SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

CREATE AN ACCOUNT FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!

CREATE ACCOUNT

ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNT?
QUESTIONS ? FREE CALL: 1800 624 233
  • SIGN UP
  • LOGIN

Elmstock Tea

Elmstock Tea

Like tasting tea for the first time...

T 1800 624 233
Email: sales@elmstocktea.com.au

Elmstock Tea Company
Unit 14/8 Booth Place, Balcatta WA 6021

Open in Google Maps
  • Home
  • Tea
    • Try Something NEWSALE
    • Bestsellers
    • Connoisseur Range
    • Black Tea
      • Ceylon
      • China
      • India
      • Blends
      • Single Estate
    • Earl Grey Tea
    • Chai
    • Flavoured Black Tea
    • Green Tea
    • Flavoured Green Tea
    • Oolong Tea
    • White Tea
    • Organic Tea
    • Decaffeinated Tea
    • Artisan & Speciality Tea
    • Fruit Infusions
    • Herbal Infusions
    • Rooibos
  • Tea Bags
    • Tea Bags
    • Big Leaf Teabags
    • Presentation Packs
  • Gifts
    • Gift Packs
    • Gift Vouchers
  • Accessories
    • Eigenart
      • Eve
      • Flowtea
      • Leeza
      • Teaeve
      • Tins
    • Collections
      • CHRISTMAS
      • Esperado (Horse) Collection
      • Jungle
      • Klimt
      • Lighthouse Collection
      • May Lin
      • Raphael (Cherubs)
      • Shawke (Africa)
    • Tea Cups & Mugs
    • Tea Glasses
    • Bottles
    • Infusers
    • Spoons
    • Tea Tins & Caddies
    • Teapots
  • About Elmstock
    • About Us
    • Packaging
    • Wholesale
  • About Tea
    • About Tea
    • History of Tea
    • Tea & Health
    • Tea & Food
    • Brewing Guide
    • Stories of TeaBLOG
  • Shipping
    • Shipping Info
    • F.A.Q.
  • My Account
  • Contact
    • Elmstock Around Australia
  • MY CART
    No products in cart.
  • Home
  • Stories of Tea
  • Tea
  • Black Tea
  • Better Tea: Man or Machine?

Better Tea: Man or Machine?

Better Tea: Man or Machine?

by Hilary / Tuesday, 27 June 2017 / Published in Black Tea, Green Tea, Infusions, Lessons on Tea, Production, Selection, Tea

While it is stating the obvious that careful and selective picking of tea leaves by hand will always give you better quality tea, the case is now being made for mechanical plucking methods.

The best tea is produced by careful picking by hand of two leaves and the bud from the new growth or ‘flush’.

However continued rising costs and the growing of tea in new regions, as against the traditional tea growing countries of China, India and Sri Lanka, have opened up tea plantations to mechanical harvesting of the tea leaf.

The issue with mechanical or ‘lawn mower style’ harvesting is that it also picks up lesser quality leaf and stalk, which adversely affects flavour.

Mechanical harvesting can also be only carried out on tea plantations that have been developed on relatively flat terrain and cannot be used on hilly or undulating plantations – where generally the best teas are cultivated.

The proliferation of tea bag use also hides the sins of lesser quality leaf that may also contain stalk which adds to the weight of the crop but reduces its flavour content.

About Hilary

Almost 40 years ago I realised that the quality of teas being imported into Australia were of poor quality. The proliferation of teabags and a pricing regime enforced by the major supermarket chains had led to a noticeable drop in quality. Elmstock Tea Company was born out of this background in 1979. I had started my working life at 17 in the Tea Plantation/Accounts Department of a large company in Colombo. My family had connections to the tea trade and prior to that coffee and sugar plantations in Ceylon since the 1840s – an unbroken and direct link of over six generations. Many of the plantations started by or managed by my great grandparents still produce some of the teas we buy today! After migrating to Australia in 1972 I graduated from Curtin University and qualified as an accountant (CPA). I worked and managed large public companies involved in the wool trade for many years and was also involved with the listing of public companies on the ASX. Elmstock have been wholesaling premium quality teas and herbal infusions sourced from the best plantations for almost 40 years. We decided over twenty five years ago not to deal with the major supermarket chains as we did not want to compromise tea quality and revert to the ‘mediocrity of the pack’ which is entirely price driven.

What you can read next

Tea Bags, Coffee Capsules and the Environment
Japan’s Exotic Teas
India – Chai, Chai & more Chai

PRODUCT SEARCH

Basket

Benefits of Tea
Free Postage Australia

PRODUCT CATEGORIES

  • Accessories
  • Buy Tea Bags Online
  • Gift & Presentation Packs
  • Gift Vouchers
  • Tea

ELMSTOCK

  • F.A.Q.
  • About Tea
  • About Elmstock Tea
  • History of Tea
  • Packaging
  • Tea & Health
  • Wholesale
  • Privacy Statement
  • Brewing Guide
  • Terms of Use

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Keep up to date with all our News, Sales, Special Events and Exclusive offers.

Free Shipping Australia

Site Protected by:

Site Protected by Trustwave

Payment Options:

Payment Options

Opening Hours:

Mon to Fri 9am – 4pm (WST)

Unit 14/8 Booth Place
BALCATTA Western Australia 6021
Free Call 1800 624 233

  • GET SOCIAL
Elmstock Tea

Elmstock Tea Australia
© 2020 All rights reserved.
Terms: Buy Tea Online, Tea Australia

TOP