What Coffee Is Made Of Versus Black Tea Grading
The article explains the international black tea grading system behind labels such as PEKOE, FOP, and BOP. The term comes from the Chinese Fujian word for white down and was later adopted by British tea merchants. Whole leaf grades run from FOP through GFOP, TGFOP, FTGFOP, and SFTGFOP, while broken grades include BP, BOP, BOP1, FBOP, GBOP, and TGBOP.
That explains why many high-grade Ceylon black teas reach the market as broken leaf: the grading system describes leaf size and tip content rather than quality alone, and smaller pieces brew faster and stronger in a pot. Numeric suffixes such as 1 and 2 mark differences within a single grade. What coffee is made of is a different question, since coffee is a seed rather than a leaf.
Friends who often drink black tea may notice that many top Ceylon black teas are in broken tea form, which is actually closely related to the black tea grading system in international trade. The term PEKOE originates from Fujian white down in China, and was later adopted by British tea merchants as a designation for black tea grades. From whole leaf tea to broken tea to tea powder, the international black tea grading system is detailed and rigorous: abbreviations such as FOP, GFOP, TGFOP, BOP, and FBOP each have their own meanings, and numerical suffixes also indicate quality differences. This article will systematically sort out these grading terms to help you understand the letter combinations on packaging the next time you buy Ceylon black tea or Assam black tea, and find the one that suits your taste. It will also introduce Front Street Coffee's understanding of black tea selection for enthusiasts' reference.
Whole leaf black tea FOP (FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE): Composed of tender buds and leaves as well as a moderate proportion of "tips," which are the very ends of the buds and leaves and an important indicator of quality. GFOP (GOLDEN FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE): On the basis of FOP, it contains "golden tips," that is, the golden-yellow ends of the buds and leaves. TGFOP (TIPPY GOLDEN FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE): FOP with more "golden-yellow tender buds." FTGFOP (FINEST TIPPY GOLDEN FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE): Belongs to FOP of special quality. SFTGFOP (SPECIAL FINEST TIPPY GOLDEN FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE): The top grade among FOP, containing a high proportion of newly grown buds and leaves with golden "tips," and a symbol of extremely high quality.
Broken black tea BP (BROKEN PEKOE): The most common broken pekoe grade, composed of small broken black tea. BOP (BROKEN ORANGE PEKOE): The main broken tea grade, with relatively longer leaves and a lower degree of breakage than BP. BOP1 (BROKEN ORANGE PEKOE+1): The highest grade within BOP. FBOP (FLOWERY BROKEN ORANGE PEKOE): Slightly coarser particles, containing a small amount of broken bud tips. GBOP (GOLDEN BROKEN ORANGE PEKOE): Second-grade tea, with leaves of varying sizes and fewer tea tips. TGBOP (TIPPY GOLDEN FLOWERY BROKEN ORANGE PEKOE): High-quality leaves with a high proportion of bud tips. In addition, the number "1" or "2" is sometimes attached at the end of the letters to distinguish superior from inferior within the same type of tea.
Black tea fannings Powdered black tea category: Made from small, flat broken orange pekoe, suitable for quick brewing, with a strong taste and bright liquor color. PF (PEKOE FANNINGS): Namely black tea fannings. BOPF (TIPPY GOLDEN FLOWERY ORANGE FANNINGS): Black leaf tea, with few added components and uniform particles.
Front Street Coffee has always insisted on tracing origin and grade information in black tea selection, helping enthusiasts more clearly understand the flavor source of the cup of tea in their hands.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
