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The history of tea consumption originates in China long before our era. There are many interesting versions – plausible and not very – telling about the appearance of the drink. According to one of them, the Chinese divine patron of agriculture and medicine, Shen Nong, drank tea to escape the harmful effects of poisonous plants that he came across while searching for medicinal plants. According to another version, Shen Nong discovered the drink quite by accident: he was sitting in the garden and boiling water when a tea leaf fell into the bowl. After tasting the drink, the progenitor spirit was delighted with its taste and invigorating effect.
In historical monuments, tea was first mentioned in the first half of the XNUMXrd century AD. Cultivation of it began only a century later. For a long time, the drink was available only to the wealthy segments of the population and was used as a medicine.
Any tea is made from the same raw materials, and its taste, color and properties depend solely on the degree of fermentation. The black tea we are used to is highly fermented, the degree of oxidation varies from 80% to 100%. It is still unknown how and when exactly it was obtained, but it can almost certainly be said that it was an accident. This drink has become popular all over the world. Today, tea drinking is a whole culture. Tea is useful, it invigorates and tones, prevents the occurrence of certain heart diseases, and also resists the emergence of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines.
Top 10 brands of black leaf tea according to KP
1. Beta Tea
Black long leaf Ceylon large-leaf tea Beta Tea ranks first in the Roskontrol rating. The raw material for the future drink grows in Sri Lanka, the tea itself is made in Our Country. According to research, it does not contain harmful impurities, has a reliable label, according to verified indicators, it meets the requirements of GOST (1), although it is produced according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
The most popular type of this tea, which is often found in stores, is Beta Tea OPA. The drink invigorates, has a bright and rich taste and a multifaceted aroma. There are other series of this tea that have earned trust: Selected quality and The golden selection.
On the shelves of stores, as a rule, there is not a very large assortment, but you can always find beautiful Beta Tea gift packages – a necessary and inexpensive present for any occasion.
2. Akbar
Buyers distinguish this tea for its good value for money, deep dense taste and aroma, beautiful amber color. Roskontrol notes that the drink meets safety requirements and has a high content of tannins.
The most popular varieties are Akbar Limited Edition and Akbar Gold. Tea is available both in chain retail stores and when ordering online.
3. “Azerchay”
One of the most popular brands of tea in the market. Buyers note a pleasant mild taste. When brewing even a small amount of dry tea, a strong drink with a rich aroma is obtained.
You can find Azerchay both in retail stores and on marketplaces. The brand has a fairly large line of loose teas, including those with various additives, but the Bouquet series is considered the most popular. The low price is pleasantly surprising, partly this is achieved due to inexpensive packaging. There are two types of packaging: a transparent plastic bag or a simple cardboard box, inside which the tea is packed in a sealed opaque paper bag glued to the bottom of this very box. When buying, it is worth stopping at the second option, since direct sunlight can adversely affect the quality and taste of the drink.
Connoisseurs say that “Azerchay” produced in Our Country is very different from tea made in Azerbaijan. In fact, in both cases, the same raw materials are used, and manufacturing technologies are fully observed, since the investor of the plant in the Krasnodar Territory is a native of Azerbaijan. It is hardly possible to compare – today it is almost impossible to find tea made in Azerbaijan in Our Country.
4. Greenfield
Customers rate this tea highly, with an average of 4.9 points out of 5. The tea has an expressive taste and rich aroma. There are many varieties on store shelves. The most popular are Golden ceylon, English edition, Classic breakfast. It is noteworthy that goods can be bought on marketplaces much cheaper than in popular chains.
Formally, tea belongs to the English brand Greenfield, but in fact the manufacturer is Orimi Group. Other well-known trademarks belong to the same group of companies – Tess, Princess Java, Princess Nuri, Gita. By the way, the last two were awarded the independent Quality Mark of the Consumer Union of the Federation “The Best in Our Country”.
Greenfield is one of the three most recognizable teas among buyers in our country, is one of the leaders in the tea market, and is also represented abroad.
5. Tea Master
This tea has a lot of positive reviews and a high rating on marketplaces, but it is far from the first place in the popularity rating. Probably, the point is the price – loose black tea of the specified brand is sold in retail in cans, therefore the cost increases at least one and a half times. On the other hand, it is convenient to store tea in such packaging – organoleptic properties are better preserved. There are quite a few varieties of this tea, but Maitre de Luxe is most often found in stores.
Buyers note the rich aroma of tea even in dry form, the strength of the drink and a pleasant, slightly astringent taste. The tea leaves are medium in size, which is convenient for brewing in a strainer or special bags.
6. Ahmad Tea
One of the most famous and already well-established teas on the market. Along with Greenfield, it is one of the three most recognizable brands among buyers. Both experts and tea lovers appreciate it and note the strength and astringency of the drink, deep ruby color and pleasant aroma. It should be noted that some buyers allow the presence of flavors due to too rich taste and smell. Tea is consumed very economically, one teaspoon is enough for a strong drink. Leaves of medium and small size. Ahmad Tea is packaged in a sealed foil bag and a cardboard box.
On marketplaces you can find many different varieties of this brand – with and without additives – but the most popular are Ahmad Tea Ceylon Tea Orange Pekoe and Ahmad Tea English Breakfast – they are in almost every chain store. By the way, on the packaging of these varieties it is indicated that the product is produced in accordance with GOST. (one)
Tea connoisseurs should pay attention to the Ahmad Tea Professional series. You can hardly find this tea in chain stores, but ordering it on the Internet will not be difficult. The drink of this series will have a more mature and balanced taste. Ahmad Tea Professional is also manufactured in accordance with GOST. (one)
7. Dilmah
Dilmah loose leaf tea is one of the two products in our ranking, which is collected and packaged in Sri Lanka. Buyers rate this tea highly, note a pleasant mild taste, a deep, slightly tart aroma, and a low price. However, the tea leaves are not tightly rolled, and there are twigs in the package, which indicates that the tea is not of the highest quality.
Large and uniform tea leaves are packed in a plastic transparent bag and a box. The box has a window through which you can see the leaves. This is a plus for the buyer, but rather a minus for the drink – exposure to sunlight negatively affects the quality and taste of the drink.
8. Hillway
Hiilway is the second tea on the list, made in Sri Lanka. The brand is less known than its competitors in a similar price category – the lack of bright advertising and a short existence on the market affect. Nevertheless, buyers give a fairly high rating – from 4.3 to 4.6 points out of five.
Tea is packaged in a foil bag and discreet black box. The most popular variety is Hillway Royal Ceylon. Dry tea leaves of medium and approximately the same size have a pleasant aroma. The taste of the brewed drink is rich, harmonious, tart, but without bitterness. Foreign tastes are not observed. Customers complain that tea stems are found in the drink.
Roskontrol notes that tea does not contain harmful impurities and rates it at a solid 8.
9. Crossbones
Tea of the middle price segment, made in Our Country. On marketplaces and chain stores, you can often find this product on sale. Packaging is standard – foil bag and box. Buyers note that the package is not always airtight. Also, there is dust. The test confirmed compliance with safety requirements and a high content of tannins.
The taste of tea is rich and balanced, but not multifaceted, does not leave a pleasant aftertaste. The tea itself is not very strong, but slightly tart.
The brand is represented by a fairly wide range, but in supermarkets, as a rule, one or two types can be found or not found at all.
10. “May”
Ceylon large-leaf tea of the budget segment. The taste and aroma of tea is pleasant, but not very rich. There is also no astringency in taste, which can be both a plus and a minus. The drink is not very strong, but at the same time a beautiful amber color.
On marketplaces, buyers rate tea quite highly. In 2019, according to the results of the popular vote, Maysky Tea became the winner of the “Brand No. 1 in Our Country” award for the fourth time.
How to choose black loose leaf tea
How to choose the right black leaf tea will tell us Andrey Tseboev, founder of the Tea Dragon Store tea project, tea master and expert in the field of Chinese tea:
– When choosing loose leaf black tea, you should first of all pay attention to the packaging. It is desirable that tea be sold in an opaque sealed metalized package, which in turn will be placed in a cardboard or other box. It is also allowed to store and sell tea in multilayer bags with a zip-lock.
We recommend that you refuse to buy tea if the package has a window through which dry leaves can be seen. Exposure to sunlight adversely affects the taste and quality of tea. Preference should be given to large-leaf teas with a high content of tea buds. In black teas, the presence of buds is easily identified by orange-gold inclusions in dry tea leaves. If it is not possible to look at the brew before buying, give preference to the categories FOP, GFOP, TGFOP, FTGFOP and SFTGFOP.
Gayane Oganezova, tea tasting host prompts:
– The shape of the dry tea leaf – twisted or with small needles – does not matter, but it is important that it is a leaf. After drinking tea, do not rush to throw out the tea leaves. Take out a teaspoon, smooth it out with your fingers and see how it looks. «drunk» leaflet. The bigger it is, the higher the quality. It can be large or small, depending on the variety, but must be whole. Minor damage is allowed as a consequence of transportation. Such a procedure will help you to fully form a picture of whether it is worth buying the selected tea in the future.
Popular questions and answers
Leading tea tasting Gayane Oganezova adds:
– If using glass containers, then do not leave the tea in the light. It quickly loses its properties and becomes covered with a white coating. Iron containers are also good, but it is better that the tea does not come into contact with the walls. You can put it in a bag, and only then in a jar.
– If we are talking about classic black teas, then we should take tea leaves at the rate of 3-4 grams per 200 ml of water, which is about two teaspoons without a slide. For brewing, it is best to use soft bottled or filtered water, heated to a temperature of 90-100 degrees. The teapot or other utensils in which tea will be brewed should first be poured with boiling water and wiped dry. The brewing time is usually three to four minutes, but this parameter should be selected based on personal preference.
In addition, there are two rules that apply to any type and variety of tea. Firstly, never leave tea leaves in water – if left for a long time, they begin to release harmful substances and greatly spoil the taste of the drink. Secondly, it will not work to achieve a good taste of tea by diluting it with water. Therefore, you should not brew tea so strong that you have to dilute it.
– Take a break between meals and tea for at least 30-40 minutes so that heartburn does not occur. Over the years, the habit of drinking tea immediately after dinner can cause persistent heartburn.
Do not drink tea on an empty stomach. The drink contains a lot of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins, alkaloids, theanine. Our body reads such a charge as food and secretes gastric juice, which is harmful to an empty stomach.
Do not leave tea in a teapot or mug for the whole day, and even more so for several days – it is overbrewed and oxidized. Such a drink washes out calcium and iron, which can lead to anemia. And, of course, do not drink tea, on which a gasoline film is collected – these are solid bacteria, it’s the same as eating rotten fruit.
Keep in mind that tea removes fluid from the body. If you drink several cups of the drink a day, be sure to drink plain water throughout the day.
Sources of
- GOST 32573-2013. Black tea. URL: https://docs.cntd.ru/document/1200109613