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Hei Cha

Hei Cha

Hei Cha (黑茶)

Also known as Dark Tea, Black Tea, and 黑茶.

Hei Cha is a category of tea that has undergone the post-fermentation (后发酵) process.

Name

  • 黑 (pronounced Hei in Mandarin): means "black" or "dark."
  • 茶 (pronounced Cha in Mandarin): means tea.

In the West, we tend to name teas based on the color of the dry leaves, which is why Hong Cha is often called “black tea” in English. In East Asia, though, teas are named for the color of the brewed liquor, so Hong Cha is called “red tea” due to its ruddy hue. This difference in naming practices can get confusing, especially when trying to differentiate between Hong Cha as “black tea” and Hei Cha, which is also often translated as “black tea.”

Examples

Note: In common discourse, the term generally excludes Sheng Puer (生普洱) because it does not undergo fermentation during production. However, it does see remarkable microbial transformation through the aging process, and some argue that this should qualify it as a type of Hei Cha.

Should a tea be classified as Hei Cha based solely on its intended production method, or should any teas that have undergone fermentation (accidentally or intentionally) be included in this category? For simplicity and to avoid further confusion on an already complex topic, I believe we should use the former definition.

Flavor

Hei Cha flavors range widely amongst different localities and types. Broadly speaking, the category features wood, mushroom, broth, soil, and metallic notes.

I stay away from Hei Cha with fishy notes; a possible indication of problems within the fermentation process.

Production

Production process varies widely between different kinds of Hei Cha. The common factor is usually the Wo Dui (渥堆), or Wet Piling, process. Hei Cha is often created from mid-sized leaf material, or Zhong Ye Zhong (中叶种).

Depending on local tradition, the leaves are steamed and then compressed into any number of shapes, including bricks, mushrooms, bird's nests, and cakes. Large quantities may also be stored in bamboo containers and stored for later use. 

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