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Black tea hails from China, from the Camellia Sinensis plant. This plant is where many types of tea come from, the difference is in how it is processed after harvest. Earl Grey, Assam, Ceylon, Oolong, Green, and many other types come from this same plant, yet have vastly different flavor profiles and caffeine content. 

This handy chart, (credit to Adagio.com tea company) gives you a great overview of the caffeine content of many popular tea blends. You'll see that black tea contains about half the caffeine as a cup of coffee - Oolong is half the caff of black, and so on. One common question we get often is if there is any caffeine in our herbal, medicinal teas. And the answer is mostly no. We currently offer two medicinal teas that do contain white tea, and if you look at the chart above that is a very minimal amount. (Those teas are Anti-Inflammatory and Vitamin C). 

Rooibos, also called red tea or red bush tea is not a 'tea' at all. In fact, it has no relation to the Camellia Sinensis plant at all. Rooibos is made using leaves from a shrub called Aspalathus linearis and the leaves are fermented, giving them that lovely reddish-brown color.  Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free, making it a great alternative to black and green teas for those that want a 'tea' taste without the caffeine content. Here at Bittersweet, we love to blend teas with Rooibos, as it holds other flavors well. Alone, Rooibos is naturally a sweeter tasting tea, with a light, earthy flavor. For those keeping score, Rooibos is lower in tannins than black teas and contains zero oxalic acid.

Earl Grey has a citrusy flavor, due to the addition of natural or synthetic bergamot oil. And what is bergamot, you may ask? It's a citrus fruit, best described as a cross between a lemon and an orange. Earl Grey can be made with different types of black teas, generally Assam or Ceylon. 

Lapsang Souchong is one of China's oldest black teas, made from smoking the tea leaves over a pinewood fire. It has a bold, unique flavor and we find that it does not taste as smoky as it smells when brewed. 

Oolong can be a confusing category, as there are many types but we will tell you about the type we sell here at Bittersweet. Oolong teas are allowed to oxidize to varying degrees between green (no oxidation) and black (full oxidation). We use a medium grade Formosa Oolong from Taiwan, the type commonly served in many Chinese restaurants. Expect a smooth, mellow, fairly dark cup of tea when brewed. 

White tea, formerly considered to be the rarest and most expensive variety, is a delightful, light, floral tea that is best enjoyed hot with just under boiling water, and steeped quickly. It also hails from the Camellia Sinensis plant, but it is only harvested in the spring time and undergoes a different drying process. It is, therefore, a tea leaf with very little caffeine and a delicate flavor. Many tea aficionados say that this is a tea to never add milk or sweetener to... and we agree. 

Since White tea is harvested in the spring, we honor that by making a tea we call Spring Sunrise - look for it in April and May! 

Green tea is perhaps where the history of tea begins, but we won't get into all of that! There are many types of green teas, ranging in flavor depending on how they are produced. We generally use a pan-fired Sencha green tea as our base. 

Everything Else - There's Darjeeling, Jasmine Flower, Ceylon, Assam, Keemun,... the list goes on and on!

Tisanes- this is simply a fancy word for an herbal tea that contains no caffeine and therefore no actual tea leaf. 

Infusion- how most teas are made, being infused with hot water and steeped for a few minutes. 

Decoction - refers to a longer infusion time, generally with the tougher part of a plant such as the plants roots or bark. 

Herbal Teas - individual herbs and flowers do not contain caffeine. Most of the herbal (medicinal) teas we make here at Bittersweet are not mixed with tea leaves and for the few that are, that information is listed on the label. 

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