Assam, one of the top tea producing region offers tea that is authentic in its origin and has some pure characteristics of strength and maltiness which instantly provides an aromatic wellbeing to all the tea lovers. One of the popular tea produced is Assam is the CTC variety. CTC stands for Crush, Tear and Curl and is a method where black tea is produced by transforming tea leaves into small and hard pellets by passing it through cylindrical rollers. This method replaces the final stage in processing the orthodox tea. The tea finally produced is known as CTC Tea. It is widely accepted in domestic households as they prefer the style of brew strong with an enriching aroma that gives a pure sense of refreshment with begins with the first sip.
HISTORY
The process of producing CTC tea was introduced by Sir William McKercher in his Assam era of 1930 when he was working in Amgoorie Tea Estate. This process was widely spread throughout India and Africa by the 1950’s. The tea produced has a strong flavour and can be infused quickly.
PROCESS
Assam is widely known for tea manufacturing. There are big as well as small tea curaters who are involved in the tea manufacturing business. Revenue is mostly earned by processing black tea, a gold product in the tea industry. Let us see what all steps are involved in producing CTC tea:
- Plucking – The fresh green tea leaves are plucked from the tea estates during the flushing season commencing from late March and ending by November.. The leaves plucked are then transported to the factory.
- Withering – When it comes to tea processing, the first step is withering. Here the plucked tea leaves are softened and excess water present is expelled through spreading of leaves on Trough Houses and providing them with air though Fans attached to the Trough Houses.
- CTC – The softened tea leaves are passed through a series of cylindrical rollers having hundreds of sharp teeth to crush, tear and curl the leave into small hard pellets.
- Fermentation –Here the tea is oxidised under controlled humidity and temperature for its flavour and aroma. The tea changes its colour at this stage from its green texture to a brownish tone.
- Drying – Once the tea is oxidised, it is then dried to reduce the moisture and arrest the oxidation to increase the shelf life.
- Sorting – After reducing the moisture level up to 3%, the tea is sorted and screened as per their sizes. It is mainly segregated into four main sizes namely, whole leaf, broken, fanning and dust.
- Packing and Dispatch – Lastly when the tea is segmented as per grades and sizes it is packed and dispatched for shipment.
FEATURES
A significant quantity of almost three billion tons of tea is produced in Assam for worldwide consumption. It holds many features which make it the ultimate choice of every tea lover. A few features which make CTC Tea famous are:
- The CTC Tea gives an aromatic flavour and has a vibrant and refreshing taste.
- These are made from handpicked leaves from the tea gardens and go through a step-by-step process which keeps the flavour intact.
- The black tea has natural antioxidants which gives boosts the immunity system and helps in curing various diseases.
- It can be quickly infused and can be served with milk and sugar or ice cold with lemon, mint and honey.
Morbagh, the producer of the finest quality of CTC Tea offers tea that is packed and processed at the same place keeping the freshness intact. Ensuring the authentic and original taste of Assam tea, Morbagh tea would ensure that you get the richness and flavour of Assam CTC at your doorstep. For more details, please contact us.
