Tea Glossary
At Fine T, we realise that not everyone has the same knowledge of tea that we have. The Fine T Tea Glossary will help you learn more about some of the commonly used tea terms, and what they mean to you.
Browse the Tea Glossary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Afternoon Tea
Afternoon Tea is a quintessentially English tradition, of a light meal of sandwiches, scones and cakes, taken with tea, during the afternoon. There are many hotels and other venues that are famous for their afternoon teas. This is also a good way to discover new Fine Teas to try.
Aroma
Different sorts of gourmet teas have different aromas. As with wines, teas from different countries have different characters, different tastes and different aromas.
Assam
Assam tea is a malty Black Tea which can be drunk all day. The region of Assam in India also produces a much smaller quantity of Green Tea and White Tea. It’s also often blended with Darjeeling Tea , Ceylon Tea and African Teas to make a typical English Tea.
B
Blackcurrant Tea
Blackcurrant Tea is a Black Tea flavoured with blackcurrant, and has a very satisfying fruity taste.
Black Tea
Black Teas arefully oxidized after picking, unlike White Teas and Green Teas. There are many Health Benefits associated with drinking Black Tea.
Blend
Blended tea is a mixture of different types of tea. Different blends each have their own individual character. English Teas area popular blended teas.
Brew
A brew is another name for a cup of tea.
Brewing
The process of leaving the tea to infuse in the water. Steeping is another word for brewing.
C
Caffeine
A cup of tea contains around half the caffeine of a cup of coffee, which means that tea can be drunk all through the day without the effects that drinking coffee all day can produce. The effects of caffeine are also regulated by the presence in tea of ‘theanine’, an amino acid that calms us but helps us stay focused.
Camellia Sinesis
The botanical name for the tea plant.
Ceylon
The production of Ceylon Tea started after Scotsman James Taylor planted the first tea estate in Ceylon in 1867. He also perfected the fine plucking technique of two leaves and a bud. Ceylon Tea became popular thanks to its taste which is due to the combination of the climate and the land. Ceylon Tea is often blended with Assam Tea, Darjeeling Tea and African Tea to create English Tea.
Cup of Tea
A cup of tea is the perfect way to start or end your day, and can be drunk at any time of the day. A cup of tea is also the answer to many of life’s problems!
D
Darjeeling
Darjeeling tea is reckoned to be the finest tea, and it has a unique taste that can’t be replicated. This Indian tea is often said to be the Champagne of teas. Darjeeling is sometimes blended with Assam Tea and Ceylon Tea to create English Tea.
Digestion
Teas can be drunk after a meal as an aid to digestion.
E
Earl Grey
Earl Grey Tea refers to a tea that has been flavoured with bergamot oil, which produces a quite sweet and mellow drink that is refreshing without being overpowering. Earl Grey can be drunk without milk and sugar, and is a good tea for the novice tea drinker. Some people take their Earl Grey with lemon.
English Teas
English Teas are usually a blend of Assam Tea, Darjeeling Tea and Ceylon Tea or a blend of Assam Tea, Ceylon Tea and African black teas. It’s a great tea to start the day with, and can be drunk as an aid to digestion
F
Fannings
Fannings are the tiny broken leaves that are used in Tea Bags. Because the leaves are broken, they brew more quickly and give colour and strength but lack the subtlety that can be brewed from fine loose leaf tea.
Fine Tea
Fine Tea is loose tea, rather than tea in Tea Bags. The majority of tea drunk is made with tea bags, but more and more people are discovering the taste, aroma and other benefits of good quality fine tea, and are switching to loose tea.
First Flush
First flush is the first growth of the season and often produces the best quality tea due the slow growth of the plant
Flush
The flush is the new leaf shoot of a tea bush. This consists of two leaves and a bud, which are then used to make quality teas. It usually takes around 40 days for a leaf bud to develop into a shoot, depending on the climate.
Fruit Teas
Fruit teas are not teas, but are fruit infusions, as they are not made from the tea plant, Camellia Sinesis. This applies to herbal tea as well, which is a Herbal Infusion.
G
Gourmet Tea
Gourmet Tea is another way of describing loose tea, or fine tea. Like wine, different teas from different countries taste different, and people who know their teas know which teas they like, and why they like them.
Gourmet Tea Gift Pack
A Gourmet Tea Gift Pack makes an ideal present for a tea lover. It will contain different sorts of tea, suitable for different times of the day. These tea packs are ideal for those who are looking to try different sorts of loose tea, or are experiencing gourmet tea for the first time.
Green Teas
Green Teas are increasingly popular, and are often mentioned in the media, thanks to the many documented Health Benefits. These health benefits include helping to prevent the spread of cancerous cells and reducing the effects of arthritis. Green tea is also proving to be very popular with those looking to Lose Weight.
Gunpowder Pinhead
Gunpowder Pinhead is a Green Tea that has its leaved rolled into little pellets that look like lead shot, hence its name. Gunpowder Pinhead is a light smooth drink, that doesn’t have the acidity associated with some green teas.
H
Health Benefits
Tea is reckoned to have many health benefits. Studies have shown that drinking Black Tea, White Tea or Green Tea can help to prevent heart attacks and strokes, can reduce cholesterol, and can speed up metabolism. There are also lots of other health benefits to drinking tea.
Herbal Infusions
Herbal Infusion sare the proper name for herbal teas. Herbal teas are not made from Camellia Sinesis and so are not teas.
Herbal Mint
A Herbal Mint Infusion is a good aid to digestion and so is often drunk after meals.
I
Infusion
Infusion is the proper name for fruit teas and herbal teas. As they are not made from the Tea Plant, they are not teas.
J
Jasmine
Jasmine Tea is a Chinese Green Tea from the Anhui Province, and flavoured with jasmine petals, to give a refreshing taste. This green tea is also a great aid to digestion.
K
L
Lemon
Lemon can be added to Earl Grey Tea instead of milk.
Loose Teas
Loose Teas are the alternative to using Tea Bags. The vast majority of tea bought is in tea bags, for convenience. However, for the tea lover, loose tea provides a much better tea than tea bags and is the tea connoisseur’s choice.
Liquor
Liquor is the actual drink that is created by infusing the tea in the water.
M
Milk
Milk is normally added to the English Breakfast type teas made with tea bags. A lot of fine Gourmet Teas are not taken with milk as it lessens the taste and texture of the tea. Black Teas can be taken with milk, but lemon is often preferred.
N
O
Online Tea
Online Tea retailers can provide a wider range of loose teas than a supermarket, and you’ll often get your teas at a much better price too.
P
Pai Mu Tan
Pai Mu Tan Tea consists of unopened leaf buds and one or two new leaves. This White Tea is similar in colour to white wine, and has a flavour and aroma of honey and white fruits.
Puerh Teas
Puerh Teas are aged for as long as 50 years to give an earthy mellow flavour. They are made in Yunnan Province of China, and the best are made from the leaves of ancient tea trees.
Premium Tea Gift Pack
A Premium Tea Gift Pack is the perfect way to get the loose tea you love at great prices. You’ll get teas suitable for the morning, the day time and for relaxing during the evening.
Q
R
Relax
A cup of tea is a great way to relax after a hard day at work, and can really help you to unwind.
Rooibos
Rooibos is a South African Herbal Infusion that has calming and relaxing properties, and is commonly given to children. Rooibos makes a good alternative to strong herbal infusions.
S
Sambancha
Sambancha is Japanese for third tea, or third plucking.
Sencha
Sencha is the name given to spring-picked Japanese green teas. The majority of exported Japanese teas are Sencha.
Sencha 2nd Flush
Sencha 2nd FlushTea is produced in many regions of Japan, and has an aroma that smells like freshly cut grass. It’s also a good source of antioxidants and can help to boost the immune system.
Speciality Tea
Speciality Tea is another name for Loose Tea. Some tea drinkers will want to try the more exclusive teas, or try different blends in order to find their idea of the perfect cup of tea
Steeping
Steeping is the process of infusing the tea in the water, otherwise known as brewing. The length of steeping time varies from tea to tea. Getting the time wrong will mean that the tea doesn’t taste as good as it should do.
Steeping Times
As different teas need different steeping times, it is important to get it right for each tea. As a rough guide, Green Teas need 1-3 minutes, White Teas take 4-8 minutes, Puerh Teas need 1-8 minutes, Black Teas need 3-5 minutes and Fruit Infusions and Herbal Infusions require 5-8 minutes.
T
Tea
Tea is made from the tender leaves and bud of the plant Camellia Sinesis. It is then steeped in hot water and drunk. The Steeping Time and Water Temperature depend on the sort of tea.
Tea Bags
Most people use tea bags to make their tea, but Loose Tea is increasing in popularity. As more and more people are experiencing the superior taste of loose tea, they are being lured away from tea bags, and towards loose tea.
Tea Club
Joining a Tea Club is a great way to discover new teas, and find out more about the teas you enjoy drinking. You might also get special offers or discounts for being a tea club member.
Tea Gift Packs
Tea Gift Packsare a great introduction to Loose Tea, and will make an ideal present for somebody who knows and likes their teas.
Tea Lover
A Tea Lover is somebody who knows their tea, appreciates the differences between different sorts of teas, and probably doesn’t make their tea with tea bags. Tea Lovers rarely add milk and sugar to their tea
Tea Machine
The Tea Machine is the best way to make the perfect cup of tea. This programmable tea maker takes all the guesswork out of making fine tea, and gets it right every time. All you need to do is tell it what sort of tea you are using and it will do the rest. There’s no more having to remember the right Water Temperature and Steeping Time.
Tea Making
Making tea using gourmet tea, rather than tea bags, is more involved but definitely more rewarding. To some people, tea making is a science; to the Japanese, tea making can be ceremony and an almost spiritual experience. You don’t have to take your tea making to this level to enjoy it, but you might!
Tea Pot
A tea pot is the perfect vessel for making loose tea in.
Tea Strainer
A tea strainer is the best way to ensure that you don’t get tea leaves in your tea. You can choose from a tea strainer that is used over the cup, like a sieve, or put your tea in a special chamber inside the tea pot which allows the tea to infuse.
Tip
The tip is the bud leaf of the tea plant. This part produces the finest flavour.
U
V
Variety
If you like different teas, why not have a selection of different teas, such as in a Gourmet Tea Gift Pack or a Premium Tea Gift Pack.
W
Water
The water used for making tea does affect the taste of tea. If you water quality is affecting the taste of your tea, you can use a water filter.
Water Temperature
Getting the water temperature right is vital when making tea. If the water is too hot or too cold, it won’t taste right.
Black Tea and Pu-Erh Tea can be made with water at 95ºC, Green Tea is best made with water at about 60-75ºC, and White Tea is best at around 80ºC. As there are so many herbal infusions and fruit iInfusions available, the right temperatures for these drinks will vary. You may need to experiment in order to get the right temperature for your perfect drink.
Weight Loss
Drinking Green Tea and Oolong Tea is reputed to be helpful for those people looking to lose weight as they speed up metabolism, and through thermogenesis, which is the process of heat production. Drinking 5 cups of Green Tea a day can burn 70-80 additional calories. It can help, but drinking tea alone is not a miracle aid for weight loss.
White Tea
White Tea is not as popular as Black Tea or Green Tea, but is packed with a higher level of antioxidants. The younger the leaves or buds when they are picked, the higher the level of antioxidants and White Teas are made from very young buds and leaves. White Tea leaves are only harvested for a short length of time in the spring, and are then dried in natural sunlight.
Workplace
Many workers enjoy a tea break, away from the computer screens, machinery or busy phones. A cup of tea is a great way to relax and also catch up with the latest news from colleagues.
X
Y
Young Pu-Erh
Young Pu Erh Tea, like other Pu Erh Teas, has a mellow and smooth taste. In China, this tea is sold as a medicinal beverage, as it is said to help metabolise fats, aid digestion, and can prevent hangovers if drunk before going to bed.