The taste of tea strongly depends on the technique of brewing tea. To help reveal all the features of a particular variety of green Chinese tea, you must follow a few basic rules.
What should be the water for brewing
Chinese green tea can be brewed several times, from 3 to 7 times, depending on the type of tea. This is its main difference from black tea. It is necessary to brew green tea in a slightly warmed teapot, because cold tea will lower the water temperature by a couple of tens of degrees. The first brew will be spoiled, the tea will not taste good. In addition, essential oils will not be able to stand out from the leaf at this temperature.
Green tea is not brewed with steep boiling water, because all useful components will be destroyed. This will inevitably affect the taste and aroma in a negative way. The temperature of the water for brewing should be between 60-80 degrees. Only some varieties are brewed with hotter water, and this is usually indicated on the package.
If you still ate from the warnings, boil water, do not bring it to 100 degrees. As soon as bubbles appear at the bottom of the container, turn off the water, then cool to the desired temperature. If the temperature is allowed to reach 100 degrees, all oxygen will leave the water. This will affect the taste of the drink.
How to infuse green Chinese tea correctly?
The first water is drained, it is needed only in order to rinse the tea. Immediately after this, you must refill the water. After filling in water for brewing, be sure to keep track of the time. Brewing too long will not be beneficial. Too many tannins will be pulled out of the leaves and the drink will be unpleasantly bitter. If you are satisfied with this taste and strength, keep in mind: the brew is made unsuitable for reuse.
The brewing time for each variety is different, it is also indicated on the package. There is no need to be guided by the color, each type of green tea has its own. For one, transparency is normal, the other will have a deep amber color.
Try to consume the brewed green tea before it cools down, as cooled tea loses many of its beneficial properties. Essential oils evaporate, antioxidants are destroyed. So do not brew a whole kettle over and over again, count your strength.
The characteristics of the utensils for brewing green tea are very important. The best option is a clay teapot, it will keep warm and allow the leaves to "breathe". You can also use glass or porcelain, but the conditions they create are not as good. Avoid metal or plastic teapots, they will add toxic substances to your drink.
