Loose Leaf & CTC Tea
Orthodox Black Tea
Darjeeling teas are the most famous of Indian teas and are sometimes referred to as the “champagne of teas”. Their tea gardens are located on the southern slopes of the Himalayan mountain range, at altitudes from 6,500 to 9,900 feet. The “First Flush” Darjeeling is plucked from March through April. “Second Flush” is plucked from May until mid July. In general, Darjeeling tea has a golden amber color, light flowery flavor and a sweetness of apricot and peaches.
Green Tea
Green teas are brewed differently than black teas. First, start with cold tap water, heat the water until the steam starts to rise (175-185º); do not allow the water to boil, as this will produce a more bitter or astringent taste. The higher the grade of green tea the cooler the water temperature should be for steeping. Green teas lend themselves to a second steeping. Simply steep each subsequent cup 15 seconds longer.
Oolong Tea
Oolong (wulong) are semi-oxidized teas classified between green and black tea. The production of this type of tea is more involved than any other, requiring many steps and great care. Their leaves range from bright green to brownish in color and are usually larger in appearance. Because of the leaf style Oolongs lend themselves to additional infusions and, until the leaves fully open, they may even yield more than six steepings. They produce a very aromatic beverage with an array of interesting flavors.
CTC Tea
Made predominantly in Assam, CTC stands for crush, tear, and curl. It is a processing method where black tea leaves are passed through a series of cylindrical rollers that have hundreds of sharp teeth that crush, tear, and curl the tea into small, hard pellets. CTC teas also have grades depending on the tea leaf. CTC Tea is known to be more cost-effective than Orthodox tea. There are various grades of CTC available, from broken, to dust.