Brewing Japanese Green Tea
Sencha and Gyokuro
Use one teaspoon of tea for every 5-8 ounces of water. Only brew the amount of tea you will consume immediately.
Sencha
When the water reaches a boil, allow it to cool for about 3 minutes. The water should be hot but not boiling, about 79 to 87 degrees Celsius (175-190 Fahrenheit). Steep for 1 minute.
Gyokuro
Uji Tezumi Gyokuro is more delicate and best brewed at a lower temperature. The leaves in this tea are not fragmented; the elegant leaves are left intact. Only the highest quality leaves are selected, aged for 1.5 years.
With Uji Tezumi Gyokuro, it is best to use water between 50 and 60 degrees Celsius (120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit). After boiling the kettle, let it cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. It is best to use a water thermometer to get the right temperature.
You also use more tea when you brew Uji Tezumi Gyokuro. Use two heaping teaspoons of tea for 3 - 4 ounces of water. Brew for 2 1/2 minutes. This tea is delicate and quite expensive.
Netto Gyokuro is aged for six months and broken into small bits. It's OK to use hotter water with Netto Gyokuro. This excellent tea can withstand higher temperatures, approaching boiling.
Second infusion: After emptying the teapot for the first serving, the wet leaves will not continue to steep. You can infuse the leaves again and serve immediately.
You can brew Sencha 2-4 times. For gyokuro, we recommend no more than two infusions.
If you make a second or third infusion, pour hot water into the teapot and then immediately pour the tea. Do not wait 2 minutes for it to brew again, as you opened the leaves during the first infusion. The tea will become bitter if you let it brew for 2 minutes for the second infusion.
If the leaves sit for over 2 hours, discard them and brew a fresh pot.
Tea bags:
Place the bag in a large cup and fill the cup with hot, but not boiling, water. Steep for about 2 minutes. Please do not move the tea bag back and forth during preparation, as with black tea. Let the bag sit still for 2 minutes. If you prefer extra-strong tea, gently move the bag to and fro just before removing it.
You can infuse sencha tea bags several times. We recommend no more than two infusions for gyokuro tea bags.