7th October, 2008: Smooth Green Tea from the Charleston Tea Plantation
New from the farm: This season has been exceptional. Record quantities of green leaf have been harvested this year with the factory running 5 days a week. Rainfall has been perfect at 1 inch per week. The tea plants have been very happy this year.
We are proud to say the Charleston Tea Plantation is now producing its own Green Tea, called ISLAND GREEN. A very mellow green tea with a smooth flavor. Available from our Gift shop in loose tea tins or glass jars.
Give us a call to order at 843 559 0383 or visit us online.
Bill Hall
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22nd July, 2008: Tea Tasting: What to Taste For
In an earlier post, we introduced you to Bill Hall, the Charleston Tea Plantation tea taster. But we saved what may be the most important question until now: what does a tea taster look for in a cup of tea?
Bill says that there is “a whole set of terminology in tea tasting: whether or not tea has “good character,” is “out of condition,” is “over or under withered.” But basically, what you’re looking for is a very fresh, smooth mellow taste. Not really harsh and bitter like coffee.”
Bill also points out that it is his job to maintain a constant quality all the time. “Because the quality and flavor of the leaves is changing all the time, it’s the taster’s job to keep the quality the same. That’s why many teas, like English Breakfast, are actually blends of a number of different leaves. One of the things Bigelow really excels at is creating blends. They will take the basic tea and add flavors to it.”
There’s still more to learn about the art of tea tasting! So stop back for the last in this series of posts when we’ll explore the importance of tea freshness.
Posted by LizG at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
8th July, 2008: Bill Hall: A Tradition of Tea Tasting
Like wine, tea is a complex beverage full of scents, colors and tastes that are often hard to define. That’s where tea tasters come in. At the Charleston Tea Plantation, Bigelow is lucky enough to have a third-generation tea taster on hand, Bill Hall.
In describing the job of a tea taster, Bill explained that “tea is one of the few commodities in the world that is sold strictly on the basis of taste alone. In order to put a value on it, you have to taste it.” But here’s where tea differs from wine: the taste of tea can change every week.
“Unlike wine, which is grown and harvested once a year,” Bill says that “tea is harvested every 15 to 18 days.” During this time many factors can influence the flavor, including the temperature and humidity level. Bill notes that tea tasters can tell if something had gone wrong in the process, “if it’s burnt, musty, old or out of condition, a tea taster can tell you all that.”
How does one receive an education in tea tasting? Bill went through a four-year apprenticeship during which he tasted between 800 and 1,000 cups of tea a day! During this time he worked with the world’s largest tea packer (Brooke Bond Ltd.) and the world’s largest tea dealer (Van Reese).
Tea-tasting also runs in Bill’s blood. His grandfather and father were in the business as well.
But what is Bill’s favorite part of being in the tea business? He responds, “What is really exciting about this plantation is that we’re going from the ground right through to the cup. What we do here in Charleston is unique. It’s a one stop shop that is vertically integrated.”
Hear more from Bill Hall and get some tea tasting tips in our next featured post!
Posted by LizG at 7:15 am | Comment (1)
1st July, 2008: Questions Answered about Charleston Tea Plantation
As the only location in North America where tea is grown today, the Charleston Tea Plantation holds a wealth of interest for tea lovers in the United States. And we’ve got some of the answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Q: How much tea is grown at the plantation and when is it harvested?
A: The Charleston Tea Plantation has hundreds of thousands of tea bushes in the fields. They stretch almost as far as the eye can see. The tea grows from May to October. During this time it is picked every 15-18 days on average. In spring we get the “First Flush,” the very first tea leaves of the year. Then by the end of October, the plant goes dormant and rests all winter long.
Q: What varieties of tea are grown at the plantation?
A: We produce “American Classic,” the only tea grown here in the U.S. American Classic is a fresh, smooth black tea picked from the plants that are descendants of those that were brought to America during colonial times.
Q: What Bigelow teas feature American Classic?
A: 2007 marked the introduction of four Loose Tea varieties of American Classic Tea — Charleston Breakfast, Rockville Raspberry, Plantation Peach and Governor Gray. Each is a very special tea, blended personally by our full-time tea taster, Bill Hall, to assure consistent taste and the highest quality. The best news for all tea lovers is that these teas are available throughout the year in the Gift Shoppe.
In upcoming posts, we’ll feature more about Bill Hall and the tradition of tea tasting, so we invite you to return to learn more!
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3rd June, 2008: America’s Crown Jewel: The Charleston Tea Plantation
America’s Heartland, whose crew travels the country in search of stories celebrating our nation’s agriculture, recently featured The Charleston Tea Plantation, the heartland’s only tea plantation. The video tells a story of how the Bigelow family’s investment brought new life to a tea crop that dates back to Colonial times. It tells of the ups and downs of this plantation and portrays the vitality evidenced there today. Whether you are a tea lover or not, you will find this “All American” story heartwarming.
Posted by Liesl at 6:00 am | Comment (1)
27th May, 2008: The Charleston Tea Plantation Thrives
In 2003, the Bigelow family bought the historic Charleston Tea Plantation to preserve the heritage of tea in North America. Now just four years later, the plantation is thriving and producing tea. What’s more, with all the tender, loving care that the Bigelow family has poured into the facility, the plantation is now also well on its way to becoming a major destination for tourists and tea lovers!
Tourist-friendly improvements include a new on-site factory with a special layout that allows visitors to walk along a glass partition and watch tea being processed. A trolley and a bus have been added to take tourists back to the fields where they can view spectacular scenery and watch tea being picked and cared for. And, at the conclusion of the visit, guests can unwind on a rocking chair on the porch of the Gift Shoppe and sample iced American Classic Tea fresh from the fields.
“Over time,” says Mr. Bigelow, “we hope this will become a major destination for tea drinkers everywhere.”
Want to learn more about the Charleston Tea Plantation and its operation? Keep watching for our next featured post which presents a number of fascinating plantation facts.
Withering Bed – fresh cut tea leaves
Front of Charleston Tea Plantation Facility with banner for First Flush Festival 2008
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20th May, 2008: Preserving Tea’s History in America
If you are a regular visitor to our blog, you might know that Bigelow is very proud to own the Charleston Tea Plantation. This historic site is the only place in North America where tea is grown today and it has quite a tale to tell!
David Bigelow co-chairs the board at Bigelow and is the son of company founder Ruth Campbell Bigelow. As David tells the story, tea’s history here all began when a Chinese botanist brought the first tea plants to America in 1799. The climate of Charleston, South Carolina seemed to present the perfect conditions for growing tea. The area’s high heat, extreme humidity and ample rainfall combined to make it possible to cultivate tea in the “low country.” So, over the years, with varying amounts of success, tea was grown in Charleston.
By 2003, however, the Charleston Tea Plantation was up for sale. Real estate developers were interested and the Bigelow’s ears perked up. “Our oldest daughter, Lori, was particularly concerned,” says David. Lori understood that the tea plantation was a one-of-a-kind gem and urged the family to do something. “We can’t let this place go away,” she said. The family agreed. As a result, the Bigelow family bought the plantation … and saved a piece of history.
For continuing coverage of the historic Charleston Tea Plantation, stop back soon! Upcoming posts promise to reveal more details about the plantation and its operation.
Fields of Tea Bushes
the growing of new tea bushes from clippings of existing bushes
Visitors on the Tea Trolley
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6th May, 2008: News from the Charleston Tea Plantation
News from the Charleston Tea Plantation: The first tea harvest for 2008 will take place this Wednesday May 7th. We will be building inventory for our First Flush Festival which takes place on May 17th. Go here for more information.
The weather continues to be dry here on Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina, therefore the leaves are a little behind their normal growth. However, there will be plenty of tea ready for the festival.
Put your order in soon for the First Flush Tea, call directly to place your order 843 559 0383. The quantity is limited!
Bill Hall, Partner
Charleston Tea Plantation
Posted by Liesl at 8:28 am | Comment (0)
29th April, 2008: Celebrate the 2nd Annual First Flush Celebration, Charleston Tea Plantation
Bigelow Teas Charleston Tea Plantation welcomes guests to celebrate the arrival of the spring season with their Annual First Flush event, a day dedicated to the entrance of the 2008 crop harvest. Taking place on May 17, 2008 on Wadmalaw Island, the 2nd annual First Flush Festival will offer a full day of excitement and revelry.
Throughout the day, the Tea Trolley will take visitors on a special route and provide an informative and enlightening First Flush Tour. Attendees can also observe the process of making tea in the on-site factory.
In addition to the plantation tours, food, live music and games, attendees will have the opportunity to purchase their very own supply of Charleston Tea Plantations 2008 First Flush Loose Tea. At an extremely limited availability, the First Flush Tea produced only with tea leaves from the very first spring growth on the tea plants has a unique taste of its own.
Tickets for the festival will be sold prior to the event at the Gift Shoppe for $8.00. On the day of the event, tickets will be $10.00 at the gate. For more details regarding the First Flush Festival, please call 1-843-559-0383 or visit www.bigelowtea.com.
Posted by Liesl at 6:00 am | Comments (2)
10th April, 2008: Charleston Tea Plantation mention by TODAY show travel editor, Peter Greenberg
Want to know where to go for a tea tour? Check out Peter Greenberg’s site here, travel editor for NBC’s Today show. Peter mentions in this article Bigelow Tea’s Charleston Tea Plantation as a go-to destination for all that is tea in South Carolina!
Posted by Valorie at 3:39 pm | Comment (0)
