Loose-Leaf Tea Glossary: 24 Terms Explained
The words that show up in loose-leaf tea specs, reviews and how-to guides, explained without jargon. Open any term for the full explanation and what to look for when buying.
- Black tea
- Fully oxidized tea leaves that brew a dark, robust cup, forming the base of many everyday and flavored blends.
- Read more about black tea
- Chasen
- A bamboo whisk carved with many fine tines, used to whisk matcha powder and hot water into a smooth, frothy cup.
- Read more about chasenRelated: Best Matcha Whisks: Bamboo Chasen and Modern Picks
- Cold brew tea
- Tea steeped in cold or room-temperature water for several hours, producing a smoother cup with less bitterness.
- Read more about cold brew teaRelated: Best Cold Brew Tea Makers
- Descaling
- Cleaning mineral buildup, or limescale, out of a kettle using a mild acid solution such as vinegar or citric acid.
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- Gaiwan
- A lidded bowl, usually porcelain, used to steep and pour tea without a handle, central to gongfu brewing.
- Read more about gaiwanRelated: Best Gaiwans
- Gongfu brewing
- A Chinese brewing style that uses a lot of leaf in a small pot or gaiwan for many short, concentrated infusions.
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- Gooseneck kettle
- A kettle with a long, curved spout that gives precise control over the speed and placement of a water pour.
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- Green tea
- Minimally oxidized tea that keeps a fresh, grassy or vegetal character and needs cooler water than black tea.
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- Hard water
- Water with a high mineral content that can dull tea flavor and speed up scale buildup inside a kettle.
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- Infuser
- A removable basket, ball or filter that holds loose leaves in water while letting flavor and expanded leaves move freely.
- Read more about infuserRelated: Best Tea Infusers
- Matcha
- Finely ground, shade-grown green tea that is whisked directly into hot water rather than steeped and strained.
- Read more about matchaRelated: Best Matcha Powder: Ceremonial and Culinary Grades Compared
- Oolong
- A tea style between green and black, partially oxidized to a degree the tea maker controls during processing.
- Read more about oolongRelated: Best Oolong Tea: Light to Dark Styles Compared
- Oxidation
- The natural chemical browning of picked tea leaves when exposed to air, which shifts flavor from green toward black.
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- Pu-erh
- A fermented, often aged tea from Yunnan, China, known for earthy, mellow flavor that can change over years of storage.
- Read more about pu-erhRelated: Best Pu-erh Tea: Ripe and Raw Styles Explained
- Re-steeping
- Brewing the same tea leaves again for a second, third or further infusion, common with whole leaf and gongfu teas.
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- Rooibos
- A naturally caffeine-free herbal tisane from South Africa, made from the rooibos bush rather than the tea plant.
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- Steeping time
- How long tea leaves sit in hot water before straining, the main factor that turns a cup delicate or bitter.
- Read more about steeping timeRelated: Best Tea Timers
- Tea-to-water ratio
- The proportion of dry tea leaves to water volume, the main lever for strength alongside steeping time.
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- Tisane
- An herbal infusion, such as chamomile, peppermint or rooibos, made from plants other than the tea shrub itself.
- Read more about tisaneRelated: Best Herbal Tea: Caffeine-Free Blends Compared
- Water temperature
- The heat of the water used to brew, which must match the tea style or the cup turns bitter, flat or scalded.
- Read more about water temperatureRelated: Best Variable Temperature Kettles
- Western brewing
- The common approach of steeping a modest amount of leaf once in a full teapot or mug for several minutes.
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- White tea
- The least processed tea style, made from young buds and leaves with minimal oxidation and no rolling or firing.
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- Whole leaf tea
- Loose tea made of intact or lightly broken leaves, as opposed to the fine dust and fannings used in most tea bags.
- Read more about whole leaf tea
- Yixing teapot
- An unglazed clay teapot from Yixing, China, traditionally seasoned and dedicated to one type of tea over time.
- Read more about yixing teapotRelated: Best Yixing Clay Teapots