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== Umum ==
Meskipun tiap-tiap jenis teh memiliki rasa, aroma, dan wujud yang berbeda-beda, pengolahan teh untuk semua jenis teh memiliki sekumpulan metode yang serupa dengan sedikit variasi:
Although each type of tea has different taste, smell, and visual appearance, tea processing for all tea types consists of a very similar set of methods with only minor variations:
#'''PickingPemetikan''': Tea leaves and flushes, which includes a terminal bud and 2 young leaves, are plucked from ''Camellia sinensis'' bushes twice a year during early spring and early summer or late spring. Autumn or winter pickings of tea flushes are much less common, though they occur when climate permits. Picking is done by hand when a higher quality tea is needed, or where labour costs are not prohibitive. Hand-picking is done by pulling the flush with a snap of the wrist and does not involve twisting or pinching the flush, since doing the latter reduces the quality of the leaves. Tea flushes and leaves can also be picked by machine, though there will be more broken leaves and partial flushes. It is also more difficult to harvest by machine on mountain slopes where tea is often grown.
#'''Wilting''': The tea leaves will begin to wilt soon after picking, with a gradual onset of ''enzymatic oxidation''. Wilting is used to remove excess water from the leaves and allows a very light amount of oxidation. The leaves can be either put under the sun or left in a cool breezy room to pull moisture out from the leaves. The leaves sometimes lose more than a quarter of their weight in water during wilting.
#'''Bruising''': In order to promote and quicken oxidation, the leaves may be bruised by tumbling in baskets or by being kneaded or rolled-over by heavy wheels. This also releases some of the leaf juices, which may aid in oxidation and change the taste profile of the tea.
#'''OxidationOksidasi''': For teas that require oxidation, the leaves are left on their own in a closed room where they turn progressively darker. In this process the [[chlorophyll]] in the leaves is enzymatically broken down, and its [[tannin]]s are released or transformed. This process is referred to as fermentation in the tea industry, although no true fermentation happens since this oxidative process does not generate energy (this step is also not driven by microorganisms; in other steps of tea processing--aging for example--microorganisms might be used that actually do carry out fermentation). The tea producer may choose when the oxidation should be stopped. For light [[oolong]] teas this may be anywhere from 5-40% oxidation, in darker oolong teas 60-70%, and in [[black tea]]s 100% oxidation.
#'''Kill-green''': Kill-green or shāqīng (殺青) is done to stop the tea leaf [[oxidation]] at a desired level. This process is accomplished by moderately heating tea leaves, thus deactivating their oxidative enzymes, without destroying the flavour of the tea. Traditionally, the tea leaves are panned in a wok or steamed, but with advancements in technology, kill-green is sometimes done by baking or "panning" in a rolling drum. In [[Crush, Tear, Curl|CTC]] black teas, kill-green is done simultaneously with drying.
#'''YellowingPenguningan''': Unique to [[yellow tea]]s, warm and damp tea leaves from after kill-green are allowed to be lightly heated in a closed container, which causes the previously green leaves to yellow.
#'''Pembentukan''':Tahap berikutnya adalah penggulungan untuk mendapatkan bentuk lajur yang ergonomik. Biasanya dilakukan dengan menempatkannya di dalam tas pakaian yang besar, yang kemudian ditekan-tekan oleh tangan atau mesin untuk membentuk lajur. Tindakan penggulungan ini juga menyebabkan beberapa pati dan jus dari dalam daun keluar, ini akan memperkaya rasa teh. Lajur teh dapat dibentuk menjadi bentuk lain, misalnya membentuk pola keriting, membentuk pelet, atau digulung serupa bola dan bentuk lain yang diharapkan.
#'''Shaping''':The damp tea leaves are then rolled to be formed into wrinkle strips. This is typically done by placing the damp leaves in large cloth bags, which are then kneaded by hand or machine to form the strips. This rolling action also causes some of the sap and juices inside the leaves to ooze out, which further enhances the taste of the tea. The strips of tea can then be formed into other shapes, such as being rolled into spirals, kneaded and rolled into pellets, or tied into balls and other elaborate shapes.
#'''Pengeringan''': Pengeringan dilakukan sebagai "tahap akhir" menjelang penjualan. Ini dapat dilakukan dengan banyak cara, misalnya dengan menggongseng, menjemur, menghembuskan udara panas, atau memanggangnya. Namun, pemanggangan adalah yang paling lazim. Pemeliharaan yang saksama mestilah dilakukan supaya pucuk daun teh tidak terlampau kering, atau bahkan hangus.
#'''Drying''': Drying is done to "finish" the tea for sale. This can be done in a myriad of ways including panning, sunning, air drying, or baking. However, baking is usually the most common. Great care must be taken to not over-cook the leaves.
#'''Pemeliharaan''': Meski tidak selalu dilakukan, beberapa teh memerlukan penyimpanan ekstra, fermentasi tahap kedua, atau pemanggangan untuk mencapai potensial minumannya. Juga, teh yang diberi perisa dipabrikasi dengan menyemprotkan aroma dan rasa atau dengan menyimpannya di lingkungan perisa.
#'''Curing''': While not always required, some teas required additional aging, secondary-fermentation, or baking to reach their drinking potential. As well, flavored teas are manufactured by spraying with aromas and flavors or by storing them with their flavorants.
[[ImageBerkas:Teaprocessing-small.png|640px|ADiagram flow-chart foralir teapengolahan processingteh]]
Tanpa pengawasan suhu dan kelembaban yang saksama selama pengolahan dan pabrikasi, jamur mungkin saja tumbuh di atas teh. Jamur jenis ini menyebabkan fermentasi yang nyata yang akan mencemari teh dengan zat racun dan terkadang senyawa pemicu kanker dan merusak rasa, yang pada akhirnya teh tidak lagi layak untuk dikonsumsi.
Without careful moisture and temperature control during its manufacture and life thereafter, fungi will grow on tea. This form of fungus causes real fermentation that will contaminate the tea with toxic and sometimes carcinogenic substances and off-flavours, rendering the tea unfit for consumption.
== Pengolahan spesifik jenis ==
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