Black CTC Tea
Black CTC is oxidized tea manufactured through cutting, tearing and curling machine.
Grading is through separation of particle sizes using various meshes.
Black CTC Manufacturing Process
1.Withering
Controlled process through which moisture content in fresh leaves is reduced using dry air.
2.CTC
Cut, tear and curling of the leaf. Breaking of the leaf cells allows oxidation to start.
3. Fermentation
The crushed leaves are spread on perforated belts under controlled conditions of temperature, humidity and aeration. Chemicals in crushed leaves react in the prescence of air turning the tea golden brown.
4. Drying
The fermented tea is dried using hot air which stops the fermentation process and imparts the black color of tea.
5.Sorting
Tea is graded by particle size and shape.
6. Packaging
Tea is packed in special Paper sacks ready for transport and sale.
Black CTC Includes:
Broken Pekoe 1
– Largest size of ‘grain’ particles and it produces liquors that are a bit light in body but with encouraging flavoring characteristics.
Pekoe Fanning 1
– Black and grainy with particles slightly smaller in size than those of the BP1 grade.
Dust
– Its made up of the smallest particles of main grades.
Pekoe Dust
– Black and finer than the Pekoe Fanning 1. It produces thick more pungent liquors.