Origin: Japan
Region: Shizuoka Prefecture

 This is a specialty Japanese green tea that is blended with fire-toasted rice.

There is a natural sweetness and almost chewy character to the finish of this tea. During the firing of the rice, it is not uncommon for rice to ‘pop’ not unlike popcorn, hence the pet name ‘popcorn-tea’.

Loose Leaf Tea in 3oz., 6oz. or 10oz. Foil Bags

GENMAICHA  a.k.a. Popcorn Tea  ~ Japanese Green Tea

3oz. for $3.89 ~ 6oz. for $5.79 ~ 10oz. for $8.17

Cup Characteristics: Light brownish yellow liquor with toasty flavour, tending sweet.

Infusion: Tending bright with toasted rice kernels.

Information: This is a specialty Japanese green tea that is blended with fire-toasted rice. A good grade Japan sencha is blended with the toasted rice. The fresh vegetative character of the green tea is imparted on the cup but it is tempered with the bakey-like character of the rice. There is a natural sweetness and almost chewy character to the finish of this tea. During the firing of the rice, it is not uncommon for rice to ‘pop’ not unlike popcorn, hence the pet name ‘popcorn-tea’

Legend has it that during the 1400’s an important samurai warlord in Hakone on the Izu Peninsula of Honshu Island (the Izu Peninsula is near the Shizuoka area) was having tea in the morning discussing a battle strategy with his patrol leaders. A servant by the name of Genamai was serving hot tea to the group. Leaning over to give tea to the warlord, rice that he had surreptitiously taken for a morning snack fell out of his pocket into the steaming hot tea. Some popped upon hitting the hot tea. The warlord was incensed, jumped up brandishing his samurai sword he promptly cut off Genamai’s head in one fell swoop. He then sat down to continue the meeting. Despite the fact that the tea had been tarnished he drank it anyway. The flavor was very unique and he enjoyed it tremendously. In honor of poor Genamai he pronounced that this rice and tea be served every morning and be called ‘Genmaicha’ (cha being the name of ‘tea’ in Japanese)

Hot tea brewing method: When preparing by the cup, this tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times. The secret is to use water that is about 180’F or 80’C. Place 1 teaspoon in your cup, let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment - do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the tea is exhausted. Look at the pattern of the leaves in the brew, not only do they foretell your fortune but you can see the tea leaves, popped rice and toasted kernels. As you contemplate your life - think of poor Genamai.

Alternatively as with all top quality teas, scoop 2-4 teaspoons of tea into the teapot, pour in boiling water that has been freshly drawn (previously boiled water has lost most of its oxygen and therefore tends to be flat tasting), steep for 2-4 minutes (to taste), stir (virtually all the leaves will sink), pour into your cup but do not add milk or sugar since green tea is enjoyed ‘straight-up’.

Origin: Taiwan Region: Tungting Province

 Gunpowder is more dense than other teas so one or two teaspoons for a teapot is all that is required.

Chinese Green Tea

3oz. for $3.89 ~ 6oz. for $5.79 ~ 10oz. for $8.17

Cup Characteristics: A green tea with surprising body and captivating green tea taste.

Infusion: Tending dark green.

Information: Legend has it that the name Gunpowder was given by a young English clerk who thought the tiny rolled green balls looked like gunpowder. The tealeaves are specially selected for quality, size and style. They are then rolled into tight nuggets. Gunpowder tea keeps a lot longer than other green teas and is favored because of this characteristic.
Gunpowder tea comes from the province of Zhejiang in China and from Taiwan. Generally the better gunpowders come from Taiwan. Interestingly Taiwan’s gunpowder quality improved after 1949. Another interesting point; before the 1900’s, gunpowder tea comprised about 60% of Americas total tea imports compared to today, when it is less than 1 percent.
Today in Taiwan the tea bushes flush about 5 times per year from April to December. The best leaf is picked from the end of May to mid-August. The first tea bushes were planted in Taiwan about 300 years ago with bushes from Fujian Province. The tea growing and production is concentrated around the northern part of Taiwan near Chi-lung.
When the tea is made the tiny pellets jingle and tinkle in the bowl or cup. Boiling water causes them to open up like flowers and sink slowly to the bottom in graceful patterns, which add a dimension of visual pleasure to tea drinking. This gunpowder produces a reasonably strong dark-green brew with a memorable fragrance, a slightly bitter but not unpleasant flavor and a long lasting finish. Gunpowder is more dense than other teas so one or two teaspoons for a teapot is all that is required.
 

Gunpowder is more dense than other teas so one or two teaspoons for a teapot is all that is required.

Loose Leaf Tea in 3oz., 6oz. or 10oz. Foil Bags

Premium Ceylon Green Tea

3oz. for $3.89 ~ 6oz. for $5.79 ~ 10oz. for $8.17

Cup Characteristics: A green tea with surprising body and captivating taste with a hint of oakiness.

Infusion: Greenish full bodied slightly high-fired character.

Information: Gunpowder Tea is produced like green tea but after the steaming process the tea is tightly rolled into what appears to be pellets. When boiling water is poured over the tea leaves they expand rapidly and can almost overfill the cup.  Royal Gunpowder Green Tea is especially good for the following reasons:

• The base tea comes from some of the best estates in Sri Lanka.
• The Tightness of the rolled pellets gives excellent flavour when rolled into tea.
• The region where the tea is grown - Dimbula - is a high mountain growing area producing full-bodied flavory tea.

Royal Gunpowder Tea is manufactured in very limited quantities due to the time & diligence required to manufacture this high quality tea. It is very difficult to achieve such a tight roll  of leaves; this particular process allows the tea tobe stored for a very long time without any deterioration in quality.

Gunpowder is more dense than other teas so one or two teaspoons for a teapot is all that is required.

Loose Leaf Gunpowder Green Tea in 3.53oz. Gift Tin

A Rich Blend of Gunpowder Green Tea with a clear fragrant liquor.

3.53oz. for $4.95

Loose Leaf Gunpowder Green Tea in 3.5oz. Pouch

The tea is tightly rolled into a tiny pellet resembling gunshot. Light body and smoky flavor.

3.53oz. for $5.95

Loose Leaf Jasmine Green Tea in 3.5oz. Pouch

Premium Chinese green teas enriched with the fragrance of jasmine blossoms.

3.5oz. for $5.75

CERTIFYING BODY: BCS – OKO Garantie GMBH, Germany

REFERENCE NUMBER: DE_7919-21

DATE OF CERTIFICATE: October 11, 2005

Loose Leaf Tea in 2oz., 4oz. or 8oz. Foil Bags

Japanese Green Tea

2oz. for $3.59 ~ 4oz. for $6.19 ~ 8oz. for $10.79

Cup Characteristics: Delicious green character with depth, body and some pungency. Cup tends bright forest green.

Infusion: Tending bright forest green.

Information: Organic tea is produced without the input of chemical fertilizers or pesticides and herbicides. Unfortunately the yield per acre is lower and quite often quality can suffer compared to when fertilizers and others inputs are utilized. Nevertheless with good manufacturing techniques the cup characteristics can be maintained at a very high level - such is the case with this tea. This tea is a top quality Green Tea with good ‘green tea’ taste properties - slightly vegetative and fruity, but refreshing and clean; typical of Japanese manufacturing techniques.
Tea was introduced to Japan from China in the 7th and 8th century. Records indicate that Japan’s Emperor Kammu gave visiting monks an imperial gift of powdered green tea. Emperor Kammu created a government post called ‘Supervisor of Tea and Tea Gardens’ as Japan had begun to cultivate it’s own tea. That this post was in the medical bureau of the government indicates that even then, there was tremendous respect for the health aspects of tea. From 800 to the 1200AD Japan relied heavily on China for it’s tea supply. Because tea arrived in limited quantities from China tea became a luxury used for medicinal and spiritual purposes. A Zen Buddhist, Eisai Myoan returned from China (from what is now known as Jiangxi) with tea seeds and planted them at his temple. He soon realized that the quality was superior to any tea currently grown in Japan. These seeds formed the basis of Japan’s tea industry in the centuries to come. Further evidence of the known correlation between health and tea was found in a small book that Eisai wrote, entitled (translated), Tea Drinking is Good for Health. In this book he wrote that tea drinking confers many benefits including curing lack of appetite, diseases caused by poor quality drinking water, and beriberi (a vitamin B deficiency). Around this time another tea enthusiast in Japan developed the “Ten Virtues of Tea”. Amongst the virtues listed are:
Drives away the Devil Banishes drowsiness Wards off disease Strengthens friendship
Keeps the viscera in harmony Disciplines body and mind Destroys the passions Gives a peaceful death
Hot tea brewing method: Can be used repeatedly - about 3 times. Use water about 180’F or 80’C. Place 1 teaspoon of tea in your cup, let the tea steep for about 1-3 minutes.- do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the tea is exhausted. Alternatively, scoop 2-4 teaspoons of tea into the teapot, pour in boiling water that has been freshly drawn (previously boiled water loses most of its oxygen and tends to be flat tasting), steep for 2-4 minutes (to taste), stir (the leaves will sink), pour into your cup and enjoy ‘straight-up’

Origin: China - Region: Jiangxi Province, WuYuan County

Organic CERTIFYING BODY: BCS – OKO Garantie GMBH, Germany
REFERENCE NUMBER: DE-7919-21
 

This tea is a particularly good jasmine - hence the moniker Gold Dragon, (gold means wealth, prosperity, money and dragon means long life and strength).

Organic Green Tea

Loose Leaf Tea in 2oz., 4oz. or 8oz. Foil Bags

Chinese Green Tea

2oz. for $3.59 ~ 4oz. for $6.19 ~ 8oz. for $10.79

Cup Characteristics: Exquisite abundant jasmine character. The intense jasmine notes are only possible with flowers picked at the peak - generally about midnight. Some pungency with delicious green tea character.

Infusion: Tending bright emerald green.

Information: Organic tea is produced without the input of chemical fertilizers or pesticides and herbicides. Unfortunately the yield per acre is lower and quite often quality can suffer compared to when fertilizers and others inputs are utilized. Nevertheless with good manufacturing techniques the cup characteristics can be maintained at a very high level - such is the case with this tea. This tea is a particularly good jasmine - hence the moniker Gold Dragon, (gold means wealth, prosperity, money and dragon means long life and strength). The jasmine tree comes into bloom only during May and June. The blossom only lasts for about 12 hours and only comes out at night after the sun goes down. About half way through the night the fragrance is at it’s peak and it is at this time the blossoms need to be picked and layer into the tea. By the morning most of the fragrance has disappeared from the blossom, but if the tea maker has done his job correctly, this heavenly scent has been transferred to the tea and captured in time. This process is carried out on 5 successive evenings to impart the superior flavor of specially selected tea and jasmine flowers.

In China during the Sung Dynasty (960 to 1127) tea drinking rose to an art form. The harvesting of tea became closely regulated. Drum and cymbal signals were used to coordinate the tea pluckers during chilly dark pre-dawn hours. The tea pickers (always young virgins) received special training and even wore identification labels on the clothing so that tea thieves could be readily identified if they entered the estates. The girls were required to keep finger nails at a precise length, since nails, never the finger, were used to pluck the highest quality tea leaves. The fresh picked leaves were graded into classes and processed. The choice grade was delivered as tribute tea for the Emperor, while the rest was traded and sold by the regional government. A handful of tea of the choicest grade could be worth as much as 3 ounces of gold - virtually a lifetime of earnings for the common man.

Country of Origin: China
Region: Fujian Province

Infusion: Pale green liquor
 

Loose Leaf Tea in 2oz., 4oz. or 8oz. Foil Bags

Jasmine tea is one of the most pleasant tasting green teas available on the market.

2oz. for $2.99 ~ 4oz. for $4.79 ~ 8oz. for $7.69

Cup Characteristics: green tea with surprising body and a captivating floral taste that is not found in any other natural tea.

Information: Jasmine tea is one of the most pleasant tasting green teas available on the market. On the nose the dry tea has a floral bouquet, which literally causes your senses to come alive with pleasant thoughts. The flavour is enhanced with the addition of jasmine blossoms which give the tea a visual appeal few other teas are capable of copying.

There are many different grades of jasmine tea. This particular grade is the first grade below the exotic jasmines. It has all the flavor, aroma and good green tea qualities but not the exorbitant price. In China they declare this jasmine tea as ‘Jasmine #1’. The production of jasmine tea is quite interesting. It is important to begin with high quality green tea - tea that has been produced between the middle of March and the middle of May. Equally important for jasmine tea are fine jasmine blossoms - flowers that bloom between the 1st of May and the end of May (these have the most intense aroma). Traditionally layers of jasmine blossoms were placed between fine green tea. In time the scent of the jasmine permeated the tea. Today, hot air is passed through the jasmine blossoms and then filtered through the tea so that the blossoms can be used more than once. The exhausted blossoms are then used to decorate the tea. Produced in both China and Taiwan, jasmine tea yields a cup with all the concentrated heady bouquet of a garden in bloom.

Hot tea brewing method: When preparing by the cup, this tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times. The secret is to use water that is about 180’F or 80’C. Place 1 teaspoon in your cup let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment - do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the tea is exhausted. Look at the pattern of the leaves in the brew, not only do they foretell your fortune but you can see the leaves and the flowers petals pointing the way to good health and prosperity.
Alternatively as with all top quality teas, scoop 2-4 teaspoons of tea into the teapot, pour in boiling water that has been freshly drawn (previously boiled water has lost most of its oxygen and therefore tends to be flat tasting), steep for 2-4 minutes (to taste), stir (virtually all the leaves will sink -the flowers will float), pour into your cup but do not add milk or sugar since green tea is enjoyed ‘straight-up’.

Origin:India Darjeeling PFTGFOP1

(Pan Fired Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe #1)
 

Infusion: Tending bright, green, typical infusion of a well made green tea.

ESTATE GREEN TEA - NAGRI FARM - 2nd flush (India Green Tea)

Loose Leaf Tea in 2oz. or 4oz. Foil Bags

Discover Pan Fired Indian Green Darjeeling Tea!

2oz. for $5.49 ~ 4oz. for $8.39

Cup Characteristics: Tending delicate, light liquoring with notes of muscatel, pungent (full body- typical of 2nd flush ).

Information:  In the production of green tea the new leaves are hand plucked and immediately taken to the factory where they are slowly withered to reduce their water content. The leaves are not allowed to ferment and immediately go to the rolling process where the shape of the leaf is achieved. Following this they are pan fired which locks in the flavor. You can see that these teas are machined rolled since the leaf appearance is somewhat mixed and the final product has not been hand sorted (which would result in whole leaf and buds appearing). The pan fired tea has more body than the steamed green Darjeeling because during the rolling stage a small amount of fermentation does occur - hence the slightly extra body.
Nagri Farm is a tea estate in the Darjeeling region. Prior to the 1800’s Nagri Farm, due to its prominent location where it has a commanding view of the surrounding plains, was a fortified (fort) location with a local garrison. There were occasional skirmishes between local tribes people and ‘outsiders’ from Nepal, Tibet and warring Maharajahs. Later the fort became a dairy farm using the old fort buildings. In the 1880’s use of the farm changed when tea was planted - hence the name of the estate.

The estate is divided into 34 sections. Section 1-5 are bushes that were planted prior to 1883 and section 6-12 were replanted in 1883. Sections 13-34 were subsequently planted over the intervening years. Interestingly these old bushes have a very unique shape - almost bonsai like. Despite the fact that these bushes are extremely hardy, the yield is low. The estate covers 286 hectare (726 acres) and the average yield is 600 pounds per acre - compare this to an estate in Assam (called Keyhung with young bushes) which has a yield of 2000 pounds per acre.

Origin: India

Darjeeling STGFOP1

(Steamed Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe #1)

Infusion: Tending bright, green, typical infusion of a well made green tea.

STEAMED DARJEELING GREEN TEA

NAGRI FARM - 2nd flush (India Green Tea)

Loose Leaf Tea in 2oz. or 4oz. Foil Bags

Delicate Steamed Indian Green Darjeeling Tea!

2oz. for $5.49 ~ 4oz. for $8.39

Cup Characteristics: Very delicate, light liquoring with notes of muscatel, hints of pungency (full body character - typical of a 2nd flush tea).

Information:  In the production of green tea the new leaves are hand plucked and immediately taken to the factory where they are slowly withered to reduce their water content. The leaves are not allowed to ferment and immediately go to the rolling process where the shape of the leaf is achieved. Following this they are pan fired which locks in the flavor. You can see that these teas are machined rolled since the leaf appearance is somewhat mixed and the final product has not been hand sorted (which would result in whole leaf and buds appearing). The pan fired tea has more body than the steamed green Darjeeling because during the rolling stage a small amount of fermentation does occur - hence the slightly extra body.
Nagri Farm is a tea estate in the Darjeeling region. Prior to the 1800’s Nagri Farm, due to its prominent location where it has a commanding view of the surrounding plains, was a fortified (fort) location with a local garrison. There were occasional skirmishes between local tribes people and ‘outsiders’ from Nepal, Tibet and warring Maharajahs. Later the fort became a dairy farm using the old fort buildings. In the 1880’s use of the farm changed when tea was planted - hence the name of the estate.

The estate is divided into 34 sections. Section 1-5 are bushes that were planted prior to 1883 and section 6-12 were replanted in 1883. Sections 13-34 were subsequently planted over the intervening years. Interestingly these old bushes have a very unique shape - almost bonsai like. Despite the fact that these bushes are extremely hardy, the yield is low. The estate covers 286 hectare (726 acres) and the average yield is 600 pounds per acre - compare this to an estate in Assam (called Keyhung with young bushes) which has a yield of 2000 pounds per acre.

Origin: Sri Lanka

Grade : Young Hyson – Elpitiya Estate

Loose Leaf Tea in 2oz., 4oz. or 8oz. Foil Bags

In the 13th century, France used the strawberry for medicinal purposes being high in folic acid and vitamin C. The strawberry was first cultivated in ancient Rome and said to be one of Nero’s favorite fruits. Thus it is of no surprise that strawberry green tea is one of the most popular flavored green teas available today.

2oz. for $2.99 ~ 4oz. for $4.79 ~ 8oz. for $7.69

Cup Characteristics: The tea tends light liquoring but fresh and smooth with reasonable depth and body. There is a heady aroma of strawberry manifested in a lively summer taste holiday to your taste buds.

Infusion: Pale yellow green.

Information:  The base tea for this delightful flavored green tea comes from a small tea estate in Sri Lanka called Elpitiya. The estate is medium sized producing nearly 650,000 kilos yearly (1.4 million lbs.–enough to make 300 million cups) and does this on about 900 acres of land in the Kandy district. The manager Mr. Gunawardene takes pride in the estate’s accomplishments. Elpitiya only started producing green tea in 1995 and in a few short years, on account of the change in crop has managed to increase the financial return to the estate, allowing it to invest in new equipment and upgraded housing for the workers. In total the estate employs about 400 people but also buys ‘green leaf’ from small holders (small plot farmers) which in turn has improved the living of another 500 families. Additionally the estate provides health care to its workers at district hospitals and on the estate itself there is a small dispensary manned by a nurse to attend to minor day-to-day injuries. The estate provides free housing to its workers as well as subsidizing food purchases of rice and fish, (vegetables are grown by the workers on small plots around their homes). The estate no longer uses pesticides but does use fertilizers to maintain tea bush yields. The produce from this estate finds its way to various markets in the Middle East as well as North America.

The manufacture of this Hyson green tea commences with the fresh leaf being fed onto the Panner whose primary function (through the use of heat) is to arrest the fermentation of the leaf and make it more suitable for the subsequent manufacturing (leaf handling). The leaf extracted from the Panner is passed onto the Moon Type Rollers for a 20 to 25 minute pre-condition rolling. On completion of rolling, the leaf is passed through a primary stage tea drier at low temperature to remove the excess moisture. Following the primary drier stage, the green leaf is fed into the Ball Tea Driers for the final drying and formation of the green tea. This process is long, often taking up to eight to twelve hours depending upon the ambient humidity. The dried green tea is then graded according to the size and the appearance of the leaf. The main tea grades made at this estate are: Gunpowder Special Grade, Gunpowder grade 1, Chunmee, Sowmee and Young Hyson.
Generally grown throughout the world, strawberries are known for being a delicious fruit. One has to consider Florida as the winter capital, whereas many would argue that Belgium is the main capital of the strawberry. In the 13th century, France used the strawberry for medicinal purposes being high in folic acid and vitamin C. The strawberry was first cultivated in ancient Rome and said to be one of Nero’s favorite fruits. Thus it is of no surprise that strawberry green tea is one of the most popular flavored green teas available today.

Origin: Sri Lanka

Grade : Young Hyson – Elpitiya Estate

Loose Leaf Tea in 2oz., 4oz. or 8oz. Foil Bags

The pleasure without word...The thrill of the heart no word can fit - indeed, the blueberry is a delicious, and nutritious treat.

2oz. for $2.99 ~ 4oz. for $4.79 ~ 8oz. for $7.69

Cup Characteristics: Very aromatic. The blueberry flavor literally fills the cup.

Infusion: Pale yellow green.

Information:  Man-oh-man, people love blueberries. Way back in the late 1800's, a woman named Elizabeth Jane Astly who lived in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia penned an ode to the small sweet fruit. The final stanza reads as follows,
And there's the pleasure without word,
The thrill of the heart no word can fit,
When the mouth takes in a blueberry pearl
And the tongue can copy the stain of it.
The pleasure without word...The thrill of the heart no word can fit - indeed, the blueberry is a delicious, and nutritious treat. The taste of fresh blueberries is intense with a slight astringency, a trait common to most dark berries. And ironically, since science in the 1800's was unable to prove it, blueberries are in fact good for the heart due to their high levels of antioxidants. In fact research by the USDA indicates that blueberries rank #1 in antioxidant activity compared to 40 other fruits. This fact combined with their fresh flavor make blueberries an excellent tea additive. This tea, as you'll discover, has a wonderfully sweet character with a pleasing astringency.
So what kind of tea did we use when making this blend? We used a green Pekoe Gunpowder from the Uva region of Sri Lanka. Green Gunpowder is produced by forgoing the fermentation process required to produce black tea. Instead, the leaves are steamed as soon as they are plucked and then hand-rolled into small round pellets. Once immersed in water, these pellets gracefully open to reveal a full leaf. Gunpowder teas typically have a dark coppery green color, and produce a pale yellowy green infusion, with a smooth, slightly smoky cup with a sweetish finish. The tea is highly receptive to the addition of our natural flavorings and produces a very satisfying brew. Make yourself a pot today and enjoy a cup of this exceptionally refreshing tea! Incidentally, this is one tea that goes well over ice.

Origin: Sri Lanka
Region: Kandy District
Infusion: Pale yellow green

Loose Leaf Tea in 2oz., 4oz. or 8oz. Foil Bags

The base tea for this delightful flavored green tea comes from a small tea estate in Sri Lanka called Elpitiya.

2oz. for $2.99 ~ 4oz. for $4.79 ~ 8oz. for $7.69

Cup Characteristics: The tea tends light liquoring but fresh and smooth with reasonable depth and body.  The all natural lemon flavoring gives the tea a delightful fresh character.

Information:  The base tea for this delightful flavored green tea comes from a small tea estate in Sri Lanka called Elpitiya. The estate is medium sized producing nearly 650,000 kilos yearly (1.4 million lbs.–enough to make 300 million cups) and does this on about 900 acres of land in the Kandy district. The manager Mr. Gunawardene takes pride in the estate’s accomplishments. Elpitiya only started producing green tea in 1995 and in a few short years, on account of the change in crop has managed to increase the financial return to the estate, allowing it to invest in new equipment and upgraded housing for the workers. In total the estate employs about 400 people but also buys ‘green leaf’ from small holders (small plot farmers) which in turn has improved the living of another 500 families. Additionally the estate provides health care to its workers at district hospitals and on the estate itself there is a small dispensary manned by a nurse to attend to minor day-to-day injuries. The estate provides free housing to its workers as well as subsidizing food purchases of rice and fish, (vegetables are grown by the workers on small plots around their homes). The estate no longer uses pesticides but does use fertilizers to maintain tea bush yields. The produce from this estate finds its way to various markets in the Middle East as well as North America.

The manufacture of this Hyson green tea commences with the fresh leaf being fed onto the Panner whose primary function (through the use of heat) is to arrest the fermentation of the leaf and make it more suitable for the subsequent manufacturing (leaf handling). The leaf extracted from the Panner is passed onto the Moon Type Rollers for a 20 to 25 minute pre-condition rolling. On completion of rolling, the leaf is passed through a primary stage tea drier at low temperature to remove the excess moisture. Following the primary drier stage, the green leaf is fed into the Ball Tea Driers for the final drying and formation of the green tea. This process is long, often taking up to eight to twelve hours depending upon the ambient humidity. The dried green tea is then graded according to the size and the appearance of the leaf. The main tea grades made at this estate are: Gunpowder Special Grade, Gunpowder grade 1, Chunmee, Sowmee and Young Hyson.
In the early years of Sri Lanka (formerly called Ceylon) the finished produce from Elpitiya would have been transported by bullock cart to the railway and from there to Colombo. The total journey would take up to 3 days and was often fraught with danger as the trains of that era were not the most reliable. Today the journey is less than 4 hours as modern trucks pick up produce at the estate every 1 or 2 days.
Hot tea brewing method: When preparing by the cup, this tea can be used repeatedly-about 3 times. The secret is to use water that is about 180’F or 80’C