Have you ever wondered what CTC is in the Tea Industry? My mother was born and raised in a small town in Assam, surrounded by tea gardens, called Dhekial. It’s not even a town, but a village corner with a couple of shops here and there. However, the entire locality was surrounded by the Borkathoni Tea Estate from almost all sides. Additionally, the entire area was renowned for its jaggery production at that time. Her father was a tea garden engineer. Almost all her uncles worked in the tea garden. So, in short, she had the best knowledge about tea gardens as well as about Assam Tea.
During those times, probably in the 90s, it was customary for anyone visiting from her village to my home to bring a packet of freshly produced Assam tea, right from the garden. I remember, in almost all such occasions, when the discussion was about the tea garden or about tea, my mother used to claim that we had never really tasted the best quality tea, which, as per her, was sent out to other places, but not Assam. What’s left for us is CTC.
As per her, the best quality tea would always be Orthodox. While she added she was not very fond of Orthodox tea, CTC was not considered the best, as per her, as those are mainly the powder left after processing of the tea leaves.
This remained at the back of my mind for many years, and I continued to wonder what CTC is. Why does it even exist, or where did it come from? My research led me to a lot of information about CTC and how it’s made. It’s probably one of those unique innovations that took place here, right in Assam, to fulfil a specific requirement. So let’s dive deep.
What is CTC in Tea?
CTC in the tea industry stands for Crush, Tear, Curl. It is a method of processing black tea leaves. The process uses a series of cylindrical rollers with sharp teeth. These rollers crush the leaves, tear them apart, and curl them into small, uniform pellets. The pellets look like coffee grounds. This process completely replaced the final rolling stage used in traditional Orthodox tea making. Locals also call CTC Mamri tea.
The Historic Birth of CTC
My mother was right about CTC being different from Orthodox tea. The story begins in 1931 at the Amgoorie Tea Estate in Assam. Sir William McKercher worked as the superintendent there. McKercher faced a practical problem. The British Empire needed more tea to meet growing demand. However, Orthodox processing was slow and labour-intensive.
The Amgoorie Tea Estate got its name from two Assamese words. “Aam” means mango. “Guri” means the roots of the mango tree. The area had many old mango trees. This historic estate became the birthplace of what would revolutionise tea production worldwide.
The Crisis That Sparked Innovation
By 1931, the British tea industry was facing unprecedented challenges. The global demand for tea had reached saturation point in Britain. Per capita consumption had grown from 1.1 pounds in 1820 to 9.6 pounds by 1931. However, the British market had plateaued.
Meanwhile, foreign tea imports were increasing dramatically. Dutch-grown teas had jumped from 32 million pounds in 1921 to 76 million pounds in 1930. This put enormous pressure on British Empire tea producers in India and Ceylon.
The tea industry was also struggling with labour shortages and processing inefficiencies. Orthodox tea processing required skilled workers who could hand-roll leaves for hours. Local Assamese workers frequently deserted the tea gardens due to harsh conditions and meagre wages.
McKercher’s Breakthrough Moment
At Amgoorie, McKercher was experimenting with machinery borrowed from an unexpected source. He adapted flour mill rollers for tea processing. These cylindrical rollers already existed in the grain milling industry.
McKercher discovered that by cutting circumferential grooves on these flour mill rollers, he could create sharp teeth. When tea leaves passed between two such rollers rotating in opposite directions, something remarkable happened.
McKercher’s machine used pairs of cylindrical rollers with hundreds of sharp teeth. Unlike flour mill rollers, which had smooth surfaces, his tea rollers featured circumferential and helical grooves. These grooves were precisely machined to create the crushing action.
Why CTC Was Created
McKercher’s invention solved several urgent problems that plagued the tea industry:
- Speed and Efficiency: Orthodox tea processing took an entire day. Workers had to carefully roll leaves by hand to preserve their shape. In contrast, CTC machines could process tea in just two hours.
- Labour Shortage Solutions: British tea estates in Assam struggled to find enough workers. The remote location made it hard to bring labourers from other regions. Machines reduced the need for manual labour significantly.
- War-Time Demands: During World War II, CTC proved even more valuable. It allowed more tea to be packed into shipping containers. This made transportation more efficient when resources were scarce.
- Market Requirements: British consumers wanted strong tea that could stand up to milk and sugar. CTC’s crushing process created small particles that brewed quickly. These particles produced dark, robust tea perfect for this purpose.
The Revolutionary Manufacturing Process
CTC machines use pairs of cylindrical rollers. These rollers rotate in opposite directions at different speeds. The slow roller moves at about 70-100 rpm. Meanwhile, the fast roller spins at 700-1000 rpm. Sharp teeth on these rollers mesh together. They create a gap of just 0.05 millimetres between them.
When tea leaves pass through this gap, three things happen simultaneously:
- Crushing: The rollers break down the leaf structure and rupture cell walls
- Tearing: Sharp teeth tear the leaves into small pieces
- Curling: The different roller speeds curl the fragments into pellets
This violent process releases more natural oils and enzymes than gentle Orthodox rolling. Consequently, it leads to faster oxidation and stronger flavour.
The Global Tea Revolution
McKercher’s invention didn’t stay in Assam long. By the 1950s, CTC processing had spread across India and into Africa. Kenya adopted the method in the 1950s. Eventually, Kenya became the world’s largest tea exporter using primarily CTC processing.
Today, over 80% of the world’s black tea uses CTC processing. In India’s domestic market, CTC accounts for more than 80% of all tea production. The method proved especially successful in regions like Kenya, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, and other parts of India.
Understanding CTC Tea Grades
My mother mentioned CTC being “powder left after processing.” This relates to how CTC tea gets graded. Unlike Orthodox tea’s leaf grades, CTC tea is sorted by particle size:
- Broken Grades: These are larger pieces like Broken Orange Pekoe (BOP) and Broken Pekoe (BP).
- Fannings: These are medium-sized particles perfect for tea bags. Examples include Pekoe Fannings and Orange Fannings.
- Dust Grades: These are the finest particles that brew extremely quickly. They produce the strongest liquor. Examples include Pekoe Dust and Churamani Dust. The smallest dust grades weren’t waste products. Instead, they became highly valued for their intense flavour and quick brewing properties.
Cultural Impact and Transformation
CTC didn’t just change how tea was made. It also transformed how people drank it. The strong, quick-brewing nature of CTC made it perfect for India’s beloved masala chai. Street vendors could brew powerful cups quickly. They added spices, milk, and sugar to create the chai culture we know today.
The British colonial administration actively promoted tea drinking among Indians in the early 1900s. They used aggressive marketing campaigns. CTC’s affordability and strength made tea accessible to ordinary Indians, not just the wealthy.
Production Advantages of CTC
CTC offered several benefits over Orthodox processing:
- Higher Extraction Rates: CTC tea releases 13.3% more polyphenols. It also releases 7.5% more catechins and 17.1% more water-soluble compounds than Orthodox tea.
- Consistency in Quality: Machine processing created uniform quality, batch after batch.
- Cost Efficiency: Faster production and lower labour costs made tea more affordable for everyone.
- Quick Brewing Time: CTC tea steeps in 2-3 minutes. Orthodox tea requires 5-7 minutes for proper steeping.
The Trade-offs and Compromises
While CTC revolutionised tea production, it came with compromises. Orthodox tea processors argued that crushing destroyed the delicate flavour compounds. These compounds made each tea garden unique. CTC’s violent processing homogenised flavours. This made all black teas taste similar regardless of their origin.
Tea tasters consistently rate Orthodox teas higher for complexity, aroma, and overall acceptability in blind taste tests. However, CTC’s convenience and strength made it the people’s choice for daily consumption.
Modern Legacy and Global Impact
Today, Amgoorie Tea Estate still operates under the Goodricke Group. It remains one of Assam’s premier CTC producers. The estate has modernised its facilities with new factories built in 2010. However, McKercher’s basic innovation remains unchanged.
CTC processing enabled tea to become truly global. Without this innovation, tea might have remained an expensive luxury, and it became the world’s second most consumed beverage after water.
Each cup of chai sipped at an Indian railway station carries this legacy. Every tea bag brewed in a British kitchen reflects this innovation. Every strong breakfast blend served worldwide shows the impact of that 1931 innovation in Assam.
Conclusion
My mother’s preference for Orthodox tea reflected an appreciation for tea’s traditional complexity. However, her acknowledgement of CTC’s practicality showed she understood something important. She knew why this Assamese innovation conquered the world.
CTC gave everyone access to a strong, flavorful cup of tea. It delivered this exactly when they needed it most. That’s the true genius of this simple yet revolutionary process that started right here in Assam.
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