Brewing Japanese Green Tea
Sencha and Gyokuro
Use 1 teaspoon of tea for every 5-8 ounces of water.
Only brew the amount of tea you will consume immediately. If you brew 20 ounces of green tea and pour a 10-ounce cup, come back 20 minutes later and pour the second cup, the second cup will be bitter. This is why we only sell small and midsize teapots.
Best temperature and brewing time for green tea:
Sencha
When the water reaches boiling allow it to cool for about 3 minutes. The water should be hot, but not boiling, about 79 to 87 degrees Centigrade (175-190 Fahrenheit) Steep for 1 minute.
Gyokuro
Uji Tezumi Gyokuro is more delicate and should be brewed with temperatures that are lower. The leaves in this tea are not broken into small bits; the elegant leaves are left intact. Only the highest quality leaves are selected, they are aged for 1.5 years.
To brew Uji Tezumi Gyokuro it is best to use water that is between 50 and 60 degrees Celsius (120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit). After bringing the kettle to a boil, 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 2 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 wonderful tea can accommodate higher temperatures close to boiling.
Second infusion: After you have emptied the teapot completely for the first serving, the wet leaves will not continue to steep. You can infuse the leaves again and serve immediately.
Sencha can be brewed 2 or 3 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 because the leaves have already been opened during the first infusion. If you wait 2 minutes to brew the second infusion the tea will become bitter.
If the leaves sit for more than 2 hours, discard them and brew a fresh pot.
Teabags:
Place the bag in a large cup and fill the cup with hot (but not boiling) water. Steep for 1 to 2 minutes.
Do not move the teabag back and forth during preparation (like you do with black tea). Simply let the bag sit for 2 minutes.