannings” or “dust”.
What are the six main categories of tea?
And it's the processing of the tea leaves, not the type of plant, that determines the six types of teas:White tea.Green tea.Yellow tea.Oolong tea.Black tea.Dark tea (or post-fermented tea)
What is the lowest grade of tea?
Dust –DThere are five main grades for classifying tea and these are: Dust –D This is the lowest grade in the classification of Black tea. Actually it consists of small pieces of tea leaves and tea dust.
Which grade of tea is best?
Pekoe means teas picked as 2 leaves and a bud. OP, or Orange Pekoe, is a full-leaf tea with no tip or buds....Black Tea Leaf Grades.PPekoesmaller, shorter leave than OPFTGFOPFinest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange PekoeBetter quality TGFOP teas6 more rows
How can you tell good quality tea?
As you steep the tea, the leaves should unfurl slowly. Touch: In general, high-quality dried tea leaves should feel how they look: smooth, whole and sturdy. It should also have a slight heft in your hands; if your tea feels feather-light, it may be an indication that it was over-dried or is getting old.
What type of tea is Royal Tea?
Royal Tea is a blend of earl grey tea, cardamon pods and honey. Perfect for a day of relaxing or just needing something to warm you up. Great flavor and takes minutes to make.
What type of tea is oolong?
Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea. It's made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, the same plant used to make green tea and black tea. The difference is in how the tea is processed. The process of oxidation is what creates green, dark, or oolong teas.
What kind of tea has the least caffeine?
White Tea. This type of tea has the least amount of caffeine out of all teas with only 15 to 30 milligrams per eight ounce serving. White tea is known to be one of the most delicate tea varieties because it is the least processed.
Why is it called orange pekoe?
The Dutch royal family was of the House of Orange. In the 1600s the company brought teas to Europe and the best of the black teas was reserved for the royal family. When it was introduced to the public, it became known as the 'orange' pekoe, associating it with royalty!
Which is better orange pekoe or black tea?
While the grade can have an impact on the flavor, aroma and sweetness of the tea, it doesn't have an effect on the health benefits. In other words, orange pekoe cut black tea has the same health benefits as any other grade of black tea.
Is orange pekoe and black tea the same?
Orange Pekoe, as a term, is a grade of black tea used in the traditional colonial tea grading. It is not a particular flavour or style, but rather refers to the terminal bud leaf pluck, typically along with the top two leaves.
How is tea graded in Japan?
In Japan, they will simply grade a tea by the part of the tea tree it was harvested from and a few other variations in harvest. And sometimes they using Indian grading methods for Chinese tea. Let's stick to the most popular types of terms you may encounter:
Why are Chinese teas so unique?
Chinese teas are unique in the fact that the country is large and there are many growing regions. Each growing region has its specialty and cultivated practices that can span thousands of years. Comparing Chinese teas from two different growing regions is like comparing apples and oranges.
What does FOP mean in tea?
Tea makers then add modifiers to describe the leaf in more detail: FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe, meaning some of the leaves look open like crushed flower petals) or GFOP (Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - there are lots of golden leaves in the tea). The idea is that more descriptors indicate "better" quality, or a more fancy tea.
What is S encha tea?
S encha (decocted tea): The first and second flush of green tea made from leaves that are exposed directly to sunlight. This is the most common green tea in Japan. The name describes the method for preparing the beverage.
Where is tea harvested?
In addition to tea size, there is also the time of year a tea is harvested. In Darjeeling, a mountainous region of India, tea leaves are harvested throughout the year. Each seasonal harvest, or flush, has a different flavor. The early spring First Flush has a light aroma and subtle flavor.
Does flavored tea make a difference?
Depending on the application, tea grading and names may not make a huge difference. A flavored blend for example, doesn't really require the highest grades of tea. However, as you drink more tea you may appreciate some of the distinct notes on the higher end products, whereas other teas it may not make as much difference. A lot of it has to do with the individual drinker and their preference.
Is Chinese tea rated Orange Pekoe?
Because of this, there is no standard Chinese grading like the Orange Pekoe system, although sometimes Chinese teas will be rated using Orange Pekoe terminology. For Chinese teas, its' all in the name. Many Chinese teas are graded by number with #5 being the lowest grade and #1 being the better grade.
What does the grade of tea mean?
The grade reflects the caffeine content of a tea to a large degree. Because leaf buds contain more caffeine than mature leaves, tippy teas like TGFBOP contain more caffeine than OP or FOP grades; similarly, Souchong grades, made out of larger, older leaves contain even less caffeine. Grade also affects brewing.
What is the best grade of black tea?
OP - Orange Pekoe - This is the "standard" or most common grade of black tea. However, most companies selling "orange pekoe" tea in teabags are actually selling more broken grades. OPA - Orange Pekoe A, A long-leaf tea with large, thick leaves, that can be either tightly-wound or more open.
What is whole leaf tea?
Whole leaf tea refers to tea that has not been broken or torn during production. The size and shape of the leaf varies widely, both as a function both of the types of leaves used, and how it is processed. SFTGFOP1 - Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, Grade 1 - Usually the highest grade of tea for sale.
What is CTC tea?
CTC (crush-tear-curl) tea is tea that has been produced by a modern, mechanical process that tears the leaf in order to induce oxidation, rather than manually rolling it to bruise the leaf, as in the production of orthodox tea.
What is a fine powder made of tea particles?
Dust is a fine powder, much finer than fannings, made of tea particles left over from producing higher grades of tea. Tea made by pulverizing larger pieces of leaf or the tea plant, such as Matcha, is not classified as dust. OPD - Orange Pekoe Dust. BOPD - Broken Orange Pekoe Dust.
What teas are good for multiple infusions?
Whole-leaf teas are also best for multiple infusions, although most of the teas that are used for multiple infusions are not graded according to the system on this page. The letter abbreviations can also be confusing, as the letter F can mean "Flowery", "Fine", or "Fannings".
Can you mix grades with M?
Rarely, grades can be mixed, and labelled as such with the letter M. For example, BOPSM could be used to represent a broken-leaf mix of Orange Pekoe (BOP) and Souchong (S). In practice, you will never see loose-leaf tea dust for sale; it is typically sold wholesale and packed into teabags.
What is a fanned tea?
Fannings are small pieces of tea that are left over after higher grades of teas are gathered to be sold. Traditionally these were treated as the rejects of the manufacturing process in making high-quality leaf tea like the orange pekoe. Fannings with extremely small particles are sometimes called dusts. Fannings and dusts are considered the lowest grades of tea, separated from broken-leaf teas which have larger pieces of the leaves. However, the fannings of expensive teas can still be more expensive and more flavourful than whole leaves of cheaper teas.
What does "pekoe" mean in tea?
When used outside the context of black-tea grading, the term “pekoe” (or, occasionally, orange pekoe) describes the unopened terminal leaf bud (tips) in tea flushes. As such, the phrases “a bud and a leaf” or “a bud and two leaves” are used to describe the “leafiness” of a flush; they are also used interchangeably with pekoe and a leaf or pekoe ...
What is the lowest grade of tea?
Fannings and dusts are considered the lowest grades of tea, separated from broken-leaf teas which have larger pieces of the leaves. However, the fannings of expensive teas can still be more expensive and more flavourful than whole leaves of cheaper teas.
What is black tea grade?
Black tea grading. In the tea industry, tea leaf grading is the process of evaluating products based on the quality and condition of the tea leaves themselves. The highest grades for Western and South Asian teas are referred to as "orange pekoe", and the lowest as " fannings " or "dust". Pekoe tea grades are classified into various qualities, ...
What is a fanned tea?
Fannings. Fannings are small pieces of tea that are left over after higher grades of teas are gathered to be sold. Traditionally these were treated as the rejects of the manufacturing process in making high-quality leaf tea like the orange pekoe. Fannings with extremely small particles are sometimes called dusts.
How are pekoe tea grades classified?
Pekoe tea grades are classified into various qualities, each determined by how many of the adjacent young leaves (two, one, or none) were picked along with the leaf buds. Top-quality pekoe grades consist of only the leaf buds, which are picked using the balls of the fingertips.
What is Pekoe tea?
Robert Morrison (1782–1834) in his Chinese dictionary (1819) as one of the seven sorts of black tea "commonly known by Europeans". This refers to the down-like white "hairs" on the leaf and also to the youngest leaf buds.
What is a tea infuser?
Because of the small size of the particles, a tea infuser is typically used to brew fannings. Fannings are also typically used in most tea bags, although some companies sell tea bags containing whole-leaf tea. Some exporters focus primarily on broken-leaf teas, fannings, and dusts.
What is the grading system for a leaf?
Grading is based on the "size" of the individual leaves and flushes, which is determined by their ability to fall through the screens of special meshes ranging from 8–30 mesh. This also determines the "wholeness", or level of breakage, of each leaf, which is also part of the grading system.
What is the least complicated tea?
The least complicated class of tea to describe but not the least difficult to produce. The manufacture of White Tea is an ancient process. White tea in its original , pure form consists of only the tender unopened bud sets of particular varieties of China tea bush plants that are cultivated especially for this class of tea. White tea has a specific geographical terroir, style, flavour and definition.
What is the most popular tea in the world?
BLACK TEA. The most popular class of tea outside of Asia is the most popular tea in the world. This incredible leaf is known as Black Tea. The Chinese in their early colour-based system of identifying tea by the colour of its brewed liquor identified his as Red Tea. Black Tea is not fermented, it is oxidized.
What is CTC tea?
Instead of undergoing the traditional rolling process, CTC teas are put into cutting machines that chop the tea and distribute the cell sap over the surface of the finely cut bits of tea. Unlike the internal cell sap changes brought on by the rolling of orthodox teas, the cutting machines do not allow for the natural internal changes within ...
Why is green tea so fascinating?
The purpose of the first step in green tea manufacture is to prevent oxidation and to preserve its appealing green colour.
What is oolong tea made of?
Oolong teas are made from large tea leaves and the finished tea varies in appearance, ranging in colour from rich chestnut brown to greenish-grey. Some oolongs have long, slightly twisted leaves that just barely curl up on the ends, while other oolongs have been loosely folded, and still, others have been compressed into small irregularly shaped balls. In most cases, fine oolongs require several infusions for the leaves to unfurl to their fullest extent.
Does drying tea help with astringency?
The drying process also keeps the soluble solids of the fresh leaf`s juice intact, inside the leaf structure, where they contribute to the flavour, possible astringency and overall healthfulness of the tea manufactured. The fresh leaf that develops into green tea should be dried quickly, completely and thoroughly.
Is white tea a de-enzyme?
In white tea manufacturing, there is no de-enzyme, but there is slight oxidation. All types of white tea are believed to contain slightly less caffeine and fewer polyphenols than other forms of tea, but this analysis is difficult to duplicate consistently because of the many variables involved.
What is cafe grade tea?
Cafe: Cafe grade has a very robust flavor, making it the perfect grade for baking and cooking. Ingredient: Ingredient grade is mixed with older tea leaves—that have stronger flavors—and also help give it more of a thicker consistency, which is why it’s ideal for using in recipes that contain dairy products. Kitchen: Kitchen grade is produced ...
What are the grades of Matcha tea?
The two main Matcha tea grades are ceremonial and culinary, but culinary is further divided into 5 grades: premium, cafe, ingredient, kitchen and classic.
What does matcha tea taste like?
The leaves used and the process of creating the powder are what help give ceremonial grade Matcha tea powder its vibrant green color, fine texture, naturally sweet flavor and a pure taste. This grade, in powder and tea form, often smells like freshly cut grass, but it should never feel gritty.
Does food grade smell like grass?
This lower-priced food grade will also smell like fresh grass and should have a soft feel to it. And while its green color isn’t as vibrant, it’s still a fairly bright green, and culinary grade actually has a higher antioxidant level than ceremonial grade.
Can you drink Japanese tea outside of tea ceremonies?
But you can drink it outside of tea ceremonies. This grade is produced from the youngest tea leaves. With each leaf, its stems and veins are removed, and then the leaves are ground up using stone.
Is matcha green tea a culinary grade?
Culinary, or food, grade isn’t a low-quality tea by any means. This type of Matcha green tea is simply made different and has different uses and flavors than ceremonial grade. Like it’s name suggests, culinary grade is meant to be used for baking and cooking. While you can drink this grade, it’s better not to since its strong ...
How many grades of matcha tea are there?
The world of marketing has created much confusion about the different grades of matcha tea. Before the ad agencies and accountants got involved, there were basically only two grades, ceremonial and everything else. To be fair, traditionalists usually recognized three different grades. There was “ceremony grade” matcha tea, “cooking grade,” and an in-between category called either “premium” or “select.” Some of this terminology still exists today, though retail sellers outside Japan tend to use all sorts of convoluted vocabulary to describe the teas they sell.
Is matcha tea organic?
Each of the three main grades of matcha tea is sold as both an organic and non-organic product. This is a recent development, as world marketing trends have begun to latch onto the term “organic” and imply that it is always a superior choice. This is not always the case, with matcha tea or with other food substances. However, teas that are certified organic will have been grown and harvested without the use of insecticides and artificial chemical sprays and additives, in most cases.
