Tea FAQs

Tea FAQs

What is FTGFOP -1S?
FTGFOP-1S is the grade of the Tea. FTGFOP - 1S stands for Fancy [or Fine] Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe. 'Fancy' is a term also used in the grading of oolongs.

What is Darjeeling Tea?
According to the Tea Board Of India - "Darjeeling Tea" means tea which has been cultivated, grown, produced, manufactured and processed in tea gardens in the hilly areas of Sadar Sub-Division, only hilly areas of Kalimpong Sub-Division comprising of Samabeong Tea Estate, Ambiok Tea Estate, Mission Hill Tea Estate and Kumai Tea Estate and Kurseong Sub-Division excluding the areas in jurisdiction list 20,21,23,24,29,31 and 33 comprising Subtiguri Sub-Division of New Chumta Tea Estate, Simulbari and Marionbari Tea Estate of Kurseong Police Station in Kurseong Sub-Division of the District of Darjeeling in the State of West Bengal, India. Darjeeling Tea, when brewed, has a distinctive, naturally occurring aroma and taste with light tea liquour and the infused leaf of which has a distinctive fragrance. 
Craft House is a registered member with Darjeeling Tea Board  

What makes Darjeeling Tea so Exclusive?
Darjeeling Tea is widely and universally acknowledged to be the finest tea, because its flavour is so unique that it cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. It has no equal. Grown in the romantic and mystical mountainous region of Darjeeling at an elevation of 750 - 2000 metre, the tea is imbued with an incomparable charisma and quality. 
Even the tea pluckers, well aware of the status their produce enjoys throughout the world, pick only the finest two leaf and the bud to enhance the unique flavour which has been described as “Muscatel”. Gifted with these natural elements, the simple fact that only 10 million Kg. of Darjeeling Tea is produced annually by the Darjeeling district, has made it all more exclusive and desirable. Adherance to this high quality profile, results in extremely low yields. It would not be an overstatement to say that Darjeeling Tea is by far the finest and most sought after Tea in the world.

What are the Different Flavours associated with Darjeeling Tea?
The Flavours of Darjeeling Tea differs from Season to Season. According to the plucking period, the seasons can be categorised as under :
Easter Flush (March - April), Spring Flush (May - June), Summer Flush (July - September), Autumn Flush (October - November).

What is the importance of the Darjeeling logo?
The Darjeeling Logo is a property of The Tea Board of India. It was launched in 1983. It is a symbol that verifies that the packet / caddy etc contains 100 % pure Darjeeling, unblended with teas from any other growth. There are certian procedures prescribed by the Tea Board of India to be complied with to get permission for the printing of the logo on a product. 

What should be checked before buying a packet of Darjeeling Tea?
The Packet must have a Darjeeling Tea Logo. "Darjeeling” or “Pure Darjeeling” or “100% Darjeeling” - must be mentioned.

What does Organic tea means? 
Tea qualifies as ‘organic’ only when active use of environment friendly techniques are employed and the system is approved by inspecting authority to be truly ‘organically farmed’.

What does leaf grade tell about a tea? 
Tea has many secrets but none you can discover with a few helpful tips. 
In traditional tea production there are 4 main groups of leaf grades.
Leaf - the tea leaves remain unbroken 
Broken - the leaves are broken in coarse pieces. Somewhat stronger at the same weight than leaf tea. 
Fannings - thick broken but still with small leaf substance (used in high quality tea bags) 
Dust - the smallest siftings (tea bag quality) 
One quality characteristic distinctive of the northern Indian tea gardens is the times of the particular harvests. 

What does ‘Flush’ mean, when referring to Darjeeling tea? 
In tea, the tender apical portions of shoots comprising the terminal bud, the internodes and two or three expanding leaves immediately below it, which together constitute the crop, the ‘flush’. Flush refers to the four separate plucking seasons throughout the year, each known for it’s distinctive flavor. First Flush (March - April), Second Flush (May - June), Monsoon Flush (July - September) and Autumnal Flush (October - November) are the traditional names.

Do you supply tea bags also? 
Yes we supply tea bags (masala, earl grey, orange, kasmiri kahwa, and darjeeling) also in individual sachet of 2 gms each. 

What are the health benefits of tea? 
Many studies have demonstrated the anti-cancer properties of tea. They can stop the damage that free radicals do to cells, neutralize enzymes essential for tumor growth, and deactivate cancer promoters. Their effect on heart disease is less well understood. Some laboratory studies have found that tea helps prevent blood clotting and lower cholesterol levels. The leap to preventing heart attacks, however, has not yet been made. 
Tea also has fluoride for strong teeth, virtually no calories, and half the amount of caffeine found in an equally-sized cup of coffee. 

How do I brew a cup of tea? 
Put loose tea either directly into the teapot, or into an infuser, tea ball or filter. A general rule is to use 1 rounded teaspoon per cup of tea. Adjust according to tea type and taste.
Boil the Water.Once the water is heated, pour just a small amount into the teapot, swirl to cover bottom & sides, and then discard. This will create a warming effect, to help tea stay warm longer.
While boiled water is perfect for many tea types (black & oolong), other tea types such as green tea and some white teas are best with hot, but not boiling water (remove prior to reaching boiling). 
Pour the hot water into the teapot, recap & let brew for 3 to 5 minutes, or an appropriate time best for the individual tea type. Leaving an infuser, teaball or filter in longer may result in a stronger and perhaps bitter tasting tea.