Probably the most widely known type of tea in the United States is black tea. It’s on every grocery store shelf and in most restaurants. Black tea, also from the Camellia Sinesis plant, is plucked, rolled and allowed to wither. Rolling is either done manually by hand rolling or with large rolling machines. The leaves are then spread out on trays, racks or raised cool concrete slabs and allowed to rest. During this resting period, the leaves begin to oxidize and turn a dark brown. Once the leaves are fully oxidized, they are run through a final drying process and packaged for sale.
Even though all black teas come from the same plant and follow the same processing steps, not all black tea is the same. Like wine, tea has a flavor profile that varies based on the soil, season, weather and elevation. Our Northwest Breakfast is a single varietal, Keemun black tea originating from Qimen county in the Anhui province of China. The name Keemun is derived from an old English spelling of the county where the tea grows. With a balanced mouth feel, minimal to no bitterness, and a touch of natural sweetness this deep rich tea is the perfect way to start to every morning.