Whether you are looking for a classic black tea like earl gray or something a little warmer like oolong, we are covering 21 types of black tea in this helpful guide!
Trivia Time! Today you can buy a pound of quality dry tea for $20-$30 or about an hour’s wage. How much would a pound of tea have cost in London in 1700? Scroll to the bottom of this article for the answer.
Types of Black Tea
Assam Tea
Assam tea is named after the region in NE India where it is grown. This tea is made with the orthodox method of withering, rolling, oxidation, and drying. It can be called full-bodied or brisk, and has a strong malty sweetness. The aroma is rich and has hints of fruit or honey.
It has a nice deep red color and is fairly heavy in caffeine, making it an excellent choice for those seeking an energy boost or perhaps one to avoid for those who don’t. It is the third most drunk type of tea in the USA.
To brew Assam tea, use freshly boiled water and steep the tea leaves for 3-5 minutes. Adjust the steeping time according to your taste.
Ceylon Black Tea
Ceylon tea, now known as Sri Lankan tea, is named after the island of Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka), where it is predominantly produced. Ceylon tea is made using the CTC (crush, tear, curl) method. The orthodox method yields higher-quality teas, while CTC is often used for tea bags and blends.
Ceylon tea comes in a wide range of flavors depending on factors like the elevation and soil where it is grown. It has an almost citrusy aroma and contains a moderate amount of caffeine, providing a gentle energy boost without being too strong.
Steep the tea for 3-5 minutes in boiled water. Adjust the steeping time based on your desired strength. Perhaps drink it with a slice of lemon.
Darjeeling Tea
Darjeeling tea is grown in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India, which is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is often referred to as the “Champagne of teas.” Now that is pretty high praise. It is made using the orthodox method described above under Assam tea. It is hand-plucked and undergoes minimal processing to preserve its wonderful flavor that hints at muscatel with a bit of astringency. The aroma is somewhat like muscat grapes. This is a moderate caffeine tea.
Darjeeling is the second most commonly drunk tea in the USA, so it doesn’t get the bit #1 foam finger, but the red ribbon is pretty good.
Dian Hong Tea
Dian Hong is also called Yunnan black tea because it comes from China’s Yunnan province. The leaves are withered, rolled, oxidized, and then fired to stop the oxidation process. Dian Hong has a smooth and malty flavor with hints of honey or caramel and a pleasantly sweet aroma. It contains moderate to high levels of caffeine.
To brew Dian Hong tea use freshly boiled water (around 195-205°F or 90-95°C) and steep the leaves for 3-5 minutes. Adjust the steeping time according to your preference for strength.
Earl Grey Tea
Earl Grey is a flavored tea from England. It is named after Charles Grey, a former British Prime Minister (1830-1834). Grey is typically made from black tea leaves that are scented or flavored with oil extracted from the rind of bergamot oranges.
Earl Grey has a citrusy flavor with floral hints from the bergamot oil. Like other black teas, it contains caffeine. Like black tea in general, Earl Grey may provide antioxidants and potentially offer benefits such as improved heart health and digestion. Earl Grey is the fifth most drunk tea in the USA.
To brew Earl Grey tea we recommend using water heated to around 195-205°F (90-95°C) and steeping the tea for 3-4 minutes.
English Breakfast Tea
English Breakfast tea is the most drunk tea in the USA. It is made from a mix of several black teas, and as the name suggests we can thank the Brits for developing it. It combines black teas from different regions, and there is no set combination. The popular Twinings English Breakfast Tea, for example, contains Assam, Kenyan, and Chinese or Indonesian black teas. English breakfast teas have a robust flavor with a malty undertone. The caffeine content is about average, similar to other black teas.
Brewing English breakfast tea is simple. Use boiling water (212°F or 100°C) and steep your tea for 3-5 minutes. Adjust the steeping time according to your taste preferences.
Fujian Tea
Fujian is a province in China known for producing a variety of teas, including white, green, oolong, and black teas. So, it really isn’t a type of tea, but a region so renowned for its teas that its name is part of each tea’s name. You will, for example, see Fujian Oolong tea sold as a variety.
Fujian is particularly famous for its oolong teas, such as Tie Guan Yin and Da Hong Pao, as well as its black teas like Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong (Lapsang Souchong).
Golden Monkey Tea
Golden Monkey is also called Jin Hou Tea, but come on, golden monkey is a lot more fun. This is one of the Fujian varieties we discussed above. The tea is made from young tea buds and leaves that are plucked in early spring and is brewed through an orthodox method of withering, rolling, oxidation, and drying to create its characteristic flavor.
It is a smooth tea with hints of cocoa, honey, and malt. It has a sweet, almost roasted aroma and an average amount of caffeine.
To brew Golden Monkey tea, use approximately 1 teaspoon of loose tea leaves per 8 ounces of water heated to around 195-205°F (90-96°C), just under boiling. Steep the tea for 3-4 minutes, but adjust steeping time to your preference for a stronger or milder flavor.
Gongfu Black Tea
Gongfu Black tea is another variety of Fujian tea, specifically grown in the Wuyi Mountains. While it may not seem that where it grows in the province matters, remember that the type of soil and altitude the plants grow at can have a major effect on the leaves.
The tea leaves are hand-picked and partially fermented before roasting. Not surprisingly, it is a robust tea with hints of caramel and spice and a sweet aftertaste. The aroma is toasty and floral. Gongfu Black tea contains a moderate amount of caffeine, similar to other black teas.
To brew Gongfu Black tea in the gongfu style, use a small teapot or gaiwan (a lidded bowl). Use approximately 1 teaspoon of loose tea leaves per 6-8 ounces of water heated to around 195-205°F (90-96°C), not boiling. Rinse the tea leaves briefly with hot water, then discard the rinse, and steep the tea for 20-30 seconds for the first infusion, gradually increasing the steeping time for subsequent infusions. Adjust the steeping time and water-to-tea ratio to suit your taste preferences.
Irish Breakfast Tea
Irish Breakfast is a blend of black teas that can come from Assam (India), Kenya, and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The blend is designed to create a robust flavor with hints of caramel, just a touch of bitterness, and full-bodied flavor. Irish Breakfast tea contains a moderate to high amount of caffeine due to the use of robust black teas. It provides a significant energy boost.
To brew Irish breakfast tea, use approximately 1 teaspoon of loose tea leaves (or one tea bag) per 8 ounces of water. Heat the water to a rolling boil then steep the tea for 3-5 minutes, depending on your desired strength. Serve the tea plain or with milk and sweetener, as per your preference.
(This is one of our top choices when it comes to choosing the best tea for brewing kombucha!). So it gets the blue ribbon for brewing kombucha, but is only the 6th most drunk type of tea in the USA. What color ribbon is 6th place?
Jin Jun Mei Tea
Jin Jun Mei is another Fujian tea that specifically comes from the Wuyi Mountains. It is a relatively new tea variety compared to others on this list. Jin Jun Mei is made from young tea buds that are hand-picked. The buds undergo a precise process of withering, rolling, oxidation, and drying to create a highly refined tea.
Jin Jun Mei tea is a smooth tea with hints of honey or perhaps caramel and has a lingering sweetness. Its aroma is sweet and fruity. Jin Jun Mei tea contains an average amount of caffeine.
To brew Jin Jun Mei tea, use approximately 1 teaspoon of loose tea leaves per 8 ounces of water heated to around 195-205°F (90-96°C). Steep the tea for 3-4 minutes, adjusting the time to your taste preference. You might experiment with shorter or longer steeping times to explore different flavors, but really this advice goes with just about any variety of tea. Jin Jun Mei is often drunk with a touch of honey.
Keemun Tea
Keemun tea is a black tea from China’s Anhui Province. Its leaves are harvested, withered, rolled, oxidized, and then dried in the orthodox method. It has a distinctive flavor with a wine-like floral taste and an almost smoky aroma. Its caffeine content is typical for a black tea, ranging from 25-50 mg per cup.
Brew it like you would most other teas. Use freshly boiled water at around 194-203°F (90-95°C). Steep the leaves for 3-5 minutes before removing them. As always, adjust the brewing time based on your preference for strength.
Lapsang Souchong Tea
Lapsang Souchong is the third Fujian tea on our list from the Wuyi Mountains. The leaves are processed in the orthodox method, after being smoked over pinewood fires. This gives the tea a distinctly smoky flavor and an aroma that hints at pine and smoke. It contains an average amount of caffeine for a black tea.
Brew lapsang using water heated to around 194-203°F (90-95°C). Steep the leaves for 3-5 minutes. Lapsang Souchong is often flavored with a touch of milk and sugar.
Masala Chai Tea
Masala Chai is a blend of tea and spices from India. It is made by combining black tea leaves with aromatic spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, and black pepper.
To brew Masala Chai, combine black tea leaves, spices, and water in a pot. Simmer for a few minutes, then add milk and sweetener. Then, bring the tea to a boil, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for a few more minutes. Strain the mixture and serve hot.
Nilgiri Tea
Nilgiri tea is grown in the Nilgiri Hills of India. It has an almost floral taste and a pleasantly fragrant aroma. Nilgiri tea contains moderate levels of caffeine like most other black teas with a range of 25-50 mg per cup.
Brew Nilgiri tea with water heated to around 194-203°F (90-95°C), not boiling. Steep the leaves for 3-4 minutes before straining. Adjust the brewing time based on your preference for strength.
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea. The tea leaves undergo partial oxidation, a process more commonly used with green teas. The leaves are withered, partially oxidized, rolled or twisted, and then dried. If you have read about the other varieties in the article, you see that it is unique for black tea.
Oolong tea can come in a wide range of flavors, because it is not the leaves that are unique to Oolong, but the method of processing. It can have a complex taste, ranging from floral and fruity to woody and roasted. The aroma can be floral, honey-like, or toasty. It is, obviously, a versatile tea, and generally contains moderate levels of caffeine.
Brew Oolong tea with water heated to around 176-203°F (80-95°C) depending on the specific type of oolong (follow the directions provided with the tea). This is lower than most black teas are steeped at. Steep the leaves for 2-4 minutes and adjust the time based on the desired strength you like.
Orange Pekoe Tea
Orange Pekoe comes from Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon), although it is also produced in other tea-growing regions such as India and Kenya. The term “Orange Pekoe” actually refers to the grade or size of the tea leaves used, rather than the type or flavor of the tea.
This tea has a pleasant, mild flavor with hints of floral or fruity taste. The taste varies slightly depending on the origin of the leaves. However, it is less bitter than other black teas.
To brew orange pekoe tea, bring water to a rolling boil, and preheat your teapot or cup. Use one teaspoon of loose orange pekoe tea leaves per cup, pour the hot water over the tea leaves, and steep for 3-5 minutes.
Pu-erh Tea
Pu-erh tea is named after the city of Pu’er in China’s Yunnan province, where it has been produced for centuries. The leaves are picked, withered, and then either pan-fried or steamed to halt oxidation. Afterward, the tea leaves are compressed into cakes or bricks and left to ferment for months to even years.
Pu-erh tea’s flavor varies depending on the age and quality of the tea. Young pu-erh tends to have an earthy flavor, while aged pu-erh develops a more mellow and smooth taste. The aroma is earthy and has even been described as reminiscent of a forest floor. Pu-erh tea has less caffeine than most black tea but more than green tea.
To brew pu-erh tea, rinse the tea leaves with hot water briefly before steeping the leaves in hot water (around 195°F or 90°C) for 30 seconds to a few minutes, depending on your preference. Pu-erh tea can be steeped multiple times. Increase the steeping time for subsequent brews. Experiment with different steeping times to find the taste that suits you best.
Russian Caravan Tea
Russian caravan tea is a blend that is supposed to trace its origin back hundreds of years, when tea came to Russia by camel caravan. Passing through different regions en route, the tea that arrived was a mix. Historically accurate or not, the tea today is a mix of several black teas. This can include Chinese black teas such as Keemun, Lapsang Souchong, and sometimes Assam or Darjeeling.
Russian caravan tea has a smoky, robust flavor with hints of malt. The aroma is distinctively smoky, evoking the scent of a campfire. Russian Caravan tea has about as much caffeine as other black teas.
To brew Russian caravan tea, heat water to around 200-212°F (95-100°C), which means just as it starts to boil. Add about 1 teaspoon of tea leaves per cup. Steep for 3-5 minutes, or adjust the steeping time based on personal preference.
Taiwanese Black Tea
Taiwanese black tea is also called Red Jade tea or Sun Moon Lake tea because it is cultivated in the Sun Moon Lake region of Taiwan. The leaves are hand-plucked then withered. They are then rolled and oxidized to develop the tea’s flavor and aroma which is smooth with hints of honey and cinnamon.
To brew Taiwanese black tea, boil water and then let it cool briefly to drop its temperature back to around 195-205°F (90-96°C). Add 1 teaspoon of tea leaves per cup, and steep for 3-5 minutes.
Yunnan Tea
Yunnan tea is really just the name for a large group of teas grown and made in China’s Yunnan province. So, like Fujian, this is an area so known for its tea that varieties have the region in their name. In this case Yunnan black tea which has a robust flavor that is slightly sweet and has hints of malt to its taste
To brew Yunnan black tea, heat water to an almost boiling temperature around 200-212°F (95-100°C). Use approximately 1 teaspoon of tea leaves per cup, and steep for 3-5 minutes.
That wraps up our rundown on 21 types of black tea. We hope you found something you can use here and as always happy brewing from your friends at Brew Buch.
That wraps up our rundown on 21 types of black tea. We hope you found something you can use here, and as always, happy brewing from your friends at Brew Buch.
Trivia Answer: A pound of tea in 1700’s London cost between 25-36 shillings, or over a month’s wage for the average worker!
