Green tea: choosing leaves and brewing them well

Green tea can taste grassy, beany, nutty or floral. The cultivar, processing and storage all shape the cup. Start with a small pack that identifies its origin and harvest; ordinary teaware is enough.

Flat, dry Longjing leaves.
Photo: Romain Guy · CC BY-SA 2.0

How green tea is made

Early in processing, heat reduces the activity of enzymes involved in oxidation. This stage is called sha qing, or fixation, and is followed by shaping and drying. Leaves may be spread briefly before heating to lose some moisture. Fixation does not stop every chemical change, so storage still matters.

Choosing a style

Longjing has flat leaves and often nutty or chestnut notes. Biluochun has small, downy curls and can be floral. Anji Baicha contains “white” in its name but is processed as green tea.

Many Chinese green teas are heated in a pan or drum, while many Japanese greens are steamed. There are exceptions in both countries. An aroma alone cannot establish a tea’s origin or authenticity.

Brewing in a mug

Start with 2 g per 250 ml of water at 80–85 °C. Use a roomy infuser, taste after a minute and remove the leaves when you like the strength, roughly after 2–3 minutes. These are starting points for Chinese green tea; the maker’s instructions may differ.

If you leave the leaves in a glass and top up the water, use less: about 1–2 g per 250 ml. Let the tea cool to a comfortable drinking temperature.

Using a gaiwan

Try 3 g per 150 ml at 80–85 °C. For the first infusion, allow 10–15 seconds from starting to fill to starting to pour, then drain fully. Adjust subsequent infusions by taste; they do not need a fixed increase in time. Rinsing is usually unnecessary.

For bitterness, try a shorter infusion, fewer leaves or cooler water, changing one thing at a time. For weak flavour, try a longer infusion. Cooling rates vary between kettles: waiting three minutes is no substitute for measuring the temperature.

Keeping it fresh

Keep tea tightly sealed in opaque packaging, away from heat, moisture and odours. Buy an amount you can enjoy while fresh. Check the harvest date and storage history as well as the packing date.

If the maker recommends refrigeration, protect the tea with airtight, moisture-resistant packaging. Let the sealed pack reach room temperature before opening to prevent condensation.

Questions and answers

Does boiling water ruin all green tea?

No. Hotter water can suit a particular tea and method, though it often extracts strong bitterness and astringency faster. Start at 80–85 °C and adjust to taste.

Is an earlier harvest always better?

No. Region, cultivar, processing and storage matter too. Ming qian means picked before Qingming; the label alone does not guarantee quality.