Crush, Tear, Curl
Encyclopedia
Crush, Tear, and Curl is a method of processing black
tea
, similar to that of orthodox tea manufacture
. Instead of the leaves being rolled as a final stage, they are passed through a series of cylindrical rollers with hundreds of small sharp "teeth" that Crush, Tear, and Curl.
CTC was invented by W. McKertcher in 1930-1931, and it spread in the 1950s through 1970s most quickly in India
and Africa
. Today, most of the black tea produced are of CTC manufacture, or by the closely related rotovane orthodox manufacture. CTC and rotovane orthodox have a finished product is well suited for tea bags, as it quickly gives a coloury brew.
For many large tea producers, 80% to 90% of the factory's production is of small, broken, primary grades suitable for tea bag blends; the balance 10% to 20% are secondary grades which trade at a discount to the primary grades.
In the India
n domestic market, this type of manufacture is by far the most popular - over 80% of tea production is of the CTC type, amounting to approximately 650 million kg. In the export market, particularly in the C.I.S., the Middle East, United Kingdom
and Ireland
, CTC teas continue to be the most highly in demand.
CTC teas generally produce a rich red-brown color
when they are boiled by the Indian method. (One boils the leaves
with milk
, water
and sugar
and spices (producing Masala Chai
)).
The drawback of the CTC method is that it tends by its nature, and unfortunately by adulteration, to homogenize all black tea flavors. In the process of crushing, tearing and pelletizing the tea leaves, large pressures and stresses occur which break down the cells, releasing large amounts of the phytins that nominally oxidize to produce black tea's mahogany color. Therefore, CTC teas are intrinsically quite darkly pigmented.
Since regardless of origin, CTC teas in their dry form are generically "tea-like" in aroma, very similar in pelletized form, it is very easy to adulterate a more expensive (and presumably higher quality) CTC with inexpensive and generally mild lowland teas of the same process. Whole and broken leaf teas by contrast are quite varied in appearance, making adulteration at the very least difficult.
There is some question whether the CTC processed teas retain much (or any) of the widely referenced polyphenyls and other bio-reactive compounds that are thought to have positive herbal effects.
The convenience, low price, strong liquor, generic flavor, mild bitterness (tannins) have contributed to the near-monopoly that CTC type teas now enjoy in the homeland of Tea itself.
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
, similar to that of orthodox tea manufacture
Tea processing
Tea processing is the method in which the leaves from the tea plant Camellia sinensis are transformed into the dried leaves for brewing tea. The categories of tea are distinguished by the processing they undergo. In its most general form, tea processing involves different manners and degree of...
. Instead of the leaves being rolled as a final stage, they are passed through a series of cylindrical rollers with hundreds of small sharp "teeth" that Crush, Tear, and Curl.
CTC was invented by W. McKertcher in 1930-1931, and it spread in the 1950s through 1970s most quickly in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. Today, most of the black tea produced are of CTC manufacture, or by the closely related rotovane orthodox manufacture. CTC and rotovane orthodox have a finished product is well suited for tea bags, as it quickly gives a coloury brew.
For many large tea producers, 80% to 90% of the factory's production is of small, broken, primary grades suitable for tea bag blends; the balance 10% to 20% are secondary grades which trade at a discount to the primary grades.
In the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n domestic market, this type of manufacture is by far the most popular - over 80% of tea production is of the CTC type, amounting to approximately 650 million kg. In the export market, particularly in the C.I.S., the Middle East, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, CTC teas continue to be the most highly in demand.
CTC teas generally produce a rich red-brown color
Color
Color or colour is the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories called red, green, blue and others. Color derives from the spectrum of light interacting in the eye with the spectral sensitivities of the light receptors...
when they are boiled by the Indian method. (One boils the leaves
Leaves
-History:Vocalist Arnar Gudjonsson was formerly the guitarist with Mower, and he was joined by Hallur Hallsson , Arnar Ólafsson , Bjarni Grímsson , and Andri Ásgrímsson . Late in 2001 they played with Emiliana Torrini and drew early praise from the New York Times...
with milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
, water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
and sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
and spices (producing Masala Chai
Masala chai
Masala chai is a beverage from the Indian subcontinent made by brewing tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs.-Terminology:-Plain chai:...
)).
The drawback of the CTC method is that it tends by its nature, and unfortunately by adulteration, to homogenize all black tea flavors. In the process of crushing, tearing and pelletizing the tea leaves, large pressures and stresses occur which break down the cells, releasing large amounts of the phytins that nominally oxidize to produce black tea's mahogany color. Therefore, CTC teas are intrinsically quite darkly pigmented.
Since regardless of origin, CTC teas in their dry form are generically "tea-like" in aroma, very similar in pelletized form, it is very easy to adulterate a more expensive (and presumably higher quality) CTC with inexpensive and generally mild lowland teas of the same process. Whole and broken leaf teas by contrast are quite varied in appearance, making adulteration at the very least difficult.
There is some question whether the CTC processed teas retain much (or any) of the widely referenced polyphenyls and other bio-reactive compounds that are thought to have positive herbal effects.
The convenience, low price, strong liquor, generic flavor, mild bitterness (tannins) have contributed to the near-monopoly that CTC type teas now enjoy in the homeland of Tea itself.