What is green tea?
Green tea is processed only a small amount after it is plucked. The finest teas use only the top two leaves and the unopened leaf bud of the plant. After the leaves wither and become soft, they are steamed or heated in woks to stop any fermentation. Then, the leaves are rolled and dried.

What makes it so special?
Green tea is a light, refreshing beverage that is wonderful for quenching your thirst. But more than that, green tea also provides vitamins C and E, calcium, and iron, as well as beta carotene. It is also quite low in caffeine, which makes it ideal for afternoon or evening tea.

What kinds of green tea are there?
Bancha tea is a popular everyday tea in Japan.

Genmaicha is basically bancha combined with toasted brown rice. Some of the rice pops similarly to popcorn during the toasting process, and this adds a nutty flavour to the tea.

Gunpowder tea is made by tightly rolling the leaves into “pearls” or little balls. This tea originated in the ZheJiang province of China, and was ideal for carrying on long journeys from China to Europe. The flavor of this tea is somewhat dry, and very refreshing.

There are many other types of green teas available, and each one is unique!

What does green tea taste like?
Green tea tends to have a subtle flavor that is slightly woodsy or toasted. However, different green teas will each have a unique flavour, depending on the growing region’s climate and soil, the weather, time of harvesting, and processing methods.

So, how do I brew it properly?
In order to avoid bitter taste, green tea has a relatively short brewing time. Use one teaspoon of loose leaves for each cup you plan to brew. Heat water to boiling, then let it cool for a few minutes (until it measures 82-88 degrees Celsius) before pouring over your tea in the teapot. Brew for 1-2 minutes, then pour and enjoy.

Lower quality green teas may require longer steeping, but high-quality teas only steep for a short time, and the leaves may be reused for a second or third cup.
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