Articles

Minimum Quality Standards For Specialty Tea

TieLuoHan Picking Standard
There is no definition for specialty tea. The dictionary defines specialty as “ a product of a special kind or of special excellence”. The tea industry uses the word as a descriptor for tea that has no relationship to quality. The tea industry uses the word quality with just as much
ambiguity as the word specialty. Defining quality is critical to the industry. Tea makers and consumers benefit most with the establishment of value that is clear.

The information necessary to establish value is currently not supplied by tea vendors. Verifying authenticity must be a part of determining value. Barbara Dufrene pointed that out in her article, ‘Time to Set a Benchmark and Define Specialty Tea?

I began my research into the elements of quality tea making with tea makers both in China and India. I spoke a with a broad range of producers including large and small tea makers. I discovered consensus. All teas, from every country, possess elements in common when it comes to quality.

There are 12 elements critical to establishing quality. I am proposing that these factors qualify a tea for the use of the term ‘specialty’ as an appropriate descriptor. Keep in mind that many of these elements can contain details that better define a tea. Drilling down into those specific characterizations are important when determining excellence, but here I propose only a baseline.

1. The condition of the leaf
The state of the leaf speaks loudly about the skill of the tea maker. The leaf should be intact with few exceptions unbroken.
2. Adherence to the plucking standard
Adherence to the plucking standard addresses the skill of the picker and the garden management.
3. Uniformity of the leaf
The uniformity of the leaf, here again, addresses the skill of the picker, and the garden management.
4. Origin
5. Harvest date
6. Cultivar
7. Tea maker
8. Processing

9. Percentage of moisture remaining in the tea

These first nine represent objective anchors for looking at quality. Without this information, authenticity becomes impossible to verify, making the quality objectively questionable.

10. Color
11. Aroma
12. Taste

Ten though twelve require multiple measurements at differing times, but the last three demonstrate a more subjective evaluation done by professionally trained evaluators with significant experience. All of this information must be revealed in order for the tea to meet the minimum standard to be considered “Specialty Tea”. There must be a clear differentiation between specialty tea where the focus of the whole tea making process is quality as opposed to quantity.

In subsequent posts I will examine each of these elements in more detail.

Austin Hodge

Join ISTA

Become a member — it's free — or login to your account.


Become a Member Already a member? Login