This Is The Best Temperature For Brewing Green Tea

There is an art to making a perfect cup of tea, as the Japanese have demonstrated with their tea ceremony. Japanese modern masters have been educated in specialty schools on the perfect way to create a pot of tea and the etiquette on how to serve it and drink it, according to Japan National Tourism Organization. 

Thankfully you don't need to travel to Japan to make a delicious cup of tea. To brew a pot of green tea at home, you'll need only a few simple ingredients: green tea leaves, a teacup or teapot, water, and a strainer or tea infuser, per Fine Dining Lovers. Optional items are elements to sweeten the teas, such as honey and sugar. Before you get to brewing the tea, there are a variety of green tea varieties from which to choose. The most popular Japanese green tea is sencha, which has a fresh and light taste, according to Simple Loose Leaf Tea Company. There are also Indian and Sri Lankan green teas, as well as green teas that have been flavored, such as with orange peel. Another important decision to make is loose leaf or tea bags. Loose leaf tea almost always is of a higher quality than tea bags, but the latter provides more convenience (via Let's Drink Tea).

Whether you choose to make loose leaf or bags of green tea, there is an ideal temperature for the water, which differs from other teas like black, white, and herbal. Artful Tea recommends heating the water to between 175 degrees and 180 degrees for green tea. To make the tea, one teaspoon of green tea should be used for 6 ounces of water, which should be steamed briskly, and then steeped for one to two minutes.

Do not boil the water, warns Simple Loose Leaf Tea Company, which it says will destroy the tea's flavor. If not prepared properly, green tea can taste bitter and have an unpleasant flavor, according to Fine Dining Lovers, which recommends turning off the tea kettle before the water boils and letting it sit for one minute. Then, pour the hot water over the tea and allow it to steep. If you are trying a new green tea for the first time, Fine Dining Lovers suggests taking a sip of the tea after three minutes and then every 30 seconds until the taste is right.

Most importantly, relax and enjoy the green tea you brewed with perfection.