The UAE National Tea Masters Cup is making its debut this year at the Dubai International Coffee & Tea Festival (DICTF), the Middle East’s only exhibition dedicated to coffee and tea.
The event is sponsored by The Tea Company and Pure Leaf by Unilever Gulf, and winners will represent the Middle East on the international stage at the World Tea Masters Championship 2018.
Anselm Godinho, managing director of organiser, International Conferences and Exhibitions, said: “The Middle East is one of the regions in the world with the highest tea consumption. Despite the high consumption of tea over the world and the immense business potential of tea as a product, there are only few events that provide an ideal platform for knowledge and expertise sharing among stakeholders.
“DICTF is among these events that also aim to highlight the substantial opportunities being offered by the tea industry. With the debut of the UAE National Tea Masters Cup, we seek to attract higher public and business interest to Tea and pave the way for more recognition of Dubai’s involvement in this sector.”
Competing tea masters will face off in the Cup’s UAE National Tea Preparation Challenge and the UAE National Tea Mixology Challenge.
Competitors at the UAE National Tea Preparation challenge will be required to brew two distinct beverages, the House Tea Brew and the Tea Masters Brew, and present these to the judges within 15 minutes.
The House Tea Brew is prepared from a single tea sample chosen from a set of samples and is the same for all competitors.
Meanwhile, the Tea Masters Brew is chosen by the competitor from a range of samples provided on stage. Each competitor can choose their preference of tea and the preparation process.
A panel of judges will evaluate each brew according to the five criteria: aroma, flavour, after-taste, brewing and serving technique, and presentation.
During the UAE National Tea Mixology Challenge, competitors will show off their skills preparing and presenting multi-ingredient tea-based beverages, referred to as the House Tea Mix and the Tea Masters Mix. Participants have 15 minutes to complete their performance.
The House Tea Mix is prepared from a chosen tea sample and is the same for all competitors. Mixing of flavours is allowed and the tea master is free to add any other beverages and ingredients permitted by the local laws in the preparation process.
The final beverage can be served hot or cold. The Tea Masters Mix is a tea chosen by the competitor from among the range of set samples provided on stage.
A panel of judges will also evaluate each brew according to the qualities of the beverage; preparation and presentation technique; visual appeal; the degree of synergy between the components of the beverage; and practical potential.
DICTF will be hosted at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre (DICEC) from 14 – 16 December 2017.
The Tea Masters Cup is an international event in 18 countries that uses education and competition to recognise and improve quality in tea delivery and service.
