Black tea and green tea are the two most well-known tea types. You've probably tried them before. But do you know what the difference is between black and green tea? Discover how each type is processed and how they are grown to make them look and taste different.
Black Tea vs. Green Tea: Which One is Better?
Black tea makes up most of the daily cups we drink here in the UK everything you usually find in a rich and robust breakfast brew is black tea, making it quite popular. However, green tea has seen a significant rise in popularity as more people discover new and exciting flavours from different tea types. Interestingly, green and black tea sit at opposite ends of the tea spectrum and offer a fantastic way to understand what makes tea taste the way it does. Hopefully, this will open the door to even more flavour potential.
The Origin of Black and Green Tea
The six different tea types, including green and black tea, all come from the same plant - the Camellia sinensis, also known as the humble tea plant. Although black and green teas are the most popular tea types and are produced in many places worldwide, they both originated in China. Green tea was discovered a few thousand years ago, while the methods for making black tea were only developed in the 1600s. Over the years, tea cultivation has spread to different regions, each contributing to the unique characteristics of the teas produced.
Certain tea producers or specific gardens specialise in mainly producing either green or black teas. For example, our Jade Sword™ Organic Green Tea is from Liwu Garden, Zhejiang, China, while our Organic Assam Gold is from Tonganagaon Garden, Assam, India.
The variety in black and green tea production depends on several factors, including:
Climate:
Seasonality is crucial for tea gardens. Over centuries, certain tea types have evolved and adapted to specific conditions. For instance, the hot summers in Assam enrich the tea plants with a malty and robust flavour, ideal for making black teas.
Tea Cultivars:
Different cultivars of the tea bush are bred to produce certain flavours when processed as specific tea types. For example, Long Jing #43 is primarily used to make Organic Dragon Well green tea due to its sweet buds and leaves during the early spring season, along with its floral aroma and strong flavour.
Craftsmanship:
The tools and expertise required to craft different types of tea can vary greatly. Some methods are closely guarded secrets passed down through generations within families or small communities.
What’s the Difference Between Green and Black Tea?
Green tea is completely unoxidised (0%), while black tea is fully oxidised (100%). Although both teas start as fresh tea leaves, they undergo entirely different processes to create green or black tea. The key distinction between the two is oxidation. This process not only affects the appearance of the teas—green tea being green and black tea a much darker brown—but also has a significant impact on their taste.
To illustrate, consider the example of a green apple. Biting into a fresh green apple is sweet, refreshing, and crisp, much like green tea. However, if you let the apple sit and oxidise, it turns brown, the aroma becomes stronger, the texture smoother, and the taste richer—similar to black tea.
What Do They Taste Like?
Green teas, due to their low oxidation, retain a naturally fresh flavour and should never be overly bitter. Chinese green teas, like Organic Dragon Well, are often refreshing and sweet, with a light vegetable sweetness and grassy notes. In contrast, Japanese green teas, like Organic Sencha, are deeper, richer, and have an umami flavour, often described as 'deliciousness' or a savoury taste.
Black teas, being fully oxidised, are richer and darker than green teas. Their flavours can be categorised into two groups—malty or fruity. Malty teas, like those from Assam, India, are rich, honeyed, and perfect for a breakfast brew with milk. Fruity teas, like our Red Dragon from Ximeng Garden, Yunnan, China, offer unique flavours of sweet red berries, ginger, and chocolate.
How Are Green & Black Teas Made?
Here’s a brief guide to how green and black teas are made:
- Green Tea: After the leaves are picked and withered, they are heated to stop oxidation. This process keeps the leaves green. The tea is then dried with a light heat and is ready to drink.
- Black Tea: The leaves are picked, withered, and then rolled, either by hand or using a machine. This rolling process exposes the enzymes in the leaves to air, allowing them to oxidise and turn dark. After oxidation, the leaves are dried and finished.
Though this is a rough outline, it’s important to remember that the precise elements involved in producing single garden teas are guided by the intuition and knowledge of experienced tea producers.
Black Tea vs Green Tea: Preparation Differences
Enjoying black and green loose leaf teas can be simple with just a few tips to ensure you get the most from your infusions.
- Green Tea: Use cooler water—80˚C for Chinese green teas and 60-70˚C for Japanese green teas. This helps extract more sweetness and refreshment from the tea. Adding a splash of cold water to your teapot before topping up with boiling water is a great way to achieve the right temperature.
- Black Tea: Boiling water works well for black teas, extracting plenty of rich flavours. If you’re used to drinking black tea from tea bags, try loose leaf tea instead. Loose leaves have more space to unfurl and infuse in the water, resulting in a better-tasting cup.
Explore the Distinct Flavours of Teas with JING
In the comparison between black tea and green tea, it’s clear that both have their unique qualities and appeal. Whether you prefer the rich, robust flavours of black tea or the refreshing, delicate notes of green tea, understanding the differences in their processing, origins, and preparation can enhance your appreciation for each type. Both teas offer a world of flavour possibilities, making them a delightful part of any tea lover’s collection.
Try our best selling teas, such as Assam Breakfast Tea Bags, Earl Grey Loose Leaf, Jade Sword Tea Bags, and Jasmine Pearls Loose Leaf.