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The Black Tea Fermentation Time

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The Black Tea Fermentation Time

2022-04-29 15:35:56

How long does it take for black tea to ferment? Black tea generally takes 5 to 6 hours to ferment. 

Fermentation is the most important part of black tea. Traditional fermentation refers to putting the rolled tea embryos in a basket, pressing them a little, and then covering them with a fermented cloth soaked in warm water to increase the temperature and humidity of the fermented leaves, promote the activity of enzymes, and shorten the fermentation time. After 5 to 6 hours, the veins of the leaves are reddish-brown, and they can be baked and dried. The purpose of fermentation is to oxidize the polyphenols in tea leaves under the promotion of enzymes, so that the green tea husks turn red.

Tea fermentation is a key process to form the quality characteristics of black tea color, aroma and taste. Generally, the kneaded leaves are placed in the fermentation frame or fermentation car and entered into the fermentation room for fermentation. Fermentation should master the appropriate temperature, humidity and oxygen amount required to satisfy the oxidative polymerization reaction of tea polyphenol oxidase.

Black tea is normally fermented for 4 to 6 hours. However, the specific fermentation time depends on the age and tenderness of the tea leaves, the cold and hot weather, the degree of wilting and drying, and the degree of rolling. Generally, young leaves, fully rolled raw materials, and leaves with high fermentation temperature ferment faster, and the time is relatively short. Otherwise, it will take longer.

There are long and short periods of time. As long as it is not sour or stuffy during black tea fermentation, it is fine. The tea maker should keep track of the fermentation progress at any time. Fermentation time is just a reference indicator. Whether fermentation should be terminated, or should it be based on the degree of fermentation.

Introduction of black tea fermentation

For moderate fermentation, the leaf color basically turns red and yellow, the green gas disappears, and the aroma of flowers and fruits appears as the standard. In the case of mass production, the final evaluation method is used to check the color of the soup, taste the taste, look at the bottom of the leaves, and check the degree of fermentation.

The constant temperature fermentation temperature is controlled at about 22-28 ℃, and the precise value needs to be further tested according to the fresh leaf raw materials, the degree of withering, and the degree of rolling. Black tea fermentation is the key to making black tea. The fermentation time and temperature must be strictly controlled and properly adjusted, so that black tea can be successfully produced. At present, many tea farmers use black tea fermentation machines to imitate natural fermentation, which greatly shortens the fermentation time and can achieve uniform fermentation of the entire batch.