Green Tea Steeping: How to Brew A Cup of Perfect Green Tea - By: Peter Y Zhang

Steeping is the process of making a cup of tea using hot water. It is also referred to as brewing tea. There are a few factors to be considered in order to make a perfect cup of tea. These factors include the right amount of tea leaves, water temperature, steeping time and the right teapot. The article will study each factor in detail.

Measure Right Amount of Green Tea

Steeping is the process of making a cup of tea using hot water. It is also referred to as brewing tea. As a general guideline, two grams of tea per 100ml of water, or about one teaspoon of green tea per five ounce cup, should be used. For top high quality teas, a little greater amount of leaf than this is used. The leaf can be steeped a few times without changing tea flavor considerably. Another factor is space. Room for expansion of the rolled leaves is important. Measuring rolled leaves for your tea can be tricky because some companies have different methods of rolling that gives a tighter or looser ball. Just keep experimenting with recommended amounts and make sure your teapot is large enough for tea leaves to expand.

Water Temperature Is Critical

Water temperature is a crucial factor in bringing out a perfect up of green tea. Use water at a pre-boiling point when the air bubbles start to rise. If it is already boiling, let it cool for 30 seconds to one minute before pouring it over the tea leaves.

If the water temperature is too high, tea will be too bitter and much of its delicate aroma will be destroyed. If the water temperature is too low, the flavor contained in the leaves will not be fully extracted. A number of substances in the green tea’s leaf contribute to its flavor and aroma. The overall flavor and sweetness of green tea is determined by various amino acids and natural sugars. Amino acids are melted at 140°F (60 °C). Again, as a general guideline, the highest water steeping temperatures are between 81°C to 87°C (180°F to 190°F). The lowest brewing temperatures are between 61°C to 69°C (140°F to 160°F).

The grade of the tea and the time of its harvest should also be taken into considerations. In general, lower quality green tea is steeped hotter and longer, while higher quality green tea are steeped cooler and shorter. Green tea picked in the spring will taste better from lower brewing temperature due to their overall higher levels of amino acids.

Control Steeping Time

Green tea does not require too much time to brew. Over steeping will result in a more bitter and a less balanced flavor. Just keep experiment with a range of 1 to 3 minutes. As a rule of thumb, Japanese green teas taste best at 1 to 2 minutes while Chinese green teas seem to prefer 2 to 3 minutes. Another factor is the size of the tea leaves. The smaller Japanese green tea leaves will extract faster than the larger Chinese green tea leaves. Also, steeping time should be adjusted along with water temperature: the lower the temperature, the longer the tea can be steeped.

Multiple Infusions and Teapot

High quality green teas can be steeped multiple times without tea’s flavor fading dramatically. Two or three infusions are typical. Use a little shorter steeping times for the subsequent infusions because the first brew 'opens up' the leaves and takes a little longer.

There are some other important factors to be considered. Take teapot as an example. Preferably, the teapot should also be heated beforehand so that the tea does not cool down immediately and abruptly. It is common practice for tea leaf to be left in the cup or pot. Add some hot water for next infusion.

Once you get used to brewing green tea, it can become one of your favorite joys of the day. Simply don’t be afraid to experiment with water, temperature and tea until you get a perfect cup of green tea!

About the Author

Peter Zhang is a big fan of tea, simply because he believes tea is our ultimate healthy drink. He runs an online tea store to offer both quality loose leaf tea and tea bags: Healthy Tea Store. It also contains tons of information about tea, health benefits of drinking tea, etc. For your next cup of tea, buy tea online

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