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Tea Production Process Explained

The document details the intricate process of tea production, from the plucking of tea leaves to their packaging, emphasizing the importance of the first 24 hours post-harvest. It outlines two primary methods of tea processing: the Orthodox method, which involves withering, rolling, oxidation, and drying, and the CTC method, which cuts, tears, and curls the leaves for tea bags. Additionally, it explains how different types of tea, such as black, green, Oolong, and white, are produced from the same leaves through varying degrees of oxidation and processing techniques.

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Arvind Bartwal
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© All Rights Reserved
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25 views4 pages

Tea Production Process Explained

The document details the intricate process of tea production, from the plucking of tea leaves to their packaging, emphasizing the importance of the first 24 hours post-harvest. It outlines two primary methods of tea processing: the Orthodox method, which involves withering, rolling, oxidation, and drying, and the CTC method, which cuts, tears, and curls the leaves for tea bags. Additionally, it explains how different types of tea, such as black, green, Oolong, and white, are produced from the same leaves through varying degrees of oxidation and processing techniques.

Uploaded by

Arvind Bartwal
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

5/6/25, 8:20 AM How Is Tea Made - All About the Process – Twinings

How Is Tea Made - It's A Process


Explore the journey of your cup of tea. Discover the process from leaf to cup, and learn how your Twinings tea is made with
precision and expertise.

The Tea Factory


After the tea leaves have been plucked, the real production of tea
begins. The leaves are first taken to a tea factory to be processed.
These factories are usually very close to the tea gardens, so the
leaves stay as fresh as possible.

There are only 24 hours between the moment the tea leaves are
plucked and the minute they're packed up. But what happens during
these 24 hours is crucial. And it's this process that determines the
kind of tea it will form; will they be black, green or in-between?
Caffeinated or decaff? There's no more important time in a tea leaf's
life!

The next stage in the production of tea is the sorting process. Before
they leave the tea factory, all the teas - black, green, white and
Oolong - are graded and [Link] different-sized leaves brew
at different speeds, the leaves are separated into batches of the same
size.

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5/6/25, 8:20 AM How Is Tea Made - All About the Process – Twinings

Next, the leaves are classified by size, type and appearance. Different
countries have their own systems for classifying tea. In China, teas
are named by the region they came from, the way they were made
and the type of leaf, or the legend behind the tea.

Then the teas are finally ready to be packed into foil-lined paper
sacks or tea chests. These keep the leaves dry and protect them from
the knocks and bumps of their onward journey.

The Tea Process


Did you know that black, green and white teas all start off pretty much the same? It's actually what happens during the tea production process that
transforms them. Black tea is the most common tea, and there are two ways of making it: the 'orthodox' method and the 'CTC' method.

Read on to find out more about how tea is made using these two processes.

The Orthodox Method


The orthodox tea-making method is the most common. In this
process, the tea leaves go through four stages: withering, rolling,
oxidation and drying.

Withering
When they arrive at the factory, tea leaves are full of moisture. This
first stage reduces their water content to about 60%−70%. This is
done by laying out the tea leaves in big troughs on a wire mesh. Air
is then passed over them, gently drying them out. This takes between
12−17 hours, leaving the leaves bendy and ready to be rolled.

Rolling
In the past, tea leaves were rolled by hand. Today, most factories
place them on a rolling machine, which rotates horizontally on a
rolling table. This movement twists and turns the leaves until they're
thin and wiry looking. It also breaks them up, which starts the next
stage: oxidation.

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5/6/25, 8:20 AM How Is Tea Made - All About the Process – Twinings

Oxidation
The oxidation process determines the tea's colour, taste and strength.

First, the leaves are put in troughs or laid out on tables. Then, they're
left for between 30 minutes to two hours at a temperature of about
26°C.

During this time, enzymes inside the leaves react with the air around
them, changing the leaves' colour from green to beige to a rich, deep
brown. The colour indicates how oxidised the tea is and what its
flavour will be like. To make a tea with a lighter taste, the oxidation
process is stopped when the leaves are light brown. For a stronger
tea, the leaves will remain warm until they're rich and coppery.

Drying or Firing
Once the leaves have been oxidised to the right level, they're passed
through hot air dryers. This further reduces their water content to
about 3%, leaving them ready to be sorted and packed

The CTC Method


The second way of making tea is called the 'Cut, Tear and Curl', also known as CTC tea, and was invented during the Second World War to try and
increase the weight of tea that could be packed into a sack or chest.

As with the orthodox method, the leaves are first withered but after this, they are put through a series of rollers, covered in hundreds of small, sharp
teeth. These teeth cut, tear and curl the leaves, producing tiny granules which are perfect for tea bags. After this, they go through the same oxidation
and drying process as the orthodox method.

Green and White Teas


As well as black tea, we also make green tea, white tea and Oolong
tea. Amazingly, black, green and Oolong teas all start off as the same
leaves. So how do they get their distinctive flavour and colour...?

To make green tea, the oxidation process is completely left out. It's
this lack of oxidation that gives green tea leaves their light, fresh
flavour and delicate colour. So they are often pan-dried or steamed to
kill any active enzymes which could react with the air.

After this, the leaves are rolled. Green tea leaves are rolled into all
kinds of shapes: Gunpowder green tea is shaped like little bullets,
while others are in tightly wound spirals, or long, curved arches.

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5/6/25, 8:20 AM How Is Tea Made - All About the Process – Twinings

If black tea was red wine and green tea was white, Oolong would be
rosé! That's because its leaves are made from half or partially
oxidised leaves. After the leaves have been wilted, they're either
shaken in baskets, or wrapped in a cloth and rolled around to bruise
the edges of the leaves, so only bits of the leaves react with the air.

The shaking and rolling continues until the leaves are 70% green and
30% brown - just enough oxidation to leave Oolong tea with a
delicate, fresh colour and a fruity aroma.

To create the champagne-coloured, sweet-flavoured white tea, only


the unopened buds and young leaves of the tea plant are used.
Otherwise, the white tea making process is similar to that of green
tea.

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Common questions

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Green tea is produced by bypassing the oxidation process entirely, thus retaining a light, fresh flavor and a delicate color. In contrast, black tea undergoes full oxidation, resulting in a stronger flavor and darker color . Green tea processing involves steps like pan-drying or steaming to halt enzyme activity, ensuring the leaves do not darken, which preserves the original fresh characteristics .

After the withering stage, the Orthodox method involves rolling the tea leaves using a rolling machine, which twists and turns them into a thin, wiry shape, beginning the oxidation process . Conversely, in the CTC method, leaves are passed through rollers with sharp teeth that cut, tear, and curl them into granules, suitable for tea bags. This method was designed to increase packing efficiency during wartime .

Oolong tea undergoes partial oxidation, resulting in leaves that are about 70% green and 30% brown, giving it a delicate color and a fruity aroma. This contrasts with black tea, which undergoes full oxidation, producing a stronger, more robust flavor with a rich dark color . The partial oxidation allows Oolong tea to maintain a unique balance between freshness and complexity, akin to a rosé in wine .

White tea production is similar to green tea production in that it involves minimal processing, and both types avoid the full oxidation seen in black tea. However, white tea uses only the unopened buds and young leaves, while green tea can use older leaves. This selection contributes to white tea's unique sweet flavor and champagne color, distinguishing it from the fresh, more vegetal flavor of green tea .

Leaf classification by size and type ensures that teas are grouped for consistent quality and predictable brewing characteristics, which affects how tea is packaged and distributed. This classification facilitates efficient packaging processes, such as filling tea bags or loose-leaf packaging, and helps maintain product quality during transportation .

The withering stage in the orthodox method reduces the tea leaves' water content to about 60%-70%, preparing them for subsequent stages by making them flexible and suitable for rolling. This moisture reduction is crucial as it affects the texture and the quality of the leaves, ensuring they are properly dried and rolled in the subsequent stages .

The sorting process classifies tea leaves by size, type, and appearance, ensuring that each batch has uniform brewing characteristics. Different-sized leaves have different brewing times, so sorting them into same-size batches allows for consistent preparation and flavor extraction when brewing .

To prevent oxidation in green tea processing, techniques such as pan-drying or steaming are employed. These methods deactivate the enzymes responsible for oxidation, preserving the tea's bright green color and fresh flavor. These techniques are critical as they ensure the tea retains its signature light and fresh taste that distinguishes it from black tea .

The CTC method's production of granules optimizes the tea for tea bags, which are convenient for consumers and favored in many markets for quick brewing. This method not only increases packing efficiency but also matches market demands for easy-to-use and fast-brewing tea options, influencing product availability and consumer preferences globally .

The oxidation process is crucial for black tea as it affects the leaves' color, taste, and strength. By reacting the enzymes in the leaves with air, the process changes the color of the leaves from green to a rich deep brown, thus intensifying the flavor. The extent of oxidation, controlled by duration and temperature, directly contributes to the tea's complexity in taste .

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