If you think about China, one of the first things that pops up into your head is tea, right?In my world, only one kind of tea existed – green tea – and all my life (don't laugh!), I was so sure that different kinds of teas were from different plants. Logical, I thought... but, no. I knew I had to ask Radio86 tea expert Geni to give me the low-down on tea.

All kinds of tea are from the plant Camellia sinensis, which belongs to the Camellia genus. The tea plant requires consistent warmth and moisture and could grow up to 10 - 15 meters tall in natural conditions.

Classification system

The kind of tea is determined by the level of oxidation and processing that the tea leaves undergo. That – not different plants – determines whether the tea you're drinking is called green (unoxidized), black (fermented) or Oolong (semi-fermented).

The most commonly used classification system is based on the color of the tea at the end of the preparation process:

1. Green tea (lücha) can be called the father of all teas. This type of tea goes through the least processing. To stop the the oxidation process, tea leaves are steamed or roasted.

2. White tea (baicha) is a relative newcomer to the tea world because its production only commenced at the end of the 18th century in Fujian province.

3. Yellow tea (huangcha) is even more rare than white tea and for a long time its processing method was kept a secret. Yellow tea is processed by rolling the tea leaves in paper after a light roasting, where they are kept for a few days.

4. Black tea (heicha) is not widely known outside China. Most varieties of black tea known as pu'erh are compressed into different shaped cakes and bricks.

5. Blue-green tea (qingcha), known as Oolong in the West, is partly oxidized. They are divided into baozhong, which is enclosed in a paper bag during processing, and the more strongly oxidized wulong, more commonly known as oolong.

6. Red tea (hongcha) is called black tea in the West.

The right temperature for the right tea

Preparing tea is not rocket science, according to Geni, but in order to fully enjoy high quality tea, some consideration should be given to how it's brewed. Different tea varieties have slightly different requirements in terms of the optimal water temperature and infusion time.

It turned out that the way I was making my tea was the worst way you could possibly prepare it... I asked my colleague – tea guru Geni - to show me how it's supposed to be done. For comparison we made two cups of tea. One was made "my way", and the other cup was made "the professional way".

She explained that water should be fresh, soft (low in calcium and minerals), scentless, colorless and tasteless. Carbonated water is definitely not an option for brewing tea. The knowledge I had about the quality of the water was first and the last thing I knew about preparing the tea.

A Chinese gaiwan (Image: Radio86)Water should only be allowed to boil for a very short time. If it is allowed to boil longer, its level of oxygen will be reduced and the tea will be bland. The water is then allowed to cool down to the temperature that best suits the tea variety in question. Pu'erh and red tea leaves should be infused in almost boiling water to ensure that they give off as much flavor as possible. Oolong tea is also best prepared using nearly boiling water of about 90-95 Celsius degrees. More sensitive, non-fermented teas should be infused in slightly cooler water of around 70-80 Celsius degrees.

If the water is too hot, it will "scorch" the tea buds, which will diminish some of the most delicate aromas. The higher the quality of the tea, the more likely it is to react to the temperature of the water.

The tea challenge

As a rule of thumb, it is good to reserve about 2-2.5 grams of tea leaves per cup (1.5 dl). If tea is served throughout the day from a larger container, it is better to reserve a small handful of tea leaves for a pot that holds about 5 dl of water. Geni told me this before I put any tea in my cup. I just pretended I knew what she was talking about and made sure that she put her tea leaves in her cup first, just so I can put as much tea leaves as she did.

Since we were preparing green tea, Geni cooled the water to the right temperature to avoid burning the leaves and allowed the tea leaves to brew for about two minutes. Guess what I did? I poured boiling water straight on to the tea leaves. Geni wasn't happy with that.

While we were waiting for the tea leaves to open and release their taste, my kind teacher explained that top-grade green, white and yellow tea varieties can be steeped three times, Oolong teas up to six or seven times. When re-steeping the tea, the first infusion should only last about one minute and the following ones should always last 15-30 seconds longer each time. The most crucial thing is to leave enough water in the bottom of the teapot so that the tea leaves remain in water between infusions. Chinese teas do not become bitter so easily, so tea leaves can be allowed to sit in the pot for quite long periods of time.

We used traditional tea-ware called juzhong or gaiwan which is a small porcelain cup with a lid and a small saucer. Before pouring the tea, we rinsed the teacup with hot water to warm it up.

Yes, Geni's tea was much much better – milder, smoother and less bitter. To get an objective opinion I asked two of our colleagues to try our teas, and they both agreed – Geni's tea was just perfect.

If all this information isn't enough to turn you into a tea lover, you should remember that tea has been found to have beneficial health effects. Studies have shown that it lowers cholesterol, helps fight heart disease, dementia and the effects of aging. It is used in HIV therapy, is good for the skin and helps in weight loss. It is also said to boost the immune system, lower stress hormone levels and even guards against bad breath. In fact, in China, tea was used for a long time for medicinal purposes. Though it was first discovered in Yunnan 4,000 years ago, it did not evolve into a popular beverage until thousands of years later.

I can't promise that I'll brew my tea the way Geni taught me to every time, but I can promise that I will try.

Edited by: Geni Raitisoja