Kambaa

KAMBAA
(Estate Black Tea)

Country of origin: Kenya
Region: Kiambu
Shipping Port: Mombasa
Grade: BP1 (Broken Pekoe 1)
Altitude: 5900 feet above sea level
Manufacture Type: CTC (cut, torn and curled)
Manufacturer: Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA)
Cup Characteristics: Very malty flavor that has light hints of currant. With milk the cup is bright golden and inviting.

Infusion: Bright and coppery

Ingredients: Luxury black tea.

Information:
Although Kambaa is quite a young factory when compared to heritage production facilities in China or India, Kambaa’s tea output ranks among the best in the world. Kambaa was commissioned in 1974 to serve as a manufacturing facility for thousands of small hold tea farmers in Kenya’s Kiambu District. All told there are more than 5400 tea farmers supplying Kambaa with fresh leaf. Initially, the factory was built to handle 10 Million Kgs (2.2 Million lbs) of plucked leaf per anum. Over time, this capacity has grown to 15 Million kgs along with international demand for luxury Kenyan teas.

Tea was introduced to Kenya only after India gained independence in 1947. At that time, a number of tea planters emigrated to the country which was then still part of the British Empire. Despite a ban on the transfer of plants and husbandry information, these planters brought tea bushes with them to start new gardens. The Indian plants soon began to thrive in the Kenyan climate, particularly East of the Rift Valley. Today, thanks to the efforts of these early growers and manufacturers Kenya has grown to become the world’s largest exporter of tea.
Kenya’s tea industry also owes much of its success to the Kenya Tea Development Agency. The KTDA oversees the work of more than 150,000 small hold tea farmers and 39 factories, including Kambaa. Despite the diverse supply of green leaf to the factories the KTDA maintains rigid quality control standards. The results, as this fabulous BP1 can attest, are well worth every inch of the effort.

Hot tea brewing Method: As with all top quality teas, scoop 2-4 teaspoons of tea into the teapot, pour in boiling water that has been freshly drawn (previously boiled water has lost most of its oxygen and therefore tends to be flat tasting, steep for 3-7 minutes (to taste), stir (virtually all the leaves will sink), pour into your cup, add milk (do not use cream) and sugar to taste - sit back and enjoy a fleeting moment in Kenya - maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of a cheetah!

Iced tea brewing Method: (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [Please note - High quality tea can ‘cream down’, meaning it looks like you added milk. This is normal for high quality teas and there is nothing wrong with your iced tea. High quality tea has a higher percentage of tannins which cause the ‘creaming down’.

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