TEA WALK : PART 7

TEA TASTER
Every tea factory will produce their best product by tight quality control through the tea tasting process which guarantee that tea in the market will have good quality, based on the quality standard of tea.

The implementation of tea tasting includes the evaluation of:
Appearance: color, evenness, cleanliness from stalk and fibre, shape and size.

The shapes evaluation is done by spreading tea on melamine or paper tray and compares those to the standard. 

The size uniformity evaluation is done by using a mini filter with the holes which have been adjusted to evaluate tea type and then counting the presentation of uniformity
Infusion water: the color of water, strength, and aroma.  
Water color is examined by observing the infusion on a bowl and infused leaf is examined by moving it to the cup cover and observe it.

Appearance of infused leaf: colour and evenness.

Source : Indonesiatea

The implementation of tea tasting is conducted very carefully. 
First, the tea powder is measured as 2.8 grams or 5,6 grams in weight then poured by boiled water from cup with 110 cc or 220 cc in volume and covered until 6 minutes. 
The aroma is examined by smelling the vapour of tea infusion by opening cup cover a little. 
Then, to evaluate the taste of infusion, the water is poured into a bowl and the evaluation is done by tasting those infusions.
A tea taster uses a large spoon and noisily slurps the liquid into his/her mouth - this ensures that both the tea and plenty of oxygen is passed over all the taste receptors on the tongue to give an even taste profile of the tea. 
The flavor characteristics and indeed leaf color, size and shape are graded using a specific language created by the tea industry to explain the overall quality.

A tea taster is a professional person, that optimizing all of their senses to evaluate the tea quality.
It needs so much practices and also talent.
So, it's not easy to find a good tea taster.
They have a very important role in determining the quality of tea in a tea factory.

A tea walk with my family

I live in highland with there are so many tea plantation surrounding.
My Grandma usually made her own tea.
She planted Camellia sinensis as a hedge on her yard.
The traditional homemade tea have a special taste, much bitter, darker and a bit smell of 'burning wood'.
So much pleasure on tasting so many different teas.
Are you a good 'tea taster' too?

Accompany Forestry Scouting in a Tea Walk

Tea is like a way of life for so many Indonesian people.
It's became a part of our tradition, our culture.
Tea walk is a popular term in Indonesia, it's mean a garden tour in a tea plantation and also visiting to the tea factory.

Playing on the sidelines of tea bushes, a 'green rug'

Actually I want to share you more and more.
Maybe next month I will share you about another interesting side of tea.
I hope you enjoy this 'Tea Walk', and have a nice week end.
Thank you.