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Nowadays, people are no strangers to Black Tea. However, they know little about its processing techniques.

Generally, black Tea goes through several processes: plucking, withering, kneading, fermentation, baking, re-baking, and refinement. Today, we focus on the “kneading” process.

Kneading

An essential tool for shaping the appearance and forming the quality of Gongfu black tea and broken black tea.

Kneading is performed at a relative humidity of 85% to 95% and an indoor temperature of 20°C to 24°C, avoiding direct sunlight.

Purpose of Kneading

Shaping Appearance: Kneading curls the leaves into tight, straight strips, reducing their volume and creating an attractive appearance;

Forming Quality: The kneading process plays a crucial role in the internal quality changes of the tea. It breaks down the cells of the tea leaves, allowing the tea juice to seep out and accelerate the enzymatic oxidation of polyphenols, laying the foundation for the unique quality of black tea. Additionally, the tea juice accumulates on the surface of the leaves, making it easier to dissolve during brewing and increasing the concentration of the tea liquor.

Hand Kneading

Hand kneading uses a tool called a “kneading hat,” made of bamboo strips and resembling a sieve. A well-used kneading hat has a reddish-brown color, with a faint aroma of tea mixed with bamboo.

How to Knead

Using one or both hands, grasp a handful of tea leaves and gently press them onto the kneading hat. Push the tea forward on the kneading surface, causing the tea bunch to turn in your hand. Then, smoothly bring the tea back in the same direction (avoiding directly reversing, which would scatter the tea), and push it forward again, repeating this process.

Sieving and Re-Kneading

A critical step in the black tea kneading process. Sieving not only ensures consistent kneading but also separates the leaves by size, aiding in heat dissipation.

Re-kneading involves kneading the top-grade tea that remains on the sieve again. This preserves the sharpness of delicate leaves while improving the strip formation rate of larger leaves. Therefore, multiple short kneading sessions with sieving and re-kneading are recommended, which benefits both the appearance and quality of the tea.

Kneading Degree and Principles

The kneading time should not be too long, as it could cause the tea to become yellowish and affect the taste and aroma of the tea liquor. The degree of kneading is achieved when the strip formation rate is over 80%, and the tea sticks to the leaf surface, feeling sticky to the touch. The green leaves must be promptly separated after kneading.

Kneading follows the principle of “more leaves for tender ones and fewer for older ones,” with pressure applied in a “light-heavy-light” sequence, and “gentle pressure and short kneading for tender leaves, and heavier pressure and warm kneading for older leaves.”

The production of sun-dried black tea involves five steps: plucking, withering, kneading, fermentation, and drying.

(1) Plucking should be selective: based on the variety, growing environment, and maturity of the fresh leaves.

Withering in a withering trough

Natural withering

Tumbling machine

(2) Withering of tea leaves: under normal circumstances, the withering time should be controlled between 5 to 8 hours, with the moisture content of the leaves maintained between 60% to 65%.

Kneading

Traditional tea making

Small tea kneader (for kneading)

(3) Kneading degree: the purpose of kneading black tea is similar to that of Green Tea, where the tea forms during the process and enhances the concentration of color, aroma, and taste. The cell disruption facilitates necessary oxidation under enzyme action, facilitating successful fermentation. Generally, kneading should be done until the tea's moisture feels sticky to the touch.

Small frame fermentation

(4) Fermentation: fermentation is a unique stage in the production of black tea. After fermentation, the leaf color changes from green to red, forming the characteristic qualities of red leaves and red liquor in black tea. Properly fermented, young leaves appear uniformly red, while older leaves have a reddish hue with a hint of green. The grassy scent disappears, giving way to a fragrance reminiscent of ripe fruit.

Sun-drying (natural air-drying)

Drying machine

(5) Drying: drying involves high-temperature baking to quickly evaporate moisture and achieve the desired dryness, ensuring the tea's quality is preserved.