Making the perfect cup of Green tea requires skill, precision and a little patience. While brewing tea doesn’t have to be complicated, taking care of tiny details will yield you a cup full of flavour and taste.

Do’s and Don’ts while brewing Green Tea

Always make sure that the water you use is fresh and cold, and not previously boiled. Heating water to the right temperature ensures just the right flavour and sweetness without any extra bitterness. An ideal range of temperature would be between 160°F and 180°F depending on the type of tea being prepared.

The steeping time would also vary based on different types; however, you may want to taste the tea at regular intervals (ideally every 30 seconds) to check if the flavours are infused well enough.

Tea leaves usually expand many times their size while they unfold and release their flavours. Hence, it is best to use roomier infusers over compact ball-sized ones.

How to brew Green Tea

  1. Heat water in a tea kettle. The ideal temperature for most Green teas is between 160°F and 180°F.
  2. Once the water has reached the right temperature, add a small amount of boiling water into the pot or cup being used. When the cup is warm, discard the water.
  3. Take a teaspoon of tea leaves and place them in the cup or pot being used.
  4. Pour the prepared hot water onto the tea leaves and cover it with a lid.
  5. While the tea is steeping, taste test it exactly after a minute, and then every 30 seconds after to measure flavour.
  6. When the tea is ready, strain it with a strainer and enjoy your hot cuppa!

How to brew specific teas

The brewing temperature and steeping times can differ significantly depending upon the type of tea being prepared.

Jasmine Tea

The delicacy of Jasmine tea comes out fully with Spring water. A water temperature of between 160 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit is perfect for this type of tea.

An ideal proportion to use while making Jasmine tea is 1 teaspoon of loose tea per 6 ounces water. The tea tastes best when steeped for 2 to 4 minutes.

Mao Feng Tea

As with Jasmine tea, Mao Feng Green tea also tastes best with Spring water. The best water temperature for Mao Feng is 155-175 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use 2 full tablespoons of loose tea per 6 ounces water and ensure that steep time is between 1 and 3 minutes.

HUI XIN Black Tea

HUI XIN Black tea is best prepared with water with a temperature of around 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit.

A teaspoon of loose tea per 6 ounces of water and a steep time of 3 to 5 minutes is your safest bet in the case of Chinese Black tea.

Anji White Tea

This delicate White tea needs a water temperature of between 160-175 degrees Fahrenheit and a steeping time of 3 minutes for the right flavour.

Anji tea tastes best with Spring water and the ideal proportion is 2 tablespoons of loose tea per 6 ounces of water.

References:

  1. https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-make-a-perfect-cup-of-jasmine-tea/
  2. https://www.athirstfortea.com/pages/huangshan-maofeng-preparation
  3. https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-brew-green-tea-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-203091
  4. https://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/05/tea-technique-how-to-brew-black-tea.html
  5. https://www.athirstfortea.com/pages/anji-bai-cha-preparation