BLACK (RED) TEA
The Black Tea that Dutch and English first introduced to Europe actually is known as Hong Cha (Red Tea) in Chinese.

The tea either Dutch or English tea traders loaded in China during 1650s were either green tea or semi-fermented oolong tea, due to the long journey and the humidity had accelerated the fermentation process. When the tea finally reached Europe, the color of tea got very dark red, so English called it Black tea, but for Chinese, the name is Red tea because of its dark brown color loose-leaf and the color of tea is dark burgundy.

Black Tea is the sort of tea that has full fermentation, more oxidized than the Oolong tea.

Black (red) tea has very strong flavor and contain more caffeine. Black tea can retain its flavor several years with appropriate storage.

There are 5 classification grades in black tea:

1. Dust: this is the lowest classification grade for black tea. Normally it is used to make tea bag
2. Fanning: contain pieces of tea leafs (normally is machine cut), classification grade is low
3. BOP: contain small pieces of leafs (machine cut), medium in classification grade
4. OP: handpicked whole leafs without flower
5. FOP: These are the whole tea leaves together with the flowering tea plant.

The first choice of fine quality always is the hand-picked loose-leaf.

Lan Ting's Selections:
-- Taiwan Hong Yu Black tea
-- Keemum Hao Ya - 1st grade
-- Keemum Black "
-- Organic Tanyang Golden Needle
-- Phoenix Dan Cong (Gardenia)
-- Yunnan Golden Monkey
-- Yunnan Black

Suggestions & Tips:
-- Temperature: between 75 to 85
-- Infusion time:tea lovers should pay more careful attention with infusion time, because it subjects to weather the tea is hand-picked or machine cut. (No longer than 3 minutes)
-- Tea ware:Porcelain tea ware