Fa Jiao: The Oxidation Step That Makes Black Tea
The defining step for red tea is oxidation, fa jiao (发酵), and it is the longest controlled wait in tea.
Tag: Fermentation
Key Process Points for Red (black) Tea
Red tea is made on four control points, and the process is unusually well understood at factory scale.
How Red (black) Tea Is Made Across Regions
Zhengshan Xiaozhong from Tongmu in the Wuyi mountains is the oldest style, and it is smoked over pine.
Red (black) Tea: Hand-Made Versus Machine-Made
Rollers do the rolling, chambers do the oxidation , and dryers do the firing in almost every factory.
How Black Tea Is Made: Step-by-Step Process
Wither brings the leaf down to roughly 60 per cent moisture, soft enough to roll without shredding.
The Plucking Standard for Red (black) Tea
What leaf is picked for red (black) tea, and why the plucking standard drives grade.