How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Green Tea Every Time

Alright! You know I love a good cup of green tea. When you go to a restaurant and get that perfectly brewed cup of warm green tea, it's absolute heaven. But what I don't like is an over brewed or scorched cup of tea. It's bitter and strong and tastes like grass. Ick.

So, through trial and error (and lots of reading!) I have figured out my favourite, fool proof way to make a delicious and smooth cup of green tea.

Select you favourite blend

It all starts with the right tea leaves. Do you like it plain? Jasmine scented? Genmaicha? Flavoured? If you don't know yet then think about what you like in a hot drink. Do you like sweet and fruity drinks? Try a green tea with added fruit flavours or jasmine. If you like black coffee, you may find that a more traditional green tea suits you best.

It can be loads of fun smelling the different types of tea (some places will even let you sample some!).

Measure it out

As a rule of thumb, 1.5 tsp of leaves will make 1 cup of tea. I do like to use my "perfect spoon" from David's Tea to make my life easier and measuring out your tea is certainly not an exact science.

Boil your water

So, you have two options here. One is to boil your water and then let it sit for 5 minutes to make sure it isn't too hot. The other is to keep an eye on your water until you see little bubbles just barely starting to break the surface. You want the water to just reach 175F/80C. Never use boiling water on green tea unless you like having a very bitter cup of tea!

Steep

When you are ready pour your water over the leaves (loose or in a ball) and let it sit for 1-3 minutes. For best results, take a look at the package instructions. Some green teas, like genmaicha, will recommend 1 minute. While others, like jasmine green, will need 2-3 minutes.

Making green tea can be very enjoyable. It may take a couple tries to get your tea just right but it is absolutely worth it to settle down with a good book and your favourite tea!