The World's Favorite Drink: Tea

One of the oldest beverages in the world is also one of the most popular drinks that consumers enjoy today - yes, we're talking tea! Thanks to its diverse flavors and functionality, there's a tea blend to suit any palate. That's also why tea has remained the world's second most widely consumed beverage, eclipsed only by water. If you've never given much thought to the history behind the brew in your cup, take a sip of this brief background on tea cultivation and how it has evolved into today's products. So, grab your favorite mug and settle in!

A Sip of History

Experts believe that tea originated in Southwest China, with the earliest evidence of tea drinking dating back to the 2nd century BCE. During this time, the first known accounts of tea cultivation were also recorded, primarily for medicinal purposes.

The development of continental trade routes facilitated the spread of tea throughout China, then surrounding Asian countries, and eventually made its way to Europe and the rest of the world. As tea became a unique custom for individual cultures worldwide, various production techniques emerged and were modernized for widespread commercialization.

Green Tea

The variations of a tea's color, aroma, flavor, and even caffeine content can be primarily credited to differences in the cultivation and processing of the plant.

The oldest recorded methods of tea production yield what we now call green tea. Mature leaves were typically steamed or dry-roasted, and then dried to preserve their freshness and prevent excessive oxidation. Steaming conserves brighter colors in the leaf, while dry roasting intensifies its flavor. This technique was perfected in the late 2nd century BCE, and since then, a great deal has changed in commercial tea products. However, this traditional technique has remained a blueprint for modern production methods.

Green tea typically contains less caffeine than black tea. The cultivation and processing styles can significantly impact the defining characteristics of a tea, yielding completely different tea profiles overall.

Matcha

Matcha is a variant of green tea that involves a special shaded growing period just before harvest. This allows the tea to develop higher levels of caffeine and L-theanine, the chemical compound that helps your body absorb caffeine more slowly. Matcha drinkers say that the addition of L-Theanine allows the energizing effects of caffeine to last longer, and create a less "jittery" experience. After harvest and processing, the leaves are ground into a fine powder that is then mixed directly into hot water or milk before being served.

Today, applications for matcha powder have expanded beyond traditional steeped teas to include a wide range of drinks and flavor additives. Some matcha enthusiasts claim that the drink's unique components can help reduce stress while enhancing alertness, mood, and cognitive performance.

Black Tea

Where green teas tend to be known for astringent, grassy, and light flavors, black tea can be described as dark, malty, and rich. You may recognize some of the world-famous black tea blends, including Chai, English Breakfast, and Earl Grey.

The process for making black tea is quite different than that of its green cousin. The first step is to bruise or tear the leaves to promote oxidation. During this period, the leaves turn from green to a brown or black color, allowing new aroma and flavor compounds to develop. Each tea producer controls the oxidation process differently to achieve their desired aroma and flavor.

Kombucha

For modern consumers, an increasingly widespread use of black tea is in brewing kombucha. This bubbly, fermented drink is widely beloved by its consumers due to the probiotic components introduced during the fermentation process, which are said to aid in digestion and promote gut health. Beyond this functionality, the fermentation process also introduces more unique flavors, which have helped kombucha brands establish a new frontier in the beverage space.

With the development of new, complex flavor profiles, Kombucha brewers have elevated their technique to a level comparable to that of craft beer. The growing product offerings on the market have served to meet the needs of consumers craving functional ingredients and even alternatives to alcoholic beverages.

Other Tea Varietals

While green and black teas may be the most familiar styles, there are thousands of other tea varietals around the world. Here are a few notable members of the tea family that we feel deserve an honorable mention. Each of these has specific production methods that combine elements of techniques used for both green and black tea production.

Oolong Tea

Classified as neither a green tea nor a black tea, Oolong tea is a semi-oxidized style that can widely vary in production methodology.

As with black tea, the amount of oxidation is closely monitored to achieve the producer's desired flavor. The leaves are then rolled into the shape of long curls or small beads with a tail—the production techniques used for Oolong tea yield flavor characteristics that are a blend of both green and black tea.

White Tea

White tea is made from the youngest leaves of the tea plant. This sometimes includes unopened buds covered in fine white hairs- hence its name.

In the production of this "unoxidized" tea, the young leaves are treated like those of green tea leaves, skipping the step where they are rolled and allowed to dry in direct sunlight. It offers a mild flavor profile, complemented by complex, fruity, and floral undertones.

It's clear that tea, in all its forms, is a prominent pinnacle for all of the beverages we know and love today. As functional drinks continue to grow in the consumer market, the tea category is likely to become a hub for innovations that attract an entirely new generation of drinkers!

Have a great drink idea? Flavorman can help you bring it to life. Give us a call at (502) 273-5214 or contact our team through this webform.