The production of green tea
Green tea comes from the same plant as black tea, only here the fermentation process is prevented by heat treatment immediately after withering.
Withering:
This process is only carried out where necessary. The necessity and duration of withering varies widely according to the desired type of tea.
Steaming / dry heat treatment:
This destroys the plant's own enzymes so that the leaf will retain its green colour instead of turning "black".
Rolling:
Rolling is performed manually or by machine depending on the type of tea. In many cases the leaf is rolled into an artistic shape following a tradition which dates back thousands of years.
Drying:
For this purpose, the leaves are either stacked in hot-air rack driers or exposed to the natural heat of the sun.
Sorting:
Green tea is available in the same familiar grades - leaf, broken, fannings or dust - as black tea, depending on the production specification.
Green tea is a strongly alkaline drink which protects the body from hyperacidity. It contains numerous tannins, minerals and vitamins.
Oolong production:
Oolong is a semi-fermented tea. Its secret lies in the fermentation of the leaf's outer edges, while the heart of the leaf remains unfermented. It is mainly grown in Taiwan and China.
White tea:
White teas originate mainly from the mountainous regions of Fujian in Southern China. Thanks to a slow, gentle steaming process in the open air and extremely careful handling, this tea is gaining more and more converts.
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