On Jul 24, 4:16 am, "Melinda" > wrote:
> Well I don't think I've seen this discussed here before so here goes: I
> usually drink my red teas with milk and sugar. When I do that I have noticed
> that the Assams and Ceylons and the African teas too are a sort of a tan
> color while the China reds (keemun, yunnan, and kind of congou) have a
> greyish cast to the color of the liquid (this is with milk). Has anyone else
> noticed that and what do you think causes it?
>
Chana black teas (reds) are not manufactured with milk in mind - they
are longer oxidised than a tea intended for milk. Long oxidation
gives little Theaflavin (the bright orange astringent polyphenol) and
a lot of the dull brown polyphenol Thearubigin which is formed fron
condensed polymerized theaflavin - orthodox manufacture as the China
tea receive also favors thearubigin. These China teas have a greyness
when milked which in excess is termed slatey (ISO tea term No.2228).
Shorter oxidation teas, particularly CTC teas from East africa and
Assam intended for the milk loving UK, Irish and Pakistani markets
have a higher ratio of TF versus TR (they are dried before the process
proceeds too far along theTR route) and present red orange (tan) in
the cup.
I remember making some very good milkers in China using China leaf and
CTC - which passed for Assams - same leaf, different process!.

Nigel at Teacraft