What is fermented tea?
Fermented tea is black tea, which has undergone fermentation. Oxidation, common to all black teas (i.e. the blackening of the leaves in contact with air) a new stage is added: the fermentation. This will greatly impact the taste to bring to the fermented tea its originality.
How is tea fermented?
Placed in a warm and humid environment, the tea is brought into contact with mold, of yeasts and of bacteria. It is the proliferation of these micro-organisms which accelerates the aging of tea leaves. There are different techniques to achieve this. The first is ancestral, artisanal, traditional. It is simply time, a long period of aging, that is used to ferment the tea leaves, ideally in a warm, humid cellar, the most conducive environment. The second, developed in the 1970s, is more industrial. To save time, the process is accelerated, sometimes with the addition of yeast. The leaves are moistened, placed under an airtight tarpaulin, in a room with constant heat and humidity, for around fifty days. Objective: to deprive the tea of oxygen and accelerate the proliferation of microorganisms.
The different names of fermented tea
In China, the cradle of tea and the world's leading exporter, we call “black tea” or “dark tea” a post-fermented tea. If we name it this way, it is because Western black tea is called “red tea” by the Chinese. Among the different varieties of Chinese fermented tea, the best known is Pu-Erh tea (or pu'er tea) grown in the Chinese province of Yunnan. Wrongly called “semi-fermented tea”, Oolong tea is not a fermented tea. It is a semi-oxidized tea, that is to say halfway between green tea and black tea. This is why it is also called blue tea or blue-green tea. It just goes to show that with tea, we see (almost) all colors !
What does fermented tea taste like?
The fermentation of tea radically changes its taste. Forget the astringency and bitterness felt when drinking certain teas. Fermented teas have smoother, earthier flavors, combining intense notes of undergrowth. Thus, the Chinese fermented teaPu Erh is renowned for taking us into the heart of the forest, as close as possible to ancestral nature. Quite a program!
Kombucha, a very trendy fermented drink
A popular elixir, Kombucha is not strictly speaking fermented tea. It is a fermented drink, born from the symbiosis between bacteria and yeast. It is mainly for the taste that Kombucha is made from black tea, of green tea, of white tea, or from herbal teas and infusions. The presence of already fermented tea is not at all a prerequisite. This is the addition of a colony of microorganisms (called “mother of Kombucha”) which allows fermentation. Under the influence of bacteria and yeast, the sugar contained in tea is transformed into carbon dioxide, acetic acid, and slightly into alcohol (less than 1%). Although consumed for millennia, Kombucha drink is experiencing a return of hype, like all fermented foods, acclaimed for their probiotic actions. The micro-organisms they contain would be beneficial for our intestinal flora.
Precautions to take before drinking Kombucha
Often made “home”, Kombucha is not an innocuous drink. If it is too sweet and too acidic, it can damage tooth enamel in particular. Furthermore, the bacteria contained in the drink, if they are too “aggressive” can be harmful. Particularly for pregnant and breastfeeding women, or for fragile and immunocompromised people. Find out before you succumb to Kombucha drink.
Our advice for making fermented tea successfully
Want to discover or introduce your loved ones to fermented tea? Here are our tips for choosing it and for successfully infusing it. Looking for (another) original tea? Don't miss it smoked tea, very fashionable too.
How to prepare fermented tea?
For a Pu Erh fermented tea, allow 3 to 4 minutes of infusion in simmering water, at 90°C. Be careful not to boil the water, as this could damage the tea leaves. To boost its action on digestion, you can combine fermented tea with aromatic plants, such as thyme or rosemary. You are hesitant about the teapot to use? Visit our complete guide to teapots.
When to enjoy fermented tea?
The tea fermentation process has the power to reduce theine content, which allows you to enjoy the tea. dark teas, with lightness throughout the day. In the majority of people, this low theine content does not prevent sleep, but this may depend on the sensitivity of each person. The supposed digestive benefits of fermented tea make it an ideal tea to take after meals.
What are the benefits of fermented tea?
Consumed since the dawn of time in China, fermented tea is said to have digestive properties, thanks to the polyphenols and theaflavins it contains. Powerful antioxidants that boost metabolism and would facilitate digestion. Fermented tea, like other varieties of tea, would also have a detoxifying action and promote weight loss (in addition to a varied and balanced diet).
What fermented tea does Kusmi Tea offer?
This is the organic Pu Erh tea, a unique dark tea from China, which gave its name to the city of Pu'er, in Yunnan province. Pu Erh is a great tea, for several reasons. First, by size: it comes from varieties of tea plants with particularly large leaves. But, it is especially great for the preciousness that its fermentation process gives it. The Pu Erh is a post-fermented tea, thanks to a long, natural and very gradual drying process. And that's not all: Pu Erh tea also has the particularity of improving over time... A real treasure, we tell you!
Pu Erh tea, a very ancient treasure
At the time of the ancient tea route where the famous caravans of horses and yaks traveled, Yunnan producers compressed Pu Erh tea in the form of cakes (also called “bird’s nests”) or bricks in order to transport it more easily to Tibet. It then also served as a currency of exchange. Pu Erh can be kept for several years - up to a few dozen for some - provided it is stored in a very humid place. We understand why, it’s such a precious tea!
So, are you ready to try fermented tea?