Freshie Tea

Tea processing

12 processing methods. What makes green tea green, black tea black, oolong oolong, pu-erh sheng vs shou. Steamed, pan-fired, withered, fermented.

12 processes

Black tea processing

2 processes
India (developed 1930s)
CTC (Crush-Tear-Curl) black tea processing

Mechanized commercial black tea processing producing uniform pellets for tea bags. Dominant globally by volume; the foundation of breakfast-…
China (origin); India / Sri Lanka (modern commercial scale)
Orthodox black tea processing

Whole-leaf black tea processing emphasizing extended oxidation. Produces Darjeeling, Assam Orthodox, Ceylon, Keemun, and other specialty bla…

Green tea processing

3 processes
Japan
Fukamushi (deep-steamed) green tea

Japanese variant of standard sencha processing with extended steaming. Smoother, less astringent cup; broken-leaf style with cloudy liquor.
China
Pan-fired green tea

The traditional Chinese green tea processing method. Hot-wok kill-green halts oxidation immediately, producing the chestnut-sweet character …
Japan
Steamed green tea

The defining Japanese green tea processing method. Steam-based kill-green produces the marine-umami, bright-green cup character distinct fro…

Oolong processing

2 processes
China / Taiwan
Light oolong processing

Partial-oxidation oolong with minimal roasting. Modern dominant style for Taiwanese high-mountain oolong and Anxi green-style Tieguanyin.
China
Roasted oolong processing

Higher-oxidation oolong with traditional charcoal roasting over months. Defines Wuyi yancha (rock tea) and traditional Dong Ding.

Other

1 process
China
Yellow tea processing

Rare Chinese category. Green-tea-like processing with added men huang (sealing) step that produces controlled non-enzymatic oxidation. Among…

Pu-erh & dark tea processing

3 processes
China
Dark tea / Hei Cha processing

Post-fermented Chinese teas outside the pu-erh category. Liu Bao (Guangxi), Anhua Hei Cha (Hunan), Tibetan brick tea, others. Distinct regio…
China
Pu-erh sheng (raw) processing

Traditional Yunnan pu-erh processing designed for long-term aging. Sun-dried, lightly fired, often pressed into cakes. Transforms dramatical…
China
Pu-erh shou (ripe) processing

Modern Yunnan technique (1973) using accelerated wet-pile fermentation to produce immediately-drinkable pu-erh. Distinct from sheng aging tr…

White & yellow tea processing

1 process
China
White tea processing

The most minimally-processed tea category. Extended natural withering allows light natural oxidation; no pan-firing or rolling. Defining Chi…