Black tea processing are steps that involve the full oxidation of tea leaves.
Black tea leaves are usually black or dark-copper in color, some which may have golden tips, and produce a liquor that is dark-red in appearance.
So what are the stages that the tea leaves have to go through to be classified as black tea?
Well, like all tea types, black tea is no different in terms of how the leaves are prepared. They just are allowed to fully ferment.
First the new leaves are left to wither for several hours, and with some varieties the withering process may last 24 hours.
The purpose of withering in this black tea processing stage, is to let most of the water in the leaves evaporate. This also makes the leaves more pliable which leads us to the next stage.
After withering comes rolling. In this stage the surface of the leaves are rolled and cracked which allows the natural oils and enzymes to react with the air. This is what begins the oxidation (fermentation) stage.
The leaves are left to oxidize until they are almost black in color. After that, the leaves are dried to remove excess moisture. Then are graded, sealed, and shipped.
After the black tea processing steps, the leaves may be roasted, blended, or infused with other tea leaves and/or oils, which creates many common types of tea such as "English Breakfast" for example. Or "Irish Breakfast" which is a blend of Assam and Ceylon black tea leaves.
Another thing I want to mention is that black tea has the most caffeine over other types due to the extra oxidation.
