How tea is produced
Ever wondered how your favourite tea bag was made? How tea leaves are picked, prepared and packed? Well, make yourself a brew, and let us share the story behind our blue bags – blended especially for Australian tastes.
Step one
Firstly, Bushells have a network of expert tea tasters around the world. Our cuppa connoisseurs continually monitor the quality and consistency of our tea – from plant to pack – to ensure you enjoy the consistent quality Bushells drinkers expect, every time.
Step Two
Plucking from the plant
So, where does our tea begin: With the bright evergreen shrub camellia sinensis – or tea plant. We pluck our leaves from the very top of the plant for freshness; usually two leaves and the bud, for the very best quality brew.
Our freshly picked tea leaves are then left to wither in large open troughs for 12-24 hours to make them more pliable. While they wilt they’re also fluffed, rotated and monitored – so that all leaves get even exposure to air.
Step Three
Fermentation
The next step for our withered tea leaves and buds is fermentation. The leaves are rolled, then left to rest for several hours to oxidise – where oxygen in the air reacts with enzymes in the leaves (exposed after rolling), turning them a reddish brown, as the chemicals inside the leaves change.
This process is where tea’s many varieties are created: the time the leaves are given to ferment, further rolling plus other conditions impact on the flavour and colour of the final brewed leaf.
Step Four
Firing
The final step for our tea leaves is firing. Our fermented leaves are heated very quickly so their moisture level drops below 3% to end the oxidation process. By thoroughly drying out our tea we also make sure it keeps well, so once bagged and packed, you can enjoy our Australian flavour for even longer!
Find out more about Bushells tea – a taste of home since 1883 >>