CTC TEA
CTC Tea is processed using the "crush, tear and curl" (CTC) method. Leaves processed using the CTC method are not rolled, but are placed through cylindrical rollers with small teeth. The rollers crush, tear and curl the tea leaves, hence the name of the method.
CTC tea was developed during the Second World War to increase the weight of tea that can be packed into a bag or sack. With the popularity of tea bags, this method has also grown in popularity.
Tea processed using CTC tend to brew faster and yields more cups of tea per kilogram. The brewed tea often tends towards a red color, such as the case with Nilgiri tea.
Preparation of CTC tea
When preparing CTC Tea, one teaspoon should be
used per 6 oz. cup. The water should be boiled thoroughly before
being poured, and the tea should be allowed to brew for 3-4
minutes & Milk
Processing of CTC Tea
After the harvest, the tea leaves are first withered
by blowing air on them. Then black teas are processed in either
of two ways, CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) . This
method is efficient and effective for producing a better quality
product from medium and lower quality leaves. Next, the leaves
are oxidized under controlled temperature and humidity. (This
process is also called "fermentation", which is a misnomer since
no actual fermentation takes place.) The level of oxidation
determines the quality of the tea. Since oxidation
begins at the rolling stage itself, the time between these
stages is also a crucial factor in the quality of the
tea. Then the leaves are dried to arrest the
oxidation process.
Finally, the tea leaves are sorted into
grades according their sizes ( leaf, brokens, fannings and
dust), usually with the use of sieves. The tea
could be further sub-graded according to other criteria.
The
CTC tea is ready for packaging.