The uniqueness of green tea is that, due to its healing properties, it is beneficial for humans. Only by following the rules of brewing and the culture of consumption of green tea can one appreciate its unique taste and aroma.
Recently, many people are increasingly choosing green tea, appreciating its exquisite taste and beneficial qualities. This drink helps reduce the risk of heart and vascular diseases, dental disease, and kidney stones.
Due to its antioxidant properties, it is a cancer prevention agent. In addition, green tea has a tonic effect and promotes metabolic processes in the body. Let's find out how to brew green tea correctly.
What to brew in
The taste and quality of green tea depends on the container in which it is prepared. A common utensil for brewing tea is a teapot. Teapots are different, depending on the material they are made of.
| Type of teapot | Advantages | Flaws |
| Glass | You can watch the process of brewing tea leaves. Inexpensive price. | Doesn't retain heat well. |
| Earthenware | Maintains the desired water temperature. | — |
| Porcelain | Keeps you warm. | It costs more than a faience teapot. |
| Ceramic | Retains heat, allows you to reveal the taste and aroma of tea. | — |
| Clay | Helps “breathe” tea leaves. | Rarely found on sale. |
| Metal | Retains heat well. | Susceptible to oxidation if manufactured poorly. |
Which water is better to choose
The taste of green tea also depends a lot on water. Spring water is considered the best, but not everyone has the opportunity to use it.
Therefore, it is better to give preference to bottled water or use tap water, having previously purified it with a filter. If this is not possible, you can prepare the water yourself.
To do this, you need to pour it into a bottle and put it in the freezer for a while until the water partially freezes. Now you can take the bottle out of the cold, drain the unfrozen water, and defrost the ice. The result is melt water, purified in this way from metal salts and other impurities.
How to do it right
Now you can start boiling water, but not to 100°C. The optimal temperature for brewing green tea is 85°C. As soon as the first boiling bubbles appear, the water is ready.
This kind of boiling is called “silver” when the boiled water still retains the oxygen it contains. Now you need to warm up the teapot by pouring boiling water over it. This allows the tea to brew completely and not cool down quickly.
The volume of water depends on the number of cups. For one cup you need to take one teaspoon of dry leaves.
This tea requires less brewing time than black tea. After just 1 minute it is ready to drink. If the drink infuses longer, it will become stronger, as more tannins will be released into the water.
Therefore, it is advisable to drink tea as soon as it is brewed. This way it will be tastier and healthier. Green tea can be brewed repeatedly (up to 7 times) using the same tea leaves, while increasing the infusion time. With each subsequent cup of tea, more beneficial substances are released.
Good quality green tea usually has whole leaves that open completely during the brewing process. The color of the leaves is green with a silver or golden tint. The product in the bags may be of poor quality, as it is often waste from tea production. The taste of a drink from different manufacturers may vary significantly. Therefore, everyone makes their choice after trying several varieties.
Preparing oolong tea
Oolong is an expensive Chinese tea that is steeped up to ten times. From brew to brew it reveals new aromas and tastes. How many times can you brew oolong tea? When brewing in a glass, it will be possible to brew tea without loss of quality only a couple of times. The tea leaves fully unfold, imparting all their beneficial properties to the drink.
When brewing in a teapot, the number of infusions increases. Their exact number depends on compliance with the basic principles:
- the faster the infusion drains, the more infusions can be made;
- the more tea leaves are used in the process, the faster the infusion needs to be drained;
- the less time the tea leaves are in the water, the more tea leaves can be made;
- The colder the water, the longer the tea opens, and it can be brewed more times.
If you brew Alishan oolong or Tie Guan Yin, you should know that after 15 seconds the tea leaves rolled into balls will not change their appearance. The infusion will be almost transparent. With each spill, the tea leaves will unfold into large leaves, and the taste and aroma will unfold. Therefore, you should not wait for the leaves to fully expand. As soon as the tea is brewed, you need to drain it and fill it with water again.
How to brew tea in a cup
Not everyone prefers to use a teapot; some are satisfied with the process of making tea in a cup. In this case, the same rules are followed as when using a teapot.
How to properly brew loose leaf green tea directly in a mug: heat the water to the desired temperature, then pour boiling water over the cup. Pour dry leaves into a cup with a dry teaspoon and fill with water.
After a minute, you can already drink a hot drink. After the first cup of drink, you can refill the remaining tea leaves with water to prepare another serving.
Milk oolong
Only a few people in our country have managed to appreciate this tea with an unusual name, since until recently no one had heard of it. But increasingly, tea shops began offering to try this exotic tea drink.
It got its name because its taste has milky and creamy notes. This tea is not cheap, and it is sold exclusively in specialized stores.
The method for preparing milk oolong is similar to the technology for brewing regular green tea.
Preference is given to clay or porcelain dishes. When boiling water, it is heated to a temperature of 85°C or, if necessary, cooled to this limit. It is advisable to use, if not spring water, then at least bottled table water.
So, how to brew green milk oolong tea correctly? The teapot needs to be doused with hot water before the tea leaves are added. Then fill the poured volume of tea leaves with water heated to the required temperature.
Take 8-9 g of dry tea leaves per 500 ml of water. After a couple of seconds, the water from the teapot should be drained, leaving the steamed tea leaves inside. This procedure helps to “wake up” the tea, cleanse it of unnecessary impurities and dust particles.
After this, you can proceed to the main brewing of tea. You need to pour water into the teapot and wait a minute.
Then you can pour the drink into cups and start drinking it.
Brewing milk oolong from one portion of tea leaves is allowed up to 8 times. The main thing is not to forget to control the temperature of the heated water and gradually increase the brewing time, adding half a minute each time.
It is advisable to drink milk oolong in the morning, but not before bed, as this drink invigorates and gives strength.
How to brew green tea - Prerequisites
Before you properly brew a healing drink, you need to carefully prepare for this. There are several factors that must be observed.
- Water
What kind of water should you use to brew green tea?
In order for the leaves to happily share their beneficial properties, you must first take care of the water. Regular, not suitable from the tap.
“Live” is best suited: artesian or well. If you do not have access to a natural source, or if you are not sure of its quality, you can buy water at the store. If this is not possible, prepare it yourself.
You need to pour 2/3 of tap water into a clean plastic bottle and put it in the freezer until the top 2-3 cm is covered with ice. Then you will need to drain the unfrozen water, and melt the ice and use it for brewing.
- Kettle
Which kettle is best for brewing green tea?
A clay vessel is best suited for brewing; in extreme cases, you can use ceramics or glass, but never plastic.
The second thing you should pay attention to is the mandatory heating of the kettle.
If the leaves inside it are cold, they simply will not release even the minimum percentage of nutrients.
Therefore, before brewing, be sure to first pour boiling water over the kettle.
- Temperature
At what temperature is green tea brewed?
The temperature at which the water is brewed is also of great importance.
It boils at 100 degrees Celsius, but this is not suitable for us. The ideal heating condition is 95 degrees. Temperature can be determined by external signs.
Don’t miss the moment when bubbles begin to rise from the bottom to the surface, and turn it off immediately. Some types of tea are recommended to be brewed at a lower temperature. Sometimes 60 degrees is enough, so it all depends on the type of tea.
- Subsequence
The order in which you brew green tea is of great importance.
- After the kettle has been doused with water and it has reached the desired temperature, you need to pour tea into it with a dry spoon. Fill with water and literally immediately drain this water.
- Then you can pour the required amount. The ratio is one teaspoon per 200 ml of water, but this may vary depending on the variety, so be sure to check the information on the packaging.
- Cover with a lid and leave to infuse. This will take approximately two to three minutes, but you can also look at the packaging for more accuracy.
- Now you can pour the tea and taste it. Do not hurry. The stream should be slow, and it is better to fill the cups in a circle.
These are general rules.
Let's take a closer look at the features of the most common varieties.
Green tea with milk - preparation rules
Green tea prepared with milk, or Masala tea as it is also called, was first prepared in India and only after a long time did it spread throughout the world.
A drink prepared according to the rules gives:
- health and longevity;
- warms;
- increases tone;
- gives vigor;
- cleanses of toxins and impurities;
- improves mood, etc.
Milk tea is very nutritious. Just one cup can replace dinner and due to this it is often used for weight loss.
Preparing tea is not particularly difficult, you just need to follow the above mandatory conditions, but the main thing is to purchase a special Masala mixture. It consists of pepper, cinnamon and some other spices and gives a unique flavor to the finished drink.
To prepare this tea you will need:
- 1.5 liters of milk;
- two teaspoons of tea;
- a tablespoon of honey;
- about half a finger's worth of ginger root;
- half a teaspoon Masala.
Place the milk on low heat until it starts to boil, you can peel and finely chop the ginger. Pour ginger and tea leaves into boiling milk, stirring constantly.
Bring to a boil again and add spices. Let it brew for 3-4 minutes. Milk green tea is ready.
Ginger with green tea or green tea with ginger
By themselves, each of the components is very beneficial for human health, but in combination they give a simply amazing effect.
Green tea with ginger:
- contains a huge amount of vitamins and microelements;
- tones;
- relieves hunger for a long time;
- increases performance, gives energy;
- has good anti-inflammatory and analgesic characteristics, therefore it is often used to treat colds and infectious diseases and to improve immunity;
- controls cholesterol levels;
- is an excellent prevention of cardiovascular diseases;
- normalizes metabolism, increases the absorption of beneficial components of other products;
- slows down the aging process;
- tidies up glucose levels, etc., and it’s also very tasty.
Making tea couldn't be easier. You just need to add a little ginger to the teapot with green tea prepared according to the rules. The ratio is approximately a teaspoon of ginger to 2 tsp. tea leaves.
Green tea for weight loss
Green tea is one of the most effective and safe means of losing weight.
The essence of this method is to normalize metabolism, eliminate toxins and waste, reduce appetite and satisfy hunger.
It is worth noting the acceleration of fat burning due to improved heat transfer. Any variety is suitable for losing excess weight.
The main thing is to follow the rules for brewing it and drink it every time 20-30 minutes before eating.
Read more about how I lost weight on green tea in this post
Tile green tea
Pressed, or as it is also called, slab tea is produced in almost all countries and it does not depend on the type of plant.
The essence is the processing, as a result of which the tea becomes stronger and more useful for humans, since more juice is squeezed out of it under pressure.
You need to brew this for an hour following our recommendations, unless otherwise indicated on the package, but only the quantities need to be reduced by at least half so as not to get too strong a drink.
Green tea with jasmine
Complementing the benefits of green tea, jasmine in its composition accelerates the removal of “bad” cholesterol from the body, provides an antioxidant effect, relieves nervous tension and fatigue, and gives vigor without fear of increasing blood pressure.
This tea is especially recommended for drinking by those living in areas with a polluted atmosphere and near industrial centers, as well as those whose work involves hazardous production.
You need to brew green tea with jasmine following the basic recommendations and rules.
Matcha green tea
I wrote a whole article about this tea; you can learn more from this post.
Puer tea - secrets of preparation
This tea is a true asset of Chinese culture.
It is also called live due to the fact that special processing preserves the natural fermentation processes in the leaves.
There is a very beautiful legend about this tea. When a child was born into a family, his parents collected the leaves, steamed them, pressed them into a cake and put them in a secret place.
And when the time came for the child to get married or get married, the tea was taken out and sold. The money that was received for the sale was just enough for the celebration, because... The price of tea increases depending on its age.
Brewing in a teapot occurs quite traditionally - pu-erh is poured with hot water at a temperature close to boiling. Variations are also possible regarding the infusion time. It is often recommended to infuse the first brew (the first two brews) of earthen tea for just a few seconds, then immediately drain the infusion, and when repeated brewing, increase the brewing time by 15-30 seconds each time.
Oolong tea - brewing rules
This type of tea is the rarest.
It is grown only in certain provinces of China, and the resulting flavor depends on the area and environmental conditions. Tea differs in the complexity of processing. It begins when the leaves are still on the plant.
They are treated with a sugar cane solution, then sprinkled with rice husks, left for several days, collected and carried out through several more stages, including soaking in milk, etc.
The tea should be brewed like other varieties or according to the recommendations on the package.
Read more about how to brew green oolong tea here
How to drink correctly
- Green tea should be drunk as soon as it is brewed. A drink steeped for a longer time loses its benefits;
- Do not drink cold green tea. It no longer contains vitamins and nutrients;
- You should not add sugar or honey to the drink. If you really want to, then take it as a bite, washed down with tea;
- You should not drink tea immediately after eating. It is better to prepare it in half an hour, having arranged a small tea ceremony for yourself;
- You can drink no more than 10 g of dry green leaf per day. One teaspoon contains 1-2 g of tea leaves, depending on the type of tea and the size of the tea leaves.
When is the best time to drink green tea for children?
You can introduce a child to tea only after turning 3 years old. Despite all the benefits of the drink, it excites the nervous system and can negatively affect the digestive system. You should not give your child strong tea; it is best to use tea leaves that have already been brewed for preparation, so that the drink turns out to be of weak concentration.
Children should not abuse the drink. A child can be given no more than 1-2 servings per day, each volume is 100 ml. These recommendations also apply to older children.
Interesting to know
- China is called the birthplace of green tea. They prefer to drink tea from low cups and then inhale the aroma from high ones;
- In Japan, guests drink green tea from one cup, but the first cup is offered to the main guest;
- In England, it is customary to offer guests several types of tea to choose from;
- Green and black tea leaves come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. Green tea retains its color due to the fact that it is not fermented;
- The product can be sheet, tile and powder. Loose leaf green tea is higher quality;
- To avoid unpleasant odors, dry tea leaves should be stored in airtight packaging. When pouring tea leaves into a teapot, it is not advisable to touch it with your hands; it is better to use a dry spoon;
- Green tea is actively used in cosmetology and perfumery.
Once you have tasted the taste and aroma of green tea, it is impossible to refuse it in the future. Only after trying several types of tea can you find your favorite taste. Following certain brewing rules will allow you to enjoy this drink every day and benefit from it.
Source
We follow tea traditions
The range of green tea on the modern market is huge. Each person will be able to choose what suits his taste.
On a note! Drinking chilled tea is not recommended. The longer the drink is infused, the richer its taste will be and notes of bitterness will appear.
First, let's pay attention to the choice of cookware. It is better to take clay teapots. Firstly, this material allows you to retain heat. Secondly, it “breathes”, so the tea will always turn out much tastier and more aromatic. But this does not mean at all that ceramic, enamel, and glassware cannot be used. It is recommended to avoid using plastic utensils when brewing tea.
The water used to prepare the green drink will also play an important role. Running water is unlikely to do. It is better to use filtered or bottled. You already know what the temperature of the brewing liquid should be.
Brewing technique:
- first you need to treat the dishes, scald them with boiling water to thoroughly warm the bottom and walls;
- then the raw materials are added, usually at the rate of one teaspoon of loose leaf tea per glass of filtered water;
- clearly record the time from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, but no more;
- no need to be guided by the shade of the drink and color saturation;
- The longer you steep green tea, the more bitterness it will develop.
It is also worth noting that it is also important to properly store the raw materials themselves. Green tea should not be left in plastic or cardboard packaging. The leaves will quickly absorb surrounding odors, which will greatly affect the taste of the drink in the future.
It is best to pour the dry tea into an airtight container, preferably a dark one. The storage place should also be dry, out of direct sunlight.
