Tea blending

“ The idea of blending Teas originally arose from the experience incidentally gained by some old and life-long Tea dealers, that a beverage richer in liquor, more pleasing in flavor, more satisfactory in price to the consumer and less costly to the dealer, could be produced from a number of the different varieties or grades when skillfully amalgamated or judiciously combined than could otherwise be obtained from any single sort when used alone. ”

“ The selection of India and Ceylon Teas for blending purposes is much more difficult than that of China and Japan Teas, greater care being required to avoid Teas that will not keep well as well as those which may possess any other objectionable peculiarity. The loss of strength and flavor is also much greater in some grades than in others, the kinds most affected being the too highly-fired Teas, the light-flavored Teas and those that possess a loose, rough or open leaf. ”

“ Many of the Tea-blends in use in England, although differing widely in liquor and flavor, are most skillfully combined, the greatest caution being taken that no Tea is introduced in them that may in any way act detrimentally upon any of the other Teas forming the blend. ”

“ But while it is admitted that a small quantity may improve any blend, if too freely or injudiciously used it will make the combination thin, and, in addition, unless the Scented Tea has been well selected, the blend will probably taste heavy in the cup. When Scented Caper is used too freely in a blend special care must be taken to obtain a very heavy-bodied Tea for the foundation, it being best to add thick-liquoring Indias, as otherwise a too plentiful use of Caper will make the infusion thin and bitter. ”

“ By putting a small sample of the Tea leaves in a wine-glass or thin goblet and pouring in clear cold water on them, and then stirring up or shaking well for a few minutes so that the Tea, if pure, will only slightly color the water, but if adulterated in any form a dark, muddy-looking liquor is quickly yielded, which, if next boiled and allowed to stand until cold, will, if spurious leaves are contained, become very bitter to the taste and almost transparent as it cools, while if the sample is composed of pure Tea only, it will be dark in color and pleasing in flavor under the same conditions. ”

“ The dried leaf is finely made, long and evenly folded, and the infusion is wine-colored, piquant and aromatic, from which fact consumers not accustomed to their use erroneously imagine that they are much stronger and more exciting than the Oolong and Green Teas sorts, and should be used only very sparingly in blending. ”

“ Blended Teas are the rule in England, where the skillful mixing of Teas has become a science; very little, if any, Tea being sold to consumers in its original state, every dealer, both wholesale and retail, being noted for or identified with some unique or particularly flavored blend of Tea. ”

“ The importance of retaining all blends regular and uniform—when once they have been adopted and proven satisfactory—cannot be overestimated, as what Tea dealer can expect continued success if his blends consist one week or month of fine, flavory Teas, the next of heavy, dull-liquored Teas, and the third of a sharp, pungent or astringent character? ”

“ A blend of Tea should never have its cost reduced by the introduction of a grade coarser in nature than that of a majority of the Teas forming the combination, so that low-grade Teas when used for reducing the cost of the blend should be as full, plain and sweet as possible. ”

“ For the base of the best blends or for flavoring purposes among purely American Tea consumers a really choice Formosa Oolong will be found an exceedingly valuable Tea, as a small quantity of fine or even tolerably good Formosa Tea will permeate and taste through [88] any combination, and most Tea drinkers, when once they become accustomed to its unique flavor, will rarely be pleased with any other Tea afterwards. The dried leaf of the choicer grades is small and artistically made, yellowish-black in color, while the infused leaf is bright green and uniform. ”

“ While if the component parts of the blend be so well arranged that the most powerful Tea constituting it be also the highest grade Tea, the effect produced is that the other Teas in it are raised to its level, but if the powerful Tea is one of the low-priced Teas the others naturally reduce to its standard. ”

“ All Pingsuey, Canton, artificially-colored, and what are known in trade as Country Green Teas, should be tabooed altogether, as they invariably detract from any blend in which they may be used. If cheap Green Teas must be had for blending, the surest policy is to select a true Moyune Hyson or Twankay of low grade for the purpose, as the commonest kinds of the latter will give better satisfaction in any combination of Teas than the finest of the former sorts. ”

“ This being a well-established fact among the Tea trade, it becomes essential for the successful Tea blender to study and learn what particular variety, grade or flavor of Tea his patrons have been accustomed to before attempting to cater to it, as not only is there a more divergence in the taste for Teas in the different parts of the country, but in cities, towns and even in localities the specific flavors in demand are so numerous and various that most of the leading Tea dealers have been enabled to mark out a distinct trade for themselves. ”

“ Teas of the Padrae and Saryune sorts with those of a highly flavored and delicate character, such as Monings and Chingwos, as to blend Teas of such markedly different characters will be found beneficial to neither. This rule also applies to Formosa Oolongs and the Congou sorts, as [83] the briskness of the lower and livelier Tea is marred by the softness of the more delicate and flavory Tea in the combination, while the body of the former will be spoiled by the delicacy of the latter. ”

“ Tea being an infusion and not a decoction like coffee, it should be brewed not stewed, the chief object being to extract as much of the theine or refreshing principle as possible and as little of the tannin or astringent property as can be, at the same time without either boiling or overdrawing it. Many Tea drinkers who imagine erroneously that a very dark-colored liquor indicates strength boil the leaves, while others again spoil the infusion by first putting the leaves in boiling water. ”

“ Teas should on no account be ever blended in wet or damp weather, as they have a natural susceptibility for absorbing moisture and all surrounding odors. After blending, they should be immediately replaced in the original lead-lined package and covered, or in tightly-covered cans, to exclude the air and protect them from the weather, and then allowed to stand from a week to ten days in order to let them assimilate and unite their opposite qualities. ”

“ Again, should the lowest-priced Tea in a blend be a Tea of a marked or inferior character, instead of its being absorbed by the other Teas in the blend, its disagreeable features will stand out prominently among them, while the superior qualities of the finer grades will be—if not entirely obliterated—yet so injured as to be scarcely recognizable. ”

“ Again, there can be no valid reason why every grocer, if he sees fit, should not put his own teas up and offer them under his own name and brand upon it, if his patrons should desire, a fancy and costly packet with no other advantages attaching to it.
TEA-BLENDING AS A FINE ART. Comparatively little is known of the art or principle of mixing or blending of teas in this country, American 176dealers and consumers alike being averse to the practice, regarding it as about on a parity with other methods of sophistication. ”

“ India Teas in general possess a sharp acid taste not to be found in any of the foregoing varieties, and a distinct but peculiar flavor, rarely liked by American Tea consumers, except when largely tempered with the softer and more mellow liquored Teas of China. In order to neutralize or offset this disagreeable peculiarity, it is at all times necessary to use only the best of the India grades in blending. Another very disagreeable feature of India Teas is that of the formation of an oily or gummy film which settles on top of the liquor after infusion. ”

“ The liquor of Java Teas is also deficient in strength, body and flavor, being almost totally devoid of any distinctive aroma or pronounced fragrance, defects attributable mainly to their faulty and imperfect methods of curing and preparing, as well as to the fact that the leaves are picked from the plants all the year round, and allowed no time for rest or recuperation, and making very indifferent Teas for blending or using alone. ”

“ The liquor is of a rich straw color, its value consisting in a combination of piquancy, pungency and delicate aroma.
To successfully accomplish the building up of a profitable and permanent Tea business three things are requisite: (1.) The dealer must keep the best Teas obtainable at the most popular prices. (2.) He must let the public know by advertising or other means that he keeps them. (3.) It is also most important that all standard blends should possess some distinct or characteristic flavor by which it may be readily recognized by those who use it. ”

“ And Teas have even been known to completely alter their flavor and character by being placed too close to molasses, oranges and lemons, therefore it becomes important for the dealer not to keep Teas too near any product emitting a foul or strong aroma. ”

“ In large cities this is a very wise and desirable policy to pursue, providing the blend or blends adopted and found satisfactory are kept uniform and regular thereafter, as it secures the return again and again of the same customer to the dealer, and thus keeps his Tea business not only steady but progressive. ”

“ It is generally used for mixing with low-grade Amoys, to which it imparts a wild, rank or weedy flavor, and should be avoided by the dealer altogether.
Amoy Oolongs—Embrace Kokew, Mohea and Ningyong Oolong teas and are fairly good teas for blending [16] purposes, many of them drawing and drinking exceedingly well in the cup. The leaf, while large and somewhat coarse in appearance, is well prepared as a rule, while the liquor is clear, strong and frequently pungent. The poorer grades, however, possess a wild or herby flavor, strongly objected to by the majority of tea consumers. ”

“ Generally in a thickly-populated manufacturing and mining district, or among all working classes in this country, heavy-bodied, sweet-drawing Amoy and dark-leaved, strong Foochow Oolongs will prove the most popular Teas for the base or foundation of all blends, while in a district composed chiefly of Irish, English or Scotch Tea consumers, Congous, Souchongs and the better grades of India and Ceylon Teas will be found to give the best satisfaction. ”