a working glossary of tea.

Caffeine in tea is buffered by L-theanine, producing a calmer alertness than coffee. Younger leaves and buds carry more caffeine; longer steeps extract more.

see also l theanine

EGCG is the most studied catechin in green tea, linked to metabolic and cardiovascular benefits in observational studies. Green tea retains the most catechins because oxidation is halted.

see also oxidation

A folk tradition in gongfu brewing — the cha zhong (茶宠) is "fed" leftover tea between sessions and slowly takes on a glaze of seasoning. Part toy, part timer, part altar.

see also gongfu

Hand-cut from a single piece of bamboo, the chasen has 80–120 fine tines that aerate matcha into a smooth, jade-green suspension. Soak briefly in warm water before first use.

see also matcha

Cold water extracts catechins and L-theanine but leaves more caffeine and astringent tannins behind. 8g per liter, 6–12 hours in the fridge. Especially good with sencha and white tea.

see also steeping ratio

Camellia sinensis has hundreds of cultivars — Da Hong Pao, Tieguanyin, Yabukita, Assamica — each bred for climate, leaf shape, and aroma. The cultivar is one half of a tea's identity (terroir is the other).

see also terroir

In Darjeeling, first flush (March–April) is bright, floral, and pale. In Japan, ichibancha holds the highest L-theanine. First flush teas command a premium for their delicacy.

see also second flush, single origin

Fixing — called shaqing (殺青) in Chinese — denatures the enzymes responsible for oxidation. Done by pan-firing (Chinese green) or steaming (Japanese green). The first step that defines a green tea.

see also oxidation, steaming

A gaiwan is a three-piece vessel — bowl, lid, and saucer — that lets a brewer steep, decant, and observe the leaf without a built-in strainer. It is the workhorse of gongfu brewing.

see also gongfu

Gongfu cha (功夫茶) means "tea with skill." It uses a small vessel (gaiwan or yixing pot), a high leaf-to-water ratio, very short initial steeps (10–30 seconds), and many successive infusions to draw out evolving flavors from a single leaf charge.

see also gaiwan, oolong

Gyokuro tea bushes are shaded for ~20 days before harvest, which raises L-theanine and lowers catechins, producing a sweet, almost broth-like cup. Brewed cool (50–60°C) and slowly.

see also sencha, matcha

L-theanine crosses the blood–brain barrier and increases alpha brain wave activity associated with relaxed alertness. It's why a cup of green tea reads as steady, not jittery.

see also caffeine

Matcha is shade-grown tencha leaves stone-ground into a fine powder, then whisked into hot water with a chasen. Because the leaf is consumed whole, matcha delivers more caffeine, L-theanine, and antioxidants per gram than steeped tea.

see also tencha, sencha

Oolong (烏龍) is a category of Camellia sinensis tea that is partially oxidized — anywhere from 8% to 85% — producing a remarkable range of flavors from green and floral to dark and roasted. Most oolong is produced in Fujian, Guangdong, and Taiwan.

see also gongfu, oxidation

When tea leaves are bruised, polyphenol oxidase reacts with oxygen to darken the leaf and develop new aromatic compounds. White: ~5%. Green: 0% (fixed). Oolong: 10–80%. Black: ~100%. Pu-erh: post-oxidation via microbes.

see also fixing, withering

Pu-erh is unique among teas in that it undergoes microbial fermentation. Sheng (raw) ages slowly over years; shou (ripe) is wet-piled to accelerate the process. Both are typically pressed into cakes or bricks.

see also oxidation, aging

Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) is not Camellia sinensis at all — it is a legume native to the Cederberg region of South Africa. The needles are oxidized to a deep red and brewed long without bitterness.

see also caffeine free, blend

Sencha makes up roughly 80% of Japanese tea production. The leaves are steamed shortly after harvest to halt oxidation, then rolled and dried. Brews bright green with a clean grassy-marine character.

see also gyokuro, matcha

Bai Hao Yin Zhen (白毫銀針) is plucked at first light over just a few weeks of early spring. The buds are sun-withered and gently dried. Delicate, sweet, with a downy mouthfeel.

see also white peony

Single-origin lets the garden speak — the way a single-vineyard wine does. We list garden, altitude, and harvest year on every tin so the cup is traceable.

see also terroir

Western brewing uses ~3g per 200ml for 3–4 minutes. Gongfu uses 5–8g per 100ml for 10–30 seconds, repeatedly. Adjust ratio before time before temperature.

see also gongfu, western brew

Borrowed from wine, terroir explains why two cultivars grown 50km apart taste different. Altitude slows growth and concentrates aromatics. Mineral soil shapes mouthfeel. Mist and dew shade the leaves.

see also single origin

The default Western method: ~3g leaf, 200–300ml water, 3–5 minutes, one infusion. Forgiving and convenient; gives up the evolving cups of gongfu.

see also gongfu, steeping ratio

Bai Mu Dan (白牡丹) is plucked as the bud plus one or two young leaves, then withered and dried with minimal handling. The cup is pale gold, lightly sweet, with notes of melon and hay.

see also silver needle, white tea

Leaves are spread on bamboo trays or troughs and lose 15–60% of their water over hours. Withering softens the cell walls and starts the development of aroma compounds.

see also oxidation