How is Tea Made?
Learn from Long Island Iced Tea how your tea is made from the leaf all the way to your perfect glass of iced tea.
Did you know that all tea is made from the same plant? Yes, that’s right, black, green, and white teas start off pretty much the same, and it’s what happens during the tea production process that transforms them.
Black tea is the most common tea used, and is used in all of Long Island Iced Tea’s delicious flavors. There are two ways of making it: the “traditional” method and the “CTC” method. Read on to find out more about how tea is made using these two processes.
The Traditional method is the most commonly used. In this process, the tea goes through four stages: withering, rolling, oxidation, and drying. In general, the more oxidized the tea is, the darker it will be, hence the name black tea. Green tea is the least oxidized, so the color of the tea barely changes from the color of the original plant.
Withering
Particularly important for black tea, the leaves are laid out to dry to reduce water content so the leaves can be pliable enough to be rolled.
Rolling
Why are tea leaves so scrunched up?
Traditionally done by hand, but today, machines are used to roll and shape the leaves, and gives our Long Island Iced Tea its distinctive flavor.
Oxidation
A chemical process that is easiest to observe by looking at the color of the leaf. Black teas are the most oxidized as you can see in our rich, dark crimson-brown iced teas.
Drying
Our tea is finally dried to lock in the final flavor that we all enjoy!
Through this delicate process, we created an authentic and refreshing Iced Tea that can be enjoyed in any season. From a welcome light refreshment in the heat of summer, to a fresh treat in the dead of winter to wake you up, Long Island Iced Tea has the drink for you!
