Organic Korakundah Estate Nilgiri FOP Black Tea

This very fine organic black tea is produced at the Korakundah estate in the Nilgiri region of southern India, surrounded by pristine streams and virgin forests and nearly crowning the Nilgiri ranges at 8,000 feet above sea level. This Fair Trade Certified organic loose tea is composed of twisted leaves of uniform size and deep brown color. As is typical of high-quality organic tea from India, the infusion offers a straightforward but delicate flavor, floral and brisk.

Tip: This tea is particularly suited to iced tea preparation as it resists clouding more than most.

Ingredients: organic Indian black tea

Serving Size: one generous teaspoon per 8 oz cup of water

Staff Perspectives

Aubrey Says: A nice, uncomplicated black tea.

Jeremy Says: I love Korakundah for iced tea - straightforward and doesn't cloud as much as others.

We at Arbor Teas firmly believe that tea should be brewed to suit your personal taste. With that being said, here are some recommendations to get you started, but please remember you can make adjustments based on your own personal taste.

There are three main considerations when brewing tea: quantity of tea, water temperature and steeping time.

Quantity of tea: one generous teaspoon per 8 oz cup of water

Water temperature: use water that has been heated to a full rolling boil (212° F)

Steeping time: 3-5 minutes

Tip #1: Use fresh water whenever possible - water that has been sitting in your kettle overnight may impart a flat or stale taste to your tea. Be careful not to boil your water for too long. Over boiled water can sometimes impart an unwanted taste.

Tip #2: Keep in mind that brewing your tea for too long can extract undesirable bitterness from the leaves, so steeping time matters! For a stronger brew, don’t steep longer, just use more tea.

Learn more from our How To Guides on how to brew loose leaf tea, how to make iced tea, and how to make tea lattes. And don’t forget to check out our Eco-Brewing Tips, too!

How to Brew Loose Tea

How to Make Iced Tea

How to Make Tea Lattes

Eco-Brewing Tips

 

There are five significant components found in all tea from the plant camellia sinensis: essential oils, which are the source of tea’s delicious flavor and aroma; polyphenols, which are antioxidants that provide the tea’s brisk flavor and many of its health benefits; phytonutrients, which are small amounts of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids including L-theanine (a very rare molecule that has been found in only three sources including camellia sinensis!) ; enzymes; and methylxanthines, which are a family of alkaloids that include caffeine. Each of these components work differently in the human body and a full description is best left to a medical journal. However, recent research exploring the potential health attributes of tea is leading many scientists to agree that tea, may contribute positively to a healthy lifestyle.

For a more in-depth discussion of Tea and Health Benefits check here.

For a more in-depth discussion of Tea and Caffeine check here.

Tea Health Benefits

All About Caffeine

 

Iced Tea

Teas from the Nilgiri region of India seem to resist clouding better than other tea varieties and are traditionally used for making the quintessential American iced tea. According to the USDA, Americans consume more than 2.2 billion gallons of tea per year, about 80 percent (around 1.75 billion gallons) of which is iced. That's an average of nearly 6.5 gallons of iced tea per person! Iced "sweet tea" has been consumed in the south for a hundred years or more, but with the rise of fast food restaurants (nearly all of which sell iced tea), America has watched its tea consumption double in the past 30 years.

The 1904 St. Louis World's Fair offered an opportunity for merchants from around the world to show off their wares. Little did tea merchant Richard Blechynden know it would also mark the beginning of America's love affair with iced tea! In the midst of a sweltering St. Louis summer, Blechynden's efforts to promote Indian black tea at the fair were proving unsuccessful. Hot tea was the last thing on the minds of those attending the fair. So, the enterprising merchant and his staff set out to develop an apparatus in which their brewed Indian tea would flow through iced lead pipes, creating a chilled beverage that was very well-received by fairgoers. Not only was Blechynden successful in promoting Indian tea at the fair, he also uncovered America's seemingly endless thirst for iced tea - a thirst that has yet to be quenched to this day!

Can't get enough iced tea info? Check out our Iced Tea Tips page several fun variations on iced tea!

For information on other traditions or to submit your own tea tradition visit our Tea Traditions section.

Tea Traditions