þÿ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <title>A Tea Glossary</title> <META NAME="Description" CONTENT="A Tea Shoppe's complete glossary of tea and tea related terms." <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> <link href="1.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /> </head> <body> <div id="container"> <div id="subpage"> <h3>A Tea Shoppe Glossary</h3> <p> <b>agony of the leaves:</b> the unwinding of twisted leaves during steeping<br /><br /> <b>anhui:</b> a major black tea producing region in China<br /><br /> <b>aroma:</b> fragrance of brewed leaves. Tea contains about 300 components many of which have desirable aromas<br /><br /> <b>assam:</b> tea grown in Assam, India. These teas are known for their deep red infusions<br /><br /> <b>astringency:</b> the drying sensation in the mouth caused by teas high in unoxidized polyphenols<br /><br /> <b>autumnal:</b> tea produced late in the growing season<br /><br /> <b>bakey:</b> overfired teas<br /><br /> <b>banking:</b> retention on the drained leaves of considerable liquor which may only be squeezed out<br /><br /> <b>basket-fired:</b> japanese tea that has been cured in baskets by drying<br /><br /> <b>bergamot:</b> essential oil of the bergamot orange used to make Earl Grey tea<br /><br /> <b>billy:</b> Australian tea pot<br /><br /> <b>biscuity:</b>teas that have been fired well<br /><br /> <b>bitter:</b>An unpleasant taste associated with raw teas<br /><br /> <b>black:</b> tea that has been dried after the fermentation period<br /><br /> <b>blend:</b> mixture of teas, usually to promote consistency between growing seasons<br /><br /> <b>blistered:</b> leaf which is swollen and hollow inside. Blisters are formed during the firing of leaf which has been dried too quickly<br /><br /> <b>bloom:</b> sheen or lustre present to finished leaf<br /><br /> <b>body:</b>full strength brew<br /><br /> <b>bold:</b> large leaf cut tea<br /><br /> <b>brassy:</b> unpleasant acidic bite from improperly withered tea<br /><br /> <b>brick tea:</b> tea leaves that have been steamed and compressed into bricks<br /><br /> <b>bright:</b> sparkling clear liquor. Denotes a good tea which has life as opposed to a dull looking leaf or liquor.<br /><br /> <b>brisk:</b> a tea high in astringency<br /><br /> <b>broken:</b> smaller leaf style <br /><br /> <b>brownish:</b> leaf which is brown in colour rather than black<br /><br /> <b>burnt:</b> an unpleasent taste of burnt organic matter in the liquor and a similar smell in the infused leaf <br /><br /> <b>caddy:</b> tin or jar of tea<br /><br /> <b>caffeine:</b> stimulating compound present in tea<br /><br /> <b>cambric:</b> a very weak tea infusion in an excess of milk and sugar<br /><br /> <b>camellia sinensis:</b> botanical name given to the tea bush<br /><br /> <b>catechins:</b> class of polyphenol present in high concentrations in green tea<br /><br /> <b>catty:</b> one pound of tea<br /><br /> <b>ceylon:</b> teas made in Sri Lanka<br /><br /> <b>chai:</b> strong black tea infused with milk, sugar, and spices<br /><br /> <b>chanoyu:</b> japanese tea ceremony or ritual<br /><br /> <b>character:</b> attractive taste, specific to growth origin describing teas grown at high altitude<br /><br /> <b>chesty:</b> off odor in tea from the wood in the tea chest<br /><br /> <b>choppy:</b> leaf chopped after processing in the breaker or cutter rather than in the roller<br /><br /> <b>chunky:</b> broken types that are too large in size<br /><br /> <b>chunmee:</b> grade of Chinese tea with a curled shape<br /><br /> <b>clean:</b> leaf that is free from fiber, dirt and all extraneous matter<br /><br /> <b>cloning:</b> cuttings taken from old tea bushes which are allowed to root and then are planted to produce new tea bushes. Many tea bushes are grown from clones or cuttings taken from older bushes<br /><br /> <b>common:</b> plain light and thin liquor with no distinct favor<br /><br /> <b>congou:</b> general name for Chinese black tea<br /><br /> <b>coppery:</b> bright infusion of good quality black tea<br /><br /> <b>course:</b> tea liquor with undesirable characteristics resulting from coarse plucked leaf or irregular firing<br /><br /> <b>creepy:</b> the principle term used to describe tea which is crimped in appearance<br /><br /> <b>ctc:</b> stands for Crush, Tear, and Curl, a machine-based process which macerates the leaves by pressing through counter-rotating rollers to create a stronger, more coloury tea<br /><br /> <b>curly:</b> whole leaf grades<br /><br /> <b>darjeeling:</b> tea grown in the Darjeeling region, a mountainous area around the Himalayas, of India. generally black teas known for their crisp astringency<br /><br /> <b>dark:</b> colour of liquor denoting a poor tea<br /><br /> <b>denaturalised:</b> tea which has been deemed unfit for consumption<br /><br /> <b>dhool:</b> tea leaf during fermentation, noted for its coppery color<br /><br /> <b>dry:</b> slight over-firing or drying during manufacture<br /><br /> <b>dull:</b> tea liquor that is not clear and bright<br /><br /> <b>dust:</b> the smallest grade of tea, typically associated with lower quality, prized for its quick extraction and commonly used in teabags<br /><br /> <b>earl grey:</b> black tea scented with essential oil of bergamot citrus<br /><br /> <b>earthy:</b> unpleasent liquor taste found in tea stored under damp conditions<br /><br /> <b>empty:</b> liquor lacking fullness. No substance<br /><br /> <b>english breakfast:</b> blends of black teas producing a full-bodied strong flavored colorful tea regardless of origin<br /><br /> <b>even:</b> tea leaf which is true to its grade<br /><br /> <b>fannings:</b> small, grainy particles of leaf sifted out of better grade teas<br /><br /> <b>fermentation:</b> used in the process of preparing black and oolong tea, involves allowing the natural browning enzymes present in a tea leaf to oxidize and impart the darker brown-red color and aroma<br /><br /> <b>fibrous:</b> teas which contain a large percentage of fannings<br /><br /> <b>firing:</b> the process of rapidly heating the leaf to quickly halt fermentation and dry the leaf to its final product<br /><br /> <b>flaky:</b> flat open pieces of leaf often light in texture<br /><br /> <b>flat:</b> teas lacking astringency or briskness<br /><br /> <b>flowery:</b> used in grading the size of tea, typically indicates a leaf style with lighter colored tips<br /><br /> <b>flush:</b> freshly-picked tea leaves, typically comprising the bud and first two leaves of the growing tea shoot<br /><br /> <b>formosa:</b> tea produced in Taiwan<br /><br /> <b>fruity:</b> can be due to overfermenting during manufacture and/or bacterial infection before firing or drying, which gives the tea an over ripe taste<br /><br /> <b>full:</b> strong tea without bitterness and posessing good color<br /><br /> <b>gaiwan:</b> traditional Chinese lidded tea drinking vessel with accompanying saucer<br /><br /> <b>garden:</b> an estate unit<br /><br /> <b>garden mark:</b> mark put on tea chest by the estate to identify its particular product<br /><br /> <b>golden:</b> orange colored tip present in high quality black tea<br /><br /> <b>gone off:</b> tea that is moulded, tainted, out of condition or old<br /><br /> <b>gong fu:</b> a style of brewing with many repeated short infusions<br /><br /> <b>grade:</b> used to describe a tea leaf or particle size of leaf<br /><br /> <b>grainy:</b> high quality CTC teas<br /><br /> <b>green:</b> unfermented, dried tea<br /><br /> <b>grey:</b> unattractive colour characteristic of black leaf that has undergone too much rubbing during sorting and cutting<br /><br /> <b>gunpowder:</b> green tea which is rolled into pellets which unfurl in hot water<br /><br /> <b>gyokuro:</b> Japanese green tea produced from shaded plants<br /><br /> <b>hard:</b> pungent tea<br /><br /> <b>harsh:</b> bitter tea<br /><br /> <b>heavy:</b> a thick, colory infusion with little briskness or astringency<br /><br /> <b>herbal:</b> mixtures of herbs and do not contain any tea leaves<br /><br /> <b>high:</b> over dried, but not bakey or burned<br /><br /> <b>hyson:</b> chinese green teas<br /><br /> <b>ichiban-cha:</b> first tea or first plucking<br /><br /> <b>imperial:</b> type of rolled Ceylon, black tea<br /><br /> <b>infusion:</b> process of extracting elements from tea, herbs, fruits or berries by submersing in boiling water<br /><br /> <b>jasmine:</b> black tea scented with jasmine flowers<br /><br /> <b>jat:</b> type of tea bush normally applied to its origin. <br /><br /> <b>keemun:</b> black tea from central China, hand rolled and fired<br /><br /> <b>lacking:</b> a neutral liquor with no body or pronounced characteristics<br /><br /> <b>lapsang souchong:</b> Chinese black tea which is dried over a smoky fire<br /><br /> <b>leafy:</b> whole leaves found in broken grades<br /><br /> <b>lie:</b> chinese mixture of willow and other spurious leaf with genuine tea leaf, fraudulently sold as tea<br /><br /> <b>liquor:</b> liquid that results from infusing the leaves with hot water<br /><br /> <b>light:</b> liquor lacking body or thickness<br /><br /> <b>make:</b> tea manufacture, a well-made tea or not true to its grade<br /><br /> <b>malty:</b> slightly over-fired tea<br /><br /> <b>match:</b> powdered green tea from Japan used in the Japanese tea ceremony<br /><br /> <b>mature:</b> no flatness or rawness in the liquor<br /><br /> <b>metallic:</b> coppery taste <br /><br /> <b>mixed:</b> uneven Leaf of varying color<br /><br /> <b>muddy:</b> dull, blackish color of the infusion<br /><br /> <b>muscatel:</b> a grape taste<br /><br /> <b>mushy:</b> a soft tea that has been packed too moist<br /><br /> <b>musty:</b> Tea that has been attacked by mildew<br /><br /> <b>neat:</b> grade of tea having good make and size<br /><br /> <b>new:</b> tea which has not had time to mature. Usually denotes some rawness in the infusion which may disappear when the tea is kept<br /><br /> <b>nilgiri:</b> district in the hills of southern India that produces black teas<br /><br /> <b>nose:</b> aroma of the tea<br /><br /> <b>nuwarah eliyah:</b> ceylon tea, high mountain grown at altitudes above 4000 ft sea level<br /><br /> <b>oolong:</b> A form of tea characterized by lighter brews and larger leaf styles. lightly fermented tea, between green and black tea on a continuum<br /><br /> <b>orange pekoe:</b> size of leaf, not quality or flavor, a larger-size grade of whole leaf teas<br /><br /> <b>orthodox:</b> prepared using a technique which leads to larger leaf styles mirroring hand-produced teas<br /><br /> <b>pan fired:</b> tea that is steamed and then agitated in an iron wok<br /><br /> <b>pekoe:</b> derived from baihao, the white hairs of the new buds on the tea shrub,the smaller-size grade of whole leaf teas<br /><br /> <b>plain:</b> dull liquor with sour taste<br /><br /> <b>plucking:</b> harvesting the tea by cutting the flush from the growing tea shrub<br /><br /> <b>point:</b> attractive brightness and acidity of liquor<br /><br /> <b>polyphenols:</b> astringent compounds present in tea<br /><br /> <b>pouchong:</b> scented Chinese or Formosan tea derived from the Cantonese method of packing tea in smaller paper <br /><br /> <b>powdery:</b> fine light dust meaning a very fine light leaf particle<br /><br /> <b>pruning:</b> selectively cutting back of the tea brush, so that it maintains its shape and help increase yield<br /><br /> <b>pu erh:</b> a type of tea most notably from the Yunnan province of China. Damp green tea that has been fermented microbiologically to a black leaf<br /><br /> <b>pungent:</b> very astringent tea<br /><br /> <b>ragged:</b> uneven leaf in a grade<br /><br /> <b>rasping:</b> very coarse and harsh liquor<br /><br /> <b>rawness:</b> bitter taste<br /><br /> <b>rolling:</b> crushing the leaves to initiate fermentation and impart twist<br /><br /> <b>rooibos:</b> harvested in the wilds of South Africa<br /><br /> <b>sappy:</b> fully juicy liquor<br /><br /> <b>scented:</b> green semi fermented or black teas that have been flavored by adding flower petals, fruits spices and/or natural oils<br /><br /> <b>self drinking:</b> rounded, well bodied tea that can be served unblended<br /><br /> <b>semi fermented:</b> partially oxidized before being fired and dried<br /><br /> <b>sencha:</b> popular variety of green tea in Japan<br /><br /> <b>silver tip:</b> visible buds in the made tea, coloured silver<br /><br /> <b>smoky:</b> teas that have been fired over smoky flames<br /><br /> <b>soft:</b> underfermented teas<br /><br /> <b>souchong:</b>large leaf teas derived from the third and fourth leaf of the tea shoot<br /><br /> <b>stalk:</b> teas with presence of red stalk pieces from a hard plucking<br /><br /> <b>stewed:</b> soft liquor with undesirable taste that lacks point<br /><br /> <b>strength:</b> thick liquor, pungent and brisk<br /><br /> <b>sweaty:</b> disagreeable taste<br /><br /> <b>sweet:</b> light characteristics in a liquor<br /><br /> <b>tannin:</b> erroneous term referring to the astringent polyphenols of tea<br /><br /> <b>tarry:</b> teas that have been fired over smoky flames<br /><br /> <b>tea:</b> tender leaves, and bud of the plant Camellia Sinesis, prepared and cured by recognised methods of manufacture<br /><br /> <b>tea tree:</b> tea bush or plant which has been allowed to return to its wild state and grow back into a tree<br /><br /> <b>theaflavins:</b> orange red potyphenols unique to fermented teas such as black tea, and formed from the condensation of two catechins<br /><br /> <b>theanine:</b> unique amino acid in tea<br /><br /> <b>theine:</b> caffeine<br /><br /> <b>thick:</b> liquor with good color and strength<br /><br /> <b>thin:</b> insipid light liquor that lacks desirable characteristics<br /><br /> <b>ti kuan yin:</b> distinctive type of oolong tea typically longer-fermented and possessing a darker-colored <br /><br /> <b>tip:</b> ends of leaves on a tea bush<br /><br /> <b>tippy:</b> teas with white or golden tips, indicating high quality tisane<br /><br /> <b>tisane:</b> herbal tea<br /><br /> <b>tuocha:</b> a form of brick tea comprised of pu-erh tea pressed into a bowl shaped cake<br /><br /> <b>twist:</b> before fermentation, the leaves need to be crushed to initiate oxidation. This imparts the curled appearance of the finished leaf<br /><br /> <b>two and a bud:</b> the ideal plucked tea for production, consisting of the new tea shoot and the first two leaves<br /><br /> <b>uneven:</b> tea leaf composed of irregular shaped pieces indicating bad sorting<br /><br /> <b>weak:</b> a thin liquor. Often due to over withering or under fermenting<br /><br /> <b>weedy:</b> A grass taste associated with teas that have been under withered during manufacture <br /><br /> <b>white:</b> a special type of green tea. Distinguished by the presence of the white hairs of the tea flush (baihao) and a lighter green, almost clear, infusion. White teas are known for their high antioxidant content and subtle flavor.<br /><br /> <b>winey:</b> mellow quality, characteristic of some teas which have been given time to age<br /><br /> <b>wiry:</b> well twisted, thin leaf <br /><br /> <b>withering:</b> letting the fresh leaves wither after plucking to reduce moisture content. The operation which removes moisture from the recently plucked leaves making them less brittle and preparing them for further processing.<br /><br /> <b>woody:</b> undesirable grass flavor in black tea<br /><br /> <b>yunnan:</b> black teas are known for their spicy character<br /><br /> </p> </div> </div> <!--<div id="footer"><a href="#">Tea Accompaniments and Accessories</a> &nbsp;|&nbsp; <a href="#" >Tea Sets</a> &nbsp;|&nbsp; <a href="#" >Purveyor's Background</a> &nbsp;|&nbsp; <a href="#">Gift Baskets</a> &nbsp;|&nbsp; <a href="#">Site Map</a></div> </div>--> <br /> </body> </html>