Green Tea is not Bitter!

Green Tea is not Bitter!

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy a cup of green tea! However, something we come across often when meeting new teas lovers is that they are hesitant to try green teas! This is often because they’ve had a green tea in a cafe or restaurant and have found it bitter. However, it is a common misconception that green teas are automatically bitter. It’s all about how you brew the tea!

How to Brew Green Tea

Unlike black teas, which most people are familiar with, green teas are sensitive to water temperature. Pouring boiling water on them, as you would with a breakfast tea, will give a strong, bitter tasting brew!
With a green tea you’re often looking for more lighter qualities – fresh, green, floral, sweet and grassy flavours are often found in green teas.

We always advise using filtered water that is off the boil around 60-80°C depending on the type of green tea. They are also, very quick to brew! Green teas need no more than 1-3 mins to brew!

Brewing Green Teas

There is some variation between different styles of green teas, however, do not let this put you off! On all of our packaging we give recommended brewing instructions to ensure your tea tastes its best! We’ll list a few examples below to get you started!

Lung Ching

This is one of the world’s most famous green teas! The long flat leaves are best enjoyed when brewed in filtered water around 75-80°C. Use 1 teaspoon of tea for your mug and brew your tea for around 2-3minutes.

Japanese Sencha

Japanese teas are a bit more sensitive to heat than other green teas and are quick brewers! We recommend brewing your Sencha using freshly filtered and boiled water and allowing it to cool to around 70°C. As we said, Sencha is a quick brewer and needs no longer than 1 and a half minutes to make a strong, satisfying cup of tea!

Japanese Houjicha

A different style of green tea, this green tea has been roasted to give it lovely toasty notes. For this tea you can use warmer water around 80°C and brew if for longer – around 2-3 minutes. It’s a lovely afternoon brew!

Tai Ping Hou Kui 

This very special and rare green tea belongs to the top 10 most renowned green teas in China. The beautiful long and flat jade green leaves produce a clear yellow liquor (infusion). You can brew this tea in an infuser as you would normally. However, many like to drink it ‘Grandpa Style’.
This involves taking the long leaves and drinking them in a tall glass, topping up the water whenever you run out!

Not sure where to start with your green tea journey? We have a green tea selection pack that is perfect for any green tea beginner, or anyone looking to expand their green tea knowledge! Find it here and remember Green Tea is not Bitter!