Tea Taster is a person who not only tastes the tea but also has to identify the difference between the teas and give expert advice on the various ways in which tea can be brewed in order to achieve a particular taste. Tea tasters differentiate between the various flavours of tea and help to brand the varieties according to quality. The tea tasters need to have their taste buds alive to understand and differentiate the contents of taste giving alkaloids in the tea samples.
You know among all the beverages, tea is an everlasting one as it has a history of its own for very many years. This should tell about the permanence of the industry and the tea taster’s job and career too. Tea taster is a specialized professional in the tea industry and the job of a tea taster is one among the most gifted careers in the world today. Tea tasting is totally an art but needs the support of science to upgrade it to a career in the modern tea industry. The traditional tea tasters were experience based but modern tea tasters are based on scientific methodology.
Tea can bring the briskness to the body and mind on demand. Another tea will make you calm and peaceful and bring solace to the wandering mind. It can create an inner calmness and outer activity which is usually brought about by meditation. Thus the tea taster has a duty to fulfil the expectations by innovations. In India, the tea industry is spread in states like Assam and Kerala.
Tea Taster Eligibility
The basic eligibility criteria for the Tea tasting course are graduation in Botany, Food Sciences, Horticulture or allied fields.
Tea Taster Required Skills
- Tea tasters need to have taste buds alive so as to differentiate the contents of taste giving alkaloids in the tea samples. His olfactory nerves should active to identify the kind of fragrances that are released by the tea samples in question.
- They should know about the cultivation and manufacturing processes in a tea plantation such as tea kinds, varieties, and grades and again the characters of the resulting liquors.
- They should also be away from certain habits like smoking, alcohol, tasting strong spicy foods and the like.
- They should have leadership qualities and the ability to deal with labourers is an added asset for plantation/factory managers.
- Tea tasters should also have initiative, be knowledgeable about the tea market and be alert to changing market forces, and should be willing to undertake strenuous work.
How to become a Tea Taster?
There is no formal degree to become a tea taster. There are, however, some certificate courses which help you understand tea testing techniques and scientific knowledge. These courses generally span from 3 months certificate course to 1-year diploma. The experience of working in a tea estate makes come handy for the aspirants. There would be a better understanding of this field if you already have a degree in food sciences, horticulture, agriculture or botany.
Institutes offering Courses for Tea Taster
- Department of Tea Husbandry and Technology, Assam Agricultural University
- Dipras Institute of Professional Studies, Kolkata
- Darjeeling Tea Research and Management Association, Darjeeling
- University of North Bengal, Darjeeling
- Birla Institute of Management and Futuristic Studies (BIMFS), Kolkata
- Indian Institute of Plantation Management, Bangalore
Tea Taster Job Description
It is a Tea-tasters responsibility to grade various varieties of Tea as per their quality. A tea-taster is often employed by big tea companies for ensuring quality standards and for identifying different tea samples.
Tea Taster Career Prospects
Tea tasting is a brilliant and fascinating career in the plantation and as well as in the tea trade at an international panorama. Most tea companies employ tea tasters for ensuring quality standards and preparing blends. Tea tasting is typically learnt on the job. Tea tasters are recruited by manufacturing companies, brokers as well as buyers.
- In a manufacturing company, they detect defects in the production process by looking at the colour and size of the leaves to determine if they have been fermented or dried under fire and send them back to the factory to rectify if needed.
- They also have to coordinate with gardens, look after import and exports, advice researchers on commercial factors like taste, economic viability etc. In the broker's office, the taster plays an advisory role and informs manufacturers about market trends.
- In buying houses besides ensuring quality, tasters have to know what's happening in both the domestic and international markets. Many youngsters opt for this profession because of the out-of-the-ordinary nature of the work and the high pay.
- Experienced tea tasters can also take up consultancy services proffering advice on the varieties of tea to be planted, new varieties and their sources, recruitment and training of personnel, compensation, benefits and incentives to labour and so on.
Tea Taster Salary
Despite the drawback, many youngsters are coming into the profession because of the good pay, attractive perks including a comfortable lifestyle with bungalow, car etc. Trainees get, on an average, Rs.5,000 while senior professionals draw Rs.25,000 per month and specialized professionals (tea sommelier) can earn in the range of Rs.40,000 to Rs.50,000 per month.
