
Does Your Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe Or Fannings Make The Grade?
Before the tea that makes your daily cup gets even close to the teabag or caddy, all kinds of sorting and grading has to happen. This is because when tea emerges from the drying machines at the end of the manufacturing process, it consists of a mixture of different sized pieces of leaf - all of which brew at different rates.
So to ensure an even brew, these particles must be sorted into different grades (or sizes). This is done either by hand or by passing the leaves though sifters with graduated mesh sizes to separate them out.
The resulting piles of tea are then classified according to size, type and appearance.