How to Brew Japanese Green Tea

SENCHA:
1 teaspoon for 8 ounces of tea. The water should be hot, but not boiling, about 79 to 87 degrees Centigrade (175-190 degrees Fahrenheit). Brew for 1-2 minutes. 

HOW MUCH TO USE
Gyokuro and Sencha:
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 an 8-ounce cup, come back 20 minutes later and pour a second cup, the second cup will be bitter. This is why we only sell small and midsize teapots at our site. 

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.

Sencha can be infused 2 or 3 times. 

For gyokuro We recommend no more than two infusions.

Important Note. If you make a second or third infusion, pour hot water in the teapot and then immediately pour the tea.

If the leaves sit for more than 2 hours, discard them and brew a fresh pot.

GYOKURO:
A slightly lower temperature of 70 to 80 degrees Centigrade (160-175 degrees Fahrenheit) is best. Brew for 2-3 minutes. 

Netto Gyokuro can accommodate higher temperatures close to boiling, we recommend letting the water cool for 3 minutes. 1 teaspoon for 8 ounces of tea.

Uji Tezumi Gyokuro- Use water that is cooler- between 50 and 60 degrees Celsius (120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit). 1/1/2 to 2 teaspoons for 8 ounces of tea. Brew for 3 minutes.

GENMAI CHA AND HOJI CHA

GENMAI CHA:
Use the same ratio of tea to water as sencha. Steep for 1 minute. Water temperature is the same as for sencha.

HOJI CHA:
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.

MATCHA-
For strong (thick) tea use one level teaspoon for 4 to 6 ounces of water. For medium (thin) tea use one half or one quarter that amount. First put the powdered tea in a matcha bowl. Then pour hot (not boiling) water over the leaves. Whisk vigorously with a bamboo whisk.

TEA BAGS

GYOKURO, SENCHA, AND HOJI CHA TEA BAGS-
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. Hoji cha should steep for 1 to 2 minutes.

Important -- For green tea bags- do not move the tea bag while it is steeping.  If you would like extra strong tea move the tea bag back and forth after it has steeped for 2 minutes.

For iced tea brewing instructions go here- http://www.japanesegreenteaonline.com/icedtea.htm

©Copyright 2000 - 2010