Tea: |
Kambaa - Estate Black Tea |
Region: |
Kenya, Kiambu - East of the Rift Valley |
Manufacture Type: |
CTC (cut torn and curled) |
Cup Characteristics: |
A rich full bodied tea with superb flavor. The cup has thickness and lively character. Excellent self drinker any time of
the day. |
Infusion: |
Bright and tending coppery |
Information: |
Kambaa is one of the premiere factories under
umbrella of the KTDA (Kenya Tea Development Authority -a state
run corporation). Each factory in the
KTDA relies on the
‘small holder’
(small individual
family farming unit)
to provide the green
leaf for the making
of black tea. Within
the KTDA there are
150,000 small
holders supplying
green leaf to 39
factories scattered
throughout the tea
growing districts of
Kenya. Despite such
a diverse supply of
green leaf to the
various factories
there is very rigid
quality control
mechanisms in place
which ensure that
farmers tender top
quality produce.
Kambaa is
consistently within
the top 4 quality
tea estates of the
KTDA and indeed
Kenya.
Tea is a very
important product
for Kenya. The
industry provides
employment for
several hundred
thousand people from
the small holders
through to the
steamship companies
that transport the
tea around the
globe. Tea is a
relative newcomer to
the Kenyan
agricultural scene.
Tea was started by
British planters
after the Second
World War. Many of
these planters were
feeling unwanted in
India (India
achieved
independence in
1947) and migrated
to Kenya. Despite a
ban on the transfer
of plants and
information, these
planters smuggled
Indian tea plants
into Kenya. The
plants thrived in
the Kenyan climate
and today Kenya is
the world’s second
largest exporter of
tea.
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Brewing Instructions: |
Hot Tea Brewing Method: As with all top quality teas, scoop 2-4
teaspoons of tea into the teapot, pour in boiling water that has
been freshly drawn (previously boiled water has lost most of its
oxygen and therefore tends to be flat tasting, steep for 2-4
minutes (to taste), stir (virtually all the leaves will sink), pour
into your cup, add milk (do not use cream) and sugar to taste - sit
back and enjoy a fleeting moment in Kenya - maybe you’ll catch a
glimpse of a cheetah!
Iced Tea Brewing Method: (to make 1 liter/quart):
Place 5 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour
1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5
minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea
into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and
top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
Please note - High quality tea can ‘cream down’, meaning it looks
like you added milk. This is normal for high quality teas and there
is nothing wrong with your iced tea. High quality tea has a higher
percentage of tannins which cause the ‘creaming down’.
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