Okay, so I’ve been getting really into tea lately, and let me tell you, it’s a whole world out there! I started with the basic stuff, you know, the tea bags you find at any grocery store. But then I thought, there’s gotta be more to life than just that, right? So I started digging around, and oh boy, was I right.

Different Types of Black Tea

I went down this rabbit hole of learning about different types of black tea, and it’s been a wild ride. First, I tried to order some loose leaf tea online. I ended up on this fancy-looking website, and I ordered a bunch of samples. Honestly, I didn’t really know what I was doing, I just picked some that sounded interesting.

When the package arrived, I was so excited! I ripped it open and started brewing. The first one I tried was this thing called “Keemun.” The leaves looked kind of dark and twisty, and the smell was pretty intense. I steeped it for like, 5 minutes, like the package said, and took a sip.

It was…interesting. Kind of smoky, a little bit sweet, maybe? Definitely not like the tea bags I was used to. Then I moved on to something called “Assam.” This one was supposed to be strong and malty, and let me tell you, they weren’t kidding. It was like a punch in the face, in a good way! I felt super energized after drinking it.

Next up was “Darjeeling,” which is apparently the “Champagne of teas.” It was a lot lighter than the other two, kind of floral, and a little bit fruity. It was nice, but maybe not my favorite.

I also tried this one called “Earl Grey.” It smelled amazing, all citrusy, because of the bergamot oil, they add to it. It was also a black tea. It was also great but tasted really different from the others.

Then, I had made a mistake. I had gotten some pu-erh teas in the order. When I brewed it up and took a sip, I knew that something was off. Then I realized that this was an aged tea. It was earthy and had a really strong taste, that I am still getting used to.

So, here’s what I learned from my little tea adventure:

• There are a TON of different black teas out there.
• They all taste pretty different, depending on where they’re from and how they’re processed.
• Reading the package instructions is important.
• Sometimes you make mistakes and get something you didn’t expect.
• Drinking tea makes me feel fancy.

I’m still pretty new to this whole tea thing, but I’m definitely having fun exploring. Next, I think I’m gonna try some green teas. Wish me luck!