teaceylon teablack teactc
Ceylon Black Tea: CTC & Off Grades
Ceylon Blends Tea Room··6 min read
Beyond orthodox tea lies the modern CTC method and a family of 'off grades'. Here is what BP1, PF1, PD and the cleaned-up off grades bring to the cup.
CTC (Cut, Tear, Curl) grades
CTC is a modern manufacturing method in which the leaf is passed through cylindrical rollers that cut, tear and curl it into small, hard pellets. CTC teas brew quickly, give plenty of colour and strength, and are ideal for tea bags and milky, spiced blends.
| Grade | Stands for | Character |
|---|---|---|
| BPS | Broken Pekoe Special | Even curl pieces. |
| BP1 | Broken Pekoe 1 | A larger-size leaf with bold, round particles giving a full-bodied, bright tea. |
| BPL | Broken Pekoe Leaf | Even leaf pieces. |
| PF1 | Pekoe Fannings 1 | A smaller-size leaf producing a strong-tasting tea. |
| PD | Pekoe Dust | The smallest of particles, smaller than PF1 leaves. |
Off grades
'Off grades' are the by-products separated out during sorting — cleaned of stalk and fibre and re-graded. They are useful, economical teas widely used in blends.
| Grade | Stands for | Character |
|---|---|---|
| BOP1A | Broken Orange Pekoe One A | Flaky leaf without stalk and fibre — a clean tea. |
| BM | Broken Mix | Smaller than BOP1A. |
| BP | Broken Pekoe | Broken stems; choppy, hard-leaf tea. |
| FNGS | Fannings | Broken leaves slightly larger than dust. |
| FNGS1 | Fannings 1 | Broken leaves slightly larger than FNGS. |
| PFNGS / PFNGS1 | Pekoe Fannings | Similar fanning categories used in blending. |
CTC and off grades are the practical engine room of the tea world — the grades that deliver dependable strength and colour at scale.