How to Brew Green Tea

Green tea is one of the most popular teas around and for several good reasons. It is well-known to boost health. Several tea drinkers discover that green tea can help soothe the senses, get rid of stress and improve their appetite. It is also a great way to get rid of waste products from your body. There are a number of tips that can help you brew the best green tea, without having to spend much on hi-tech gadgets. Here are some guidelines for you.

About Water Temperature

Water temperature is one of the most important elements that you should control when making green tea. If the water temperature is very hot, you will find that the tea will have a more bitter taste and most of the aroma will disappear. If you don't bring the water up to boiling point, you will also avoid the full flavor of the tea leaves, thereby giving you bland tea. You have to invest in the right kettle that will bring out the full flavors of the leaves, even if you only have to boil the water using traditional methods.

Lower is Better

Most experts recommend that you have to lower the temperature when brewing, compared to brewing other flavors. Some substances found in green tea leaves give it extra flavor and goodness. You will also notice that the smell gets better and will get enhanced flavor and sweetness, that is only triggered by the different amino acids and natural sugars present in it. The astringency and bitterness are highly related to tannins or polyphenols. The amino acids can dissolve at 60 degrees Celsius, while tannins should be dissolved at 80 degrees Celsius. This concludes that you will improve flavor and aroma when brewed at lower temperatures. It will avoid giving you bitter taste.

The Temperature and Materials

You do not need to get the most expensive gadgets and items to brew green tea the right way. All you truly need is a thermometer, a kettle and stove. Heat the water in the kettle then pour into a tea pot. You can also boil the water then allow it to cool for a few seconds before you pour it into your tea pot. Once you pour everything into the tea pot, add your green tea leaves and check until the temperature reaches 140 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. This usually takes only about 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the contents into a ceramic cup then pour everything back into the pot. Repeat the pouring process 3 to 5 more times.

Consider the Source

According to studies, Japanese teas extract faster compared to Chinese teas and others that come from other places like Brazil or Puerto Rico. The rule in brewing green tea is, the lower the temperature, the longer you can steep the green tea. Steeping for too long will give you a bitter taste and fewer flavors. You should try steeping for only 1 to 3 minutes.

How to Brew Green Tea

Green tea is much more delicate than black tea, and needs to be treated carefully. Brewing a pot of Green Tea in Japan is a complicated ritual, and is considered an art form by many people. Making a good cup of green tea, therefore, will take more time and effort than simply blasting a teabag with boiling water. However, the method outlined below is relatively simple, and with practise should help you to make your perfect cup of green tea.

First of all, you need to abandon your ideas about brewing tea. Green tea is a very different drink from black tea or herbal infusions. Here’s a step by step guide to proper brewing.

1. The pot
First of all, you will need a proper pot. This should be a clay pot. The size is not as important as the clay, which ideally should be yixing clay (Ask in a Japanese or Chinese food store.) Green tea needs room to expand when it brews, so tea bags or tea balls will not be suitable. A classic teapot will have a filter inside.

2. The tea
Green tea lasts for about six months. Once you’ve opened a packet, you should use it within 2 or 3 months. The best kind of tea comes from the first spring harvest, in April or May, and you can buy this kind throughout the year. Make sure the tea has been well packaged – sealed or vacuum packed.

3. The water
Tap water is sometimes full of impurities – if you are unsure of the quality of your water then use filtered, spring or mineral water. Good tea needs good water!

First of all, boil your water. Pour it into the pot (empty pot just now, no tea leaves yet), and leave it for a minute. Then pour some of the boiled water into the teacups – fill all the cups you will be using to the amount of tea you would like in each cup. Discard the extra water from the tea pot, but not the tea cups yet.

Now your pot and cups are warmed, the exact amount of water is measured out, and your water should be around the right temperature. The water temperature is a very important part of the brewing process. Green tea should not be made with boiling water, rather with water at around 70 C for sencha tea. If your water is too hot, the tea can turn bitter. (This is around the point when tiny bubbles start to rise in the heating water). For ‘gyokuro’ tea, the temperature should be even lower – around 55 C.