Asia Siyaka Strength Index

	1.	These teas are light and delicate. Select long leaf tippy teas and green teas brewed at lower temperatures would be at this level of strength.
	2.	A mild tea with a level of strength commonly associated with long leaf teas made from leaf of bushes grown over 2,000 ft., above sea level.
	3.	A medium strong tea of fuller body. Semi leaf high grown teas, long leaf Low country sorts and a range of black leaf tippy teas brewed with boiling water achieve this level of strength.
	4.	A tea of some strength and full body, common to teas from higher elevations made when conditions are cold and windy. Semi leaf and small leaf particles tend to achieve this level of strength.
	5.	Thick strong teas commonly associated with broken orange pekoe size leaf and smaller high season High growns achieve this level of strength. Low grown small leaf teas are also as strong, but are of a rounder mouth feel commonly associated with teas brewed from this elevation.

Orthodox is the name given to the traditional method of black tea manufacture. In Sri Lanka this age old process has been refined during a period in excess of 100 years.

In the world of tea, Sri Lanka has two very unique strengths. The first is the gift of nature which combines unique topography, unusually complex climatic conditions, with seasonal weather changes; all in one small island.

The second is the learning, experience and skill handed down from generation to generation over the past 150 years which has led to absolute mastery of the Orthodox tea manufacturing pocess.

The art and science of Orthodox tea manufacture, is centred on carefully rolling and breaking the leaf into measured particle sizes, extraction of moisture, closely monitored oxidisation of rolled leaf and very precisely controlled drying.

The strength of a brew is often determined by the size of the tea particles. Smaller particles brew faster and better within a given time frame. While particle size is a key factor in determining strength, other techniques used in the manufacture of tea can be managed to determine how strong a brew would be e.g. when leaf is rolled and cells of the leaf are ruptured, oxidisation that takes place plays a part in the strength of a tea.

Since leaf size has a part to play, whole leaf Orange Pekoe style teas would generally be categorised at the lower end of the scale. Similarly small leaf teas would in most instances be grouped at the higher end of the scale. These rounder stronger brews would lend themselves to mixing with milk. The lighter brews are often drunk plain or with a twist of lemon to taste. The choice of sweetening is a matter of individual preference and sugar or bees honey is the most popular.