How To Brew Green Tea
It's a Smart Thing To Do
Drink one to four cups of freshly brewed green tea every day - your skin will be glowing in no time!
In addition to a radiant complexion, green tea has so many health benefits, such as strengthening the immune system.
The following teas may not be familiar to you, however, if you are luck enough to have a specialty tea shop in your town, you will surely find one or all of these. Otherwise, there are many good sources on the internet.
How To Brew Green Tea
Overall Method
Use 1 teaspoon of tea for every 8-12 ounces of water.
Only brew the amount of tea you will consume immediately. If you brew 20 ounces of green tea and pour a 10-ounce cup, come back 20 minutes later and pour a second cup, the second cup will be bitter.
Water temperature and brewing time per variety:
Sencha
After you have brought the kettle to a boil allow the water to cool for about 3 minutes. The water should be hot, but not boiling, about 79 to 87 degrees Centigrade (175-190 degrees Fahrenheit). Steep for 2 minutes.
Sencha can be brewed 2 or 3 times.
Fresh Harvest Shincha
Brew for 90 seconds to 2 minutes. A slightly lower temperatures 65 to 79 degrees Centigrade (150-175 degrees Fahrenheit) is recommended.)
Gyokuro
After you have brought the kettle to a boil allow the water to cool for about 5 minutes. A slightly lower temperature of 70 to 80 degrees Centigrade (160-175 degrees Fahrenheit) is best. Steep for 2-3 minutes.
For gyokuro the maximum is two infusions.
Matcha
For strong (thick) tea use one level teaspoon for 4 to 6 ounces of water. For medium (thin) tea use half or one quarter that amount. First put the powdered tea in the bowl. Then pour hot (not boiling) water over the leaves.
Matcha Infusion
After you have emptied the teapot completely for the first serving, the wet leaves will not continue to steep. You can infuse the leaves again. If you make a second or third infusion, pour hot water in the teapot and then immediately pour the tea.
Genmaicha
Use the same ratio of tea to water as sencha. Steep for 1 minute. Water temperature is the same as for sencha.
Hojicha
Use the same ratio of tea to water as sencha. Pour boiling hot water over the leaves and brew for 40 seconds to one minute.
Organic Powdered Sencha
Simply pour hot (but not boiling hot) water over the leaves and stir with a spoon.
Using Teabags
Place the bag in a large cup and fill the cup with hot (but not boiling) water. Gyokuro and Sencha teabags should steep for 2 minutes. Hojicha should steep for 1 to 2 minutes.
Do not move the teabag back and forth during preparation (like you do with black tea). Simply let the bag sit for 2 minutes. If you would like extra strong tea move the tea bag back and forth gently after it has steeped for 2 minutes.