Turkey has one of the highest per capita tea consumptions globally, and yet we know little about them as tea drinkers.
Turkey is the world’s third largest tea market in consumption and the fifth largest in production.
Approximately 205,000 people are employed in the tea industry in Turkey and almost everyone you meet wants to share a glass of Turkish tea with you.
Consumption of tea per head in Turkey is considered to be very high at 3-3.2 kg of tea per person per year. This equates to 3-4 glasses per day per person. It is said that approximately 250 million cups of tea are consumed daily across Turkey.
Tea is a relatively recent development in the country compared to the ancient history of tea in China and Japan.
Serious growing of tea began in the early 20th century in the Black Sea region. One of the largest tea growing areas in Turkey is Rize, where most of the black tea is manufactured.
In 1924, the Parliament adopted a law on the production of tea in Turkey, and it became the national drink of the Turks.
In the late Ottoman /early Republican period, the first tea factory in Rize opened in approximately 1946. This new factory was the beginning to the mass domestic consumption.
The type of tea grown in Turkey is fully oxidized black tea, which is robust in flavor and has a bright deep red colored liquor. They say it is “ruby red” liquor.
Tea is considered very important in home and business life, and it signals welcome, respect and willingness for discussion.
How is Tea Consumed?
Tea is traditionally prepared in a double teapot (çaydanlık). Water is bought to the boil in the kettle on the bottom, and the loose-leaf tea is placed in the smaller pot on top.
Boiling water is poured over the leaves in the top pot and then it brews for 10-15 minutes so it is very strong, the bottom pot is continuously topped up with hot water.
A small amount of the strong tea is poured into the glass from the top pot and topped up with the boiling water from the bottom pot. Each person can choose their own strength. This concept of brewing is not unlike the Russian samovar.
The tea glasses are unique to Turkey and are shaped like a tulip. The glasses sit on a small saucer with a tiny spoon. Sugar cubes are offered and many people hold the small sugar cube between their teeth while sipping the tea.
Often small snacks are offered such as cookies or Turkish delight, and the tea is nearly always consumed black without milk.
Tourism
There is a giant “tea glass” sculpture in Rize, which has become a flagship tea-tourism attraction. It is a seven-story piece modelled on the Turkish tea glass and is about 30 meters high. It also contains a tea museum.
Families often have favorite tea gardens in the different areas with sea or valley views in the country.
The Tea Plant
In Turkey, even though it is a mostly industrial, state-dominated tea sector, there is a small but growing group of small, specialty, and organic tea farmers emerging.
These farmers are doing selective plucking and small batch processing. They are targeting the specialty domestic market and small export buyers.
The Turkish tea plant clones are Camellia sinensis var sinensis, which tolerate the very cold weather in Turkey. Often the tea bushes are covered in snow for months.
The sinensis type clones deliver a slightly lighter bodied tea with high aroma, if they are handled carefully. But they are usually processed into robust, fully oxidized teas for the everyday Turkish tea.
I have been lucky enough to judge the Tea Masters Cup in Turkey and what a wonderful time I had experiencing the hospitality, great culture, and the never-ending flow of cups of tea.
Tea Education
Tea is an everyday part of life in Turkey and yet the global tea education sector is almost non-existent.
Recently, World Tea Academy has launched an affiliate program in Turkey after being approached by Mr Namık Kemal YILDIRIM.
We are excited to collaborate and help bring the international world of specialty teas and tea education, tea blending, and tea sommelier certified classes to Turkey under World Tea Academy. The courses are currently being translated into Turkish and will be available completely online and self-paced.
With this project, we want to support the idea of training for tea enthusiasts and professionals on topics such as tea culture, tea economics, and tea in the world.
Namik says they have the knowledge, vision, and sector experience for these, but lack the curriculum and methodology knowledge, which are available within World Tea Academy.
Namik also produces a beautiful online magazine that he has recently launched called Cay Dergisi, “To promote Turkish tea, different origins and culture, and increase tea education in Turkey."
Turkey will be the first country to experience our international classes available in local languages. Our passion at World Tea Academy is to make tea education available to everyone and so we are excited to work together.
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