Method for Producing Fruit Black Tea

A fruit black tea that balances the astringent taste by blending second-flush black tea with dried tangerine, kiwi, and lemon in a 150:120:20:10 ratio.

This technology involves a method for producing fruit black tea by drying 0.5–1 cm thick slices of kiwi, lemon, and tangerine at 45°C for 72 hours, then blending 150 parts by weight of dried black tea leaves with 120 parts dried tangerine, 20 parts kiwi, and 10 parts lemon. The dried fruit complements the tea's natural aroma, adding a subtle, authentic fruit flavor.

Black tea contains more caffeine than green or oolong tea, and the high concentration of polyphenol polymers released during brewing often results in a harsh, astringent taste that can be off-putting. To mask this, many products rely on artificial flavorings. Meanwhile, the domestic tea industry faces a surplus of second-flush tea—often considered lower quality than the first flush—and farmers struggle with falling prices for tangerines and kiwis due to overproduction.

This technology processes second-flush tea leaves through sun-withering for 3 hours, indoor withering at 10–20°C for 20 hours, rolling for 40 minutes, three 40-minute fermentation cycles at 40°C, and 6 hours of sun-fermentation before drying. By blending these leaves with low-temperature, long-dried fruits in precise ratios, the tea's astringency and bitterness are significantly reduced. Suitable for premium fruit tea bags, regional gift sets, and unsweetened cafe bases, this method helps consume surplus tea and fruit, boosts farm income in regions like Jeonnam, and provides a smooth, natural tea experience without artificial additives.

‍

‍

Key Features:

• Step of preparing dried fruit slices by drying kiwi and lemon, sliced to a thickness of 0.5 cm to 1 cm, at 45°C for 72 hours
• Step of preparing dried tangerine for blending by drying tangerines at 45°C for 72 hours
• Step of mixing 150 parts by weight of dried black tea leaves with 120 parts dried tangerine, 20 parts dried kiwi slices, and 10 parts dried lemon slices
• Black tea leaves obtained by sun-withering second-flush leaves, indoor withering at 10–20°C, rolling, three fermentation cycles at 40°C, and 6 hours of sun-fermentation followed by drying

‍

This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Education's Bio-Convergence Human Resources Development Program.

‍