Green tea is picked from fresh leaves of tea trees, and is not fermented. It is made through processes such as withering, rolling, and drying, which retains the natural quality of the fresh leaves. Therefore, it contains more tea polyphenols and amino acids. Moreover, green tea has many health benefits such as anti-oxidation, anti-aging, and anti-radiation.
When brewing good quality green tea, you need to pay attention to the following points:
- Utensils: ceramic gaiwan/teapot, or glass cup
- Tea to water ratio 1:50
- Water temperature below 90℃ (194℉)
Methods for brewing green tea in a glass cup:
1. Top-drop method (pour water first and then pour tea leaves)
- First: preheat teaware with hot water
- pour water into the glass cup until it is 70% full
- steep for 1~2 minutes and then drink.
- refill the cup when 1/3 of the tea is left
Suitable for Chinese green teas with rich fuzzy, curly appearance, such as Bi luo chun green tea (green snail spring) and all Chinese green teas (including our Longjing tea, Anji bai cha).
2. Mid-drop Method (fill the cup with one-third of water, then pour tea leaves, and then add water)
- preheat teaware with hot water
- pour water into the glass cup until it is 30% full
- pour tea leaves, tilt the cup body and slowly rotate it twice to fully blend the tea and water, then, pour in hot water of the same temperature until it is full
- steep for 1~2 minutes and then drink
- refill the cup when 1/3 of the tea is left
Suitable for tea leaves that are small or flat, bud-shaped, such as Longjing green tea (lung ching tea), Huang Shan Mao Feng.
Chinese Huang Shan Mao Feng Green Tea
3. Bottom-drop Method (Pour tea leaves first, then pour water later)
- preheat teaware with hot water
- pour the tea leaves
- pour water into the glass cup until it is 30% full
- tilt the cup body and slowly rotate it twice to fully blend the tea and water, then, pour in hot water of the same temperature until it is 70% full.
- steep for 1~2 minutes and then drink
Suitable for green tea Chinese with large, straight, fat and flat dry tea leaves, such as Taiping Houkui (Monkey King tea), Lu'an Guapian, etc.
Chinese Green Tea Taiping Houkui
