The story of Iced Tea Becomes the Drink of Millions of People in Indonesia



Whatever the food, it goes well with iced tea. Yep, this drink has become the drink of millions of people in Indonesia and is definitely available in almost every place to eat. What is the history of iced tea in the country?

Whatever food you order, iced tea will definitely be the first thing to consider. Yep, now iced tea has become the drink of millions of people in Indonesia. Not only refreshing, this drink is also cheap. However, do you know the history of iced tea in Indonesia?

The story of iced tea is related to the Dutch colonialism in Indonesia. This was revealed by Professor of Food Science and Technology UGM Prof. Dr. Ir Murdijati Gardjito. At that time, the Dutch, who were active in trading spices in Maluku, introduced tea to the people of Java.

In the 17th century, the Dutch brought the first tea in Java when they landed on Sukabumi Beach. Well, in West Java, it turned out that tea could thrive. Tea plantations were growing rapidly there to reach 131 locations. After that, tea spread in Java and Sumatra, especially in South Sumatra.

"Actually, it was the people of West Java who drank tea first, which eventually spread to Sumatra, Central Java and East Java," said Professor Murdijati, Wednesday (20/1/2021).

The Dutch, who knew that the best part of tea was in the buds, then sold this part to Europe. The rest, in the form of tea stems, was used here. Fortunately, ancient people were so skilled that they were able to make even tea stem extract into a delicious drink.

According to Professor Murdijati, for the Dutch, tea stalks were considered just waste or trash, but could be used as tea which could be given free of charge.

"That's why hot plain tea can be free at Sundanese restaurants, but you're paying for it elsewhere. The problem is that the people are not educated to drink tea,” she continued.

A similar thing happens in Central Java. The skills of its citizens make them able to create delicious green tea drinks. Understandably, if you make black tea, you have to go through a fermentation process, while making green tea only requires a much simpler process of roasting tea leaves.

In addition, the people of Central Java were also able to make tea mixed with jasmine flowers. The taste? Until now, it is known throughout the country as one of the most popular tea variants.

The existence of sugar factories that were growing in Central Java also makes people accustomed to drinking iced tea with a mixture of the lowest or third quality granulated sugar with a brown grain color. Since then, sweet tea has become familiar to residents of Central Java and East Java. So, where does the sugar with the good quality go? Of course, exported to the Netherlands.

The arrival of ice cubes then changed the habits of Indonesians to drink sweet tea. Understandably, the air temperature in Indonesia is fairly hot, so sweet iced tea is considered as an antidote to thirst as well as the sultry weather.

Translated by Aprianti from inibaru.id

Why isn't Indonesian tea as famous as its coffee?




News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta   
Thu, December 7, 2017 

While Indonesia has made a name for itself in the coffee industry, the same can't be said of its tea counterpart, despite being the world’s seventh-biggest tea producer. 

According to kompas.com, tea leaves from Indonesia are more often used as an ingredient mix for average-quality teas, while tea production spans wide across the country from North Sumatra, Jambi and all over Java Island.  

Bambang Larensolo, a tea sommelier, said Indonesian tea is still finding its geographic identity with respect to its source region. This means that different tea-producing regions across the country are still categorizing its signature characteristics from one plantation to discover a distinctive identity in comparison to other plantations. 

"People are only just beginning to use geographic identity. But the issue is that Indonesian teas are still too similar in character to different regions, even though some do have significant [characteristics]," Bambang told kompas.com recently.  

Bambang said the similarity could be because tea plantations are growing the same seeds, which are sourced from the Gambung region in West Java.  

"So the real characters of the local teas that have been grown long previously have actually faded, because signature characteristics are not formed quickly," he said.  

The widespread use of the same seeds is not new, as it had been practiced previously, when in the 1990s all seeds were sourced from Sri Lanka.  

Nevertheless, Bambang said, there are regions in Indonesia that have signature characteristics, such as green tea from Pulau Bangka, tea from Malabar in West Java, as well as leaves from Simalungun in North Sumatra. 

"Green tea from Bangka is indeed special, but what's famous abroad is actually from Malabar and Bah Butong, Simalungun. [Bah Butong] has a spicy aftertaste," Bambang said.  

He added that tea from Malabar is famous for its floral and fruity aftertaste. In addition, the name is already famous because of its history as one of the oldest tea plantations. Since the Dutch colonial era, the tea has been exported as one of the best teas from Indonesia. 

Overall, however, Bambang said Indonesian tea is only a mixed brew and not a standalone or single origin due to lacking character. 

"The homework is how to develop tea with a character distinctive from other tea plantations," he concluded. (liz/kes)

Tea Traditions — Indonesia



Still known as a premiere producer of coffee (as in “a cup of java,” since Java is one of the coffee growing islands there), Indonesia (formerly the Dutch East Indies) also had a reputation for the quality of its black teas. They have grown tea for over 200 years, with those teas having a reputation for producing a light and slightly sweet infusion, mainly used in mixes

Indonesia, made up of more than 14,000 islands spread over 3,100 miles along what is known as the ring of fire, is a country of diversity with numerous languages, ethnicities, cultures, and customs. However, instead of an Indonesian tea culture, they have a mixture of different tea cultures and tea ceremonies. You can find a Japanese tea culture, a Chinese tea culture, or watch a tea ceremony obviously influenced by India. Even influences from the Netherlands and England are around.

According to various records, the first tea was planted in 1684 on Java by the Dutch, in control of the islands since 1602 under the Dutch East Indies Company banner. They used seeds from Japan for the China tea bush cultivar called Camellia Sinensis var. sinensis. The gardens didn’t flourish since the Dutch government who were in control of the islands for around 300 years didn’t have experienced staff. In 1835, they tried again, turning the gardens over to experienced private planters. The gardens thrived this time.

Sumatra, one of the main islands for tea growing with its rich volcanic soil, produces black teas known by their garden marks. They are generally the same quality year round, are good for blending, and produce a soft to medium strength cup of tea.

Some Sumatran Teas:
  • Light Roast Sumatra Oolong — This tea has a unique aroma and flavor of passion fruit, and the light roasting brings out notes of roasted chestnuts and honey.
  • Black Pearl — A beautiful black tea that is naturally sweet with a taste said to be like Washington Red apples.
  • Sumatra Oolong Barisan — Delicate, high quality, comparable to the best Green Oolongs from Taiwan. Grown at high altitude and processed by skilled tea workers. Steeps up a fragrantly floral liquid with a jade-green color and a mild grassy flavor that turns to lush, buttery floral and vanilla notes.
  • Sumatra BOP — A medium to strong brew with a great smooth finish and an orange liquid.
  • Indonesia Gunung Dempo — The liquor tends to be light with a hint of body and maltiness and is considered one of the world’s great teas. 
A specialty in some Sumatran coffee huts is teh telur (tea with egg). It’s pretty basic and easy to make:
  • Crack a raw egg into a tall glass. [see disclaimer below]
  • Add 2 heaping spoonfuls of sugar.
  • Whip into a thick froth.
  • In a separate pot steep some strong Sumatran tea.
  • Pour (through a strainer, if you steep loose leaves) into the glass with the egg/sugar froth.
  • Whisk tea and froth together.
  • Add a generous pour of sweetened condensed milk.
  • To enjoy this tea the way the locals do, pour some into a saucer to cool it and then sip from the saucer. This also avoids egg froth moustaches.
Try a Sumatran tea or a blend containing some of the black tea version for a very enjoyable taste. As for that raw egg concoction, try at your own risk.

Disclaimer: Eating raw or undercooked eggs carries a risk of salmonella poisoning.

Tea Culture in Indonesia

MISCELANY 06.07.2014

Not many people know that tea as a beverage favored by many in the world has built its own culture. Indeed, tea is not only a mere drink. For example, the procedures for drinking tea in Japan, is not the same as in Indonesia. For the people of Indonesia, there are no uniform rules for enjoying tea. Each area has a different way of brewing and presenting it.

Eva Nainggolan, a Public Relations from one of the producers of tea in the country said, in Indonesia, the culture of tea drinking is not less interesting than in other countries. For example, in Tegal, Central Java, the tradition of enjoying tea has been known from generation to generation. In this area, tea is brewed with hot water in a small pot made of clay, added with some rock sugar. The sugar should not be stirred, just let is lay on the bottom of the pot. The black tea must be enjoyed while it is hot, with a strong scent of jasmine flowers and tastes quite strong. This is known as wasgitel which is abbreviation of wang (fragrant), Sepet (strong slightly tangy), legi (sweet) and kentel (thick).

In other areas such as West Sumatra, there is another unique culture in brewing tea, known as "Talua Tea", which is literarily means Tea Egg . Here the tea is brewed and mixed with a raw egg. Raw egg yolk is beaten, poured with hot tea.

Founder of the Indonesian Tea Circle community, Lily Tjahjandari, sees tea culture declines in society. Although the majority of Indonesian people drink tea every day, but tea culture is something that has not been acknowledged as part of national culture. Lily who is also a lecturer at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Indonesia (UI) said even in tea parties held by the state or official agencies, tea culture has not been used. The tea party tend to be so simple and regular, and even tend to adopt the tea party from abroad. While in fact, traditional drinking culture in Indonesia is never far from the spices, including tea drinking.

For that reason, recently a tea festival titled 'Nusantara International Tea Festival' was organized in Kota Tua or the old city of Jakarta. The event was held from 19 to 22 June 2014. At the festival, visitors could enjoy a variety of tea drinking traditions and know the types of tea from Indonesia and foreign countries. Currently, Indonesia is the fourth largest tea producer in the world.

Tea drinking a way of life in the city

Coffee enthusiasts may boast the privilege of being able to indulge themselves at the burgeoning coffeehouses across the city, but one thing remains certain, tea lovers insist drinking coffee does not blend naturally with philosophy, culture, and community.

"Unlike that of coffee, appreciation of tea is not limited to just enjoying the taste. It goes beyond that," Bambang Laresolo, a tea expert and moderator of Tea Lovers community told The Jakarta Post recently. Green, yellow and white From oolong to long jing, to gyokuro, all have become the latest buzzwords in tea drinking, a culture-slash-lifestyle that has attracted more and more urbanites in the past few years.

"The philosophy of tea embodies what the Japanese refer to as iva [harmony], kei [respect], sei [purity], and jaku [tranquility]," he added Bambang has several times taken part in chanoyu, a sacred ancient Japanese tea ceremony, which ishosted by the Japan Foundation in South Jakarta. He said tea drinking should be performed in harmony, something that can be formed among all matters, from tea bowls, leaves, flowers and seasonal selection.

Camellia sinensis, more commonly known as tea, has been part of Bambangs life since he was young, when he always carried around a container filled with green tea. He explained that tea production in Indonesia was geared more towards the export market, as there was little appreciation of tea among local consumers. "We actually have many variants of tea that are renowned in the international market. For instance, Indonesian black tea is very popular in France and sells well at a renowned French teahouse Manage Freres," he said.

Apart from black tea, white tea from Bengkulu is gaining popularity, especially among urban tea aficionados, as it leaves a natural litchi aftertaste, very smooth and fresh, Tea Lovers community director Ratna Somantri says. No matter how popular they are, though, the traditional signature Indonesian tea, teh poci (tea pouch), is still favored by many Indonesian tea drinkers. It has a peculiar zesty taste due to its high level of catechin, a powerful antioxidant, Ratna said. "Some people add sugar when drinking the bitter teh poci, the taste of which is vividly different to that of Japanese or Chinese tea. Both the latter have lower catechin levels and taste natural," she told the Post.

Ratna added that members of her organization gathered twice a month to exchange information and learn about tea, sometimes performing a simple tea ceremony, and learning about tea culture in countries such as Japan and China. She said the Japanese treated tea drinking as more of a centuries-old culture, a way of life that needed to be observed based on a set of predetermined actions, spoken phrases and unspoken gestures to create the most sophisticated means of serving tea to guests.

Gyokuro, a fine and expressive Japanese green tea used in the tea ceremony, can cost up to Rp 27 million (US$2,916) per kilogram, whereas fine local white tea only reches up to Rp 1.4 million per kilogram."Meanwhile, the Chinese tend to pay close attention to the technique of serving the tea itself How to boil, stir and regulate the temperature, all just to ensure guests will taste the finest flavors and aromas," Ratna added. Avid tea drinker Se Tjie said he joined the tea community to learn the culture and tea brewing technique.

"For instance, oolong or white tea can impart different flavors when we bring it to the second or third boil, with varying temperatures," he said. A common thread among professional tea drinkers in Jakarta is their professed dislike of flavored tea, which is sometimes mixed with artificial flavors to enhance aroma and impart a fruity taste."The artificial essence can be so strong that it diminishes the original taste of the tea. I think it defeats the purpose of tea drinking," a tea fan said, (tsy)

This article was taken from Bataviase.co.id. Read the original article.

That Tantalizing taste of tea


Personal flavor: Different kinds of tea boasts specific aroma and taste. For tea lovers, it is much more than a drink to quench thirst but it is an essential part of daily life (Courtesy of kedai-the-laresolo.blogspot.com) They form the holy trinity of beverages – wine, coffee and tea – and each has its devotees. For the millions who love tea, it is much more than a drink to quench thirst – it is an essential part of daily life.

Take Ratna Somantri, for example. Since she was a child in Cirebon, this 30-year-old auditor has been drinking tea after meals instead of water. When she was younger, she always drank Melati green tea, her mother’s favorite; now that she no longer lives with her mother, Ratna pours boiling water over several varieties of tea every day. Or Bambang Muhtar Rusdianto, a 43-year-old tea lover who lives in Bogor. Bambang – known in the virtual world as Bambang Laresolo – drinks up to two liters of tea a day, and is still searching through every nook and cranny in Indonesia for tea experiences.

Their love of tea brought these two together in cyberspace. Ratna and Bambang are moderators of the Tea Lovers mailing list in Yahoo groups, which Ratna established in 2007 out of her desire to find tea lovers in Indonesia to share their knowledge and experience of tea.

Most members are in Indonesia, although there are also residents of other countries such as Japan and Holland. The age of the members ranges from 18 to those who have passed their half-century.

Interestingly, the mailing list membership is not confined to tea lovers but also includes distributors of some brands of tea. There are also members who have joined the Indonesian Tea Council and the Research Center for Tea and Quinine.

The emails circulating among members show that the preferred topic of conversation is the background of tea. There are those who discuss their favorite teas and those who ask about the drink’s health benefits. Many also share tips about where to buy insulated glasses and other special tea-drinking equipment.


Special treatment: Each tea type requires the water to be at a different temperature (Courtesy of kedai-the-laresolo.blogspot.com) The archives of conversations of this mailing list provide a wealth of information about the history of tea and the best ways to get the most out of a cup of tea.

For example, there are several types of tea – white, tea, black and Oolong – depending on the production process employed, each of which requires the water to be at a different temperature.

“To scald the green tea leaves, the water temperature must not be too hot [around 60 to 70 degrees Celsius], otherwise the taste can turn bitter,” Bambang explains. “It’s different when we scald black tea. We use boiling water [100 degrees Celsius] to make sure the color of the tea comes out.”

It’s not only the water temperature that’s critical; the amount of tea leaves used is also important when influencing the taste. Too few leaves mean that the aroma and the taste aren’t revealed, and if there are too many leaves the taste can be bitter. Therefore, a true tea lover must be patient and careful, and follow the necessary rituals, starting from how to keep the tea leaves to how to scald and serve them.
“If the rituals are followed correctly you will taste that aroma and the aftertaste because every type of tea is different,” Ratna says. “Even tea leaves from the same plantation but picked during a different season can have a different taste. In the hands of a master, tea that is not good can become delicious – and vice versa.”

Because of her fondness for tea, every time Ratna travels she brings home souvenirs in the form of local specialty teas. For example, last year she brought home from Hong Kong a kind of green tea called Pu Erh, which comes from China’s Yunnan province, and can be 30, 15 or 10 years old.

“When tea lovers on the mailing list hold a gathering for the first time, they bring their teas so these can be tasted together. For later gatherings the programs take a theme, such as black tea,” says Ratna, who once studied under tea experts at the Purple Cane Tea Art Center in Malaysia.

Around 20 mailing list members, who benefit from sampling each other’s tea collections, usually take part in these gatherings in the real world. Like Ratna, other members also bring home souvenir teas from overseas, such as green tea from Japan, Oolong tea from Taiwan and black tea from India or Sri Lanka.

Many also bring their own local teas, which might be famous in their native area but relatively difficult to find in other regions. Such teas include the Bendera brand of black tea from North Sumatra, Tambi black tea from Central Java, Walini green tea from West Java and Malino green tea from South Sulawesi.

“Once we held a gathering in the Gunung Mas tea plantation,” Bambang says, whose blog, www.kedai-teh-laresolo.blogspot.com, shows the factory process of tea production. As tea lovers know, different teas come at different prices. For example, teas produced under the Garut name, and which are simply packed in plastic only, cost less than Rp 5,000 (40 US cents) per ounce. The high-quality Gyokuro green tea from Japan, on the other hand, can cost up to Rp 10 million per kilogram.
But if tea lovers are willing to spend a lot of money on their favorite leaves, it is because they have well and truly fallen in love with the aroma and the taste of the drink.

Of course, it helps that tea contains antioxidants that mean it can be beneficial to health.

Bambang, who takes medicine everyday to reduce his high blood pressure, feels the benefits of tea in reducing his illness. When he switched from tea to coffee for two weeks, he noticed the difference.

“The result was that my blood sugar levels and blood pressure went up although I kept taking my medicine. Finally I stopped drinking coffee and went back to drinking tea. Not much later my blood sugar levels decreased and my blood pressure is back to normal,” says Bambang, who has successfully shared his hobby of drinking tea with his wife and work colleagues.
For tea lovers such as Bambang and Ratna, drinking tea has a significance beyond the pleasure of just enjoying their favorite beverage: Tasting tea from different areas also means getting to know local cultures. “For example, people in China only want to drink Oolong tea, green tea or white tea. For them, black tea and tea mixed with sugar or another additive just isn’t tea. But there are many people who like drinking tea with sugar,” Ratna says.

She points out that the different teas in Indonesia also make for personal favorites. “For example in Sumatra, people like drinking strong black tea without sugar. In Java many people like drinking Melati green tea, to which they add sugar.”
As her own favorites, Ratna chooses Japanese green tea and Oolong tea from Taiwan.
“I find that tea tasting of fruit, with honey mixed in, is also delicious,” she adds, and that is not her only pleasure associated with the beverage.

“Drinking tea with friends and eating fried bananas is very enjoyable, isn’t it?”

This article was taken from THE JAKARTA POST. Read the original article
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