Basic Tea Varieties

I was watching some Food Network today and during a Thanksgiving special one of the younger chefs was making some "chai tea." She did several things incorrectly while preparing this beverage, but I'll only mention two: first, she left the teabag in the cup; second, she called it "chai tea." To say "chai tea" is redundant because "chai" is the Indian word for "tea." So if I catch you saying "chai tea" I'm going to smack you.

Below are listed your basic types of tea in order from least oxidized to most oxidized. Also included are steeping times. Obviously there are many different varieties within each basic category, and a few others besides. But this should get you started.

White
The lightest of the teas, made from the young leaves and buds of the camellia sinesis plant. White teas have the least amount of caffeine and are not oxidized at all. Known for their fruity-floral taste, they are served plain without sweetener or milk. Generally steeped for 5-7 minutes in less than boiling water (180 degrees, or around when the teapot starts to make a "rushing" noise).

Green
Most commonly found in Asian restaurants and publicly touted as being very good for your health (it is!). Also served plain or with honey. Steep 1-5 minutes in less than boiling water (160 degrees).

Oolong
These teas can run quite a gamut between Green and Black; they generally have an earthy, woodsy flavor. They can stand up to sweetener, but milk or cream are not recommended. Steep 1-8 minutes depending on the oxidization of the particular Oolong; use less than boiling water (190 degrees).

Black
The darkest, most oxidized of all the teas, these also contain the most caffeine. These teas have a dark, rich flavor that can stand up to cream and sugar. The chai mentioned earlier is, in India, simply a spiced Black tea served with steamed milk and honey. Steep 3-5 minutes in water that has been brought to a full boil.

Other Beverages

There are a number of beverages that are often mistakenly referred to as tea due to their similar qualities (being a plant steeped in hot water, mainly). However, these are NOT tea as they do not actually contain any camellia sinesis.

Herbal Infustions/Tisanes
A beverage made from any plant matter that does NOT include camellia sinesis - flowers, herbs, seeds, roots, etc. They are caffeine-free. Can be steeped for up to 15 minutes in water that has been brought to a full boil (the longer you steep, the stronger the beverage will be, but the herbs will never get bitter the way over-steeped tea will). Unlike teas, herbal infusions can be re-steeped.

Red Tea/Rooibus
A type of herbal infusion made from the African redbush plant (pronounced "roy-boss").

Next: Proper Tea Preparation