Orthodox Tea

What Orthodox Tea is

We can divide the tea available in the market in three types according to their manufacturing method. The orthodox tea is one method of making tea. Today we are discussing about it. When tea is mad, using only traditional methods, we call it orthodox tea. In this manufacturing process mainly uses a machine called an orthodox roller. Below is photo of that roller.

To understand this it is better has an idea of tea manufacturing. In this manufacturing process, we roll withered leaf by orthodox roller and extract dhools by using roll breaker and repeat this process two or three time for each batch. Therefore, the withered leaves are finely twisted and give them a unique shape.

Objectives of orthodox tea rolling

•  Mix chemical
• compounds Breaking  to required  size 
• Get a good appearance

Orthodox Roller – Preconditioning

• Batch type of roller. Roller size vary with Jacket diameter. 35”, 45”, 46”, 47” are common sizes
• Charge the Orthodox/roller with withered leaves to its correct capacity.
• Roll the leaves for 15 – 20 min.
• Release the pressure application at regular intervals.
• After discharging the roller, rolled leaves subject to next rolling without heaping up of for longer period

Rotorvane Rollers – Subsequent Rolling

• Continuous roller and capacity of roller can vary with its barrel size 15”, 12”, 9”, 8”.  Common types are 15”, 12” and 8”.
• Rotorvane roller consists with cylindrical barrel, hopper, feed worm, vanes, resistors, end plates etc.
• Pressure inside the barrel can be varied by vanes, resistors, end plates.
• After discharging the roller, rolled leaves pass to aerator ball breaker.

Some of tea grade of Orthodox manufacture

• Pekoe
• Pekoe1
• FOB-Flowery Orange Pekoe
• OP- Orange Pekoe
• OP1- Orange Pekoe
• FBOP-Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe
• BOP-Broken Orange Pekoe
• BOP1-Broken Orange Pekoe 1
• Fannings and Dust

By using this method mainly we produce leafy tea grades not powers grades like C.T.C teas. Normally we consider quality of made tea by observing blackness and taste.

The Orthodox tea is a fully fermented tea, therefore it includes a lot of theaflavins and thearubigins. So there are many health benefits drinking orthodox tea. You can get the following benefits by drinking two or three cups of orthodox tea per day.

Major health benefits of drinking orthodox tea

• Possible anti-cancer effects
• Improved metabolism
• Protecting against atherosclerosis
• Reducing blood pressure
• Protecting against diabetes
• Stress Relief
• Better Immune System
• Healthy Digestive Tract
• Happiness Factor
• Increased Energy

There is a good demand for orthodox tea, mainly from Russia and the Middle East. The most popular pure orthodox tea in the world is made in Sri Lanka and it is popularly known as Ceylon Orthodox Tea.