Type Of Tea

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Garden: The name originally given to tea growing plantations or estates (see photo above left). The Japanese cultivated tea gardens within their temples and palace grounds and had copied this idea from the Chinese. Today, the term estate has largely replaced garden and plantation. “Tea garden” was also used to describe London pleasure gardens in the 18th century where tea was served to both sexes.

Gongfu or Gong Fu: Meaning “performed with care,” this is a style of brewing with many repeated short infusions of leaf in a miniature pot.

Government Standards: Any foods imported into the U.S. must comply with the standards of purity, quality and fitness for consumption as defined by the tea examiners of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

Grade: The term used to describe a tea leaf or particle size of leaf.

Green: When applied to black tea it means an immature, raw character. Either the leaves were under-fermented, or were plucked from immature bushes and result in a raw or light liquor. Greenness can also be caused by poor rolling and underwithering during manufacture.

After brewing, the tea is green or yellowish in color and has nutty taste and a woody aroma. The principal grades of green tea are Twankay (the poorest kind); Hyson skin (the refuse of Hyson); Hyson, Imperial, and Gunpowder, all fine varieties; and Young Hyson, a choice tea made from young leaves gathered early in the spring. Because of the antioxidant levels and other suspected health benefits, green teas have been growing in popularity in the West. Varieties based on provenance and processing include Dragon Well, Genmai Cha, Green Peony, Gunpowder, Hojicha and Sencha. The water-extractable polyphenol content of green tea ranges from 30% to 40%; black tea has between 3% and 10%. Green tea should be brewed with water at 195°F.

Green Tea

Green teas: Yu Lan, Oasis (a proprietary blend of green tea, spring flowers and citrus), Sencha and Genmai Chai (with roasted brown rice). Photo courtesy of TeaForte.com.

Gunpowder Tea: A green Chinese tea which is rolled into a small, pellet-size ball and then dried. The finished tea has a grayish appearance similar in color to gunpowder. The pellets unfurl in hot water into a sweet and slightly smokey tea. The tight roll helps this and other pellet tea (like jasmine pearls) remain fresher longer. See photo at top of page.

Guricha: Guricha is a famous and unique form of Japanese green tea, created in a method that makes it look and taste similar to the pan-fired teas of China. “Comma”-shaped leaves are obtained by omitting the final kneading process.

Gyokuro: The top-grade Japanese green tea produced by a special process in the Uji district, which produces some of the finest green teas in Japan. Gyokuro is made from tea grown on shaded bushes so the tea leaves absorb more nutrition from the fertile soil. It can only be hand-harvested in certain areas of Japan once each year. After harvest, the top grades are held in cold storage for about six months before the final stages of processing are completed. Gyokuro has a rich jade-green color, a distinguished aroma, a rich, silky mouthfeel and a sweet taste. The name means “pearl dew” or “precious jade dew.”

Organic gyokuro tea from RishiTea.com.

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Type Of Tea & Tea Terminology

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