Recommended brewing directions for Green Tea
Brewing green tea requires a much lower temperature than black or oolong tea. Green tea should be brewed at around 175°F to 180°F. However, the exact temperature depends on the type of tea. Over-steeping and using water that is too hot will result in bitterness. If you want a stronger cup, add more tea leaves rather than steeping for a longer time.
Herbal and black loose-leaf teas typically are brewed using a teaball or strainer, but green tea lends itself to brewing loosely in a pot, allowing the curled tea leaves to fully unfurl. Simply strain the tea when pouring into cups.
| TEA VARIETY | Brewing Temperature | Amount per 8 oz. cup | Steep time |
| Chun Mei | 175°F | 1 to 2 tsp. | 1 minute |
| Gunpowder | 180°F | 1 level tsp. or 2 grams | 2 minutes |
| Jasmine | 175°F to 180°F | 1 level tsp. or 2 grams | 3 minutes |
| Lung Ching | 170°F | Heaping teaspoon | 3 minutes |
| Moroccan Mint | 175°F to 180°F | 1 level tsp. or 2 grams | 1 – 2 minutes |
| Sencha | 175°F to 180°F | 1 to 2 level tsp. | 1 – 2 minutes |
| Young Hyson | 180°F | 1 level tsp. or 2 grams | 3 minutes |
Recommended brewing directions for other teas
The process of brewing black tea is much more forgiving than for green tea. As evidenced by the success of jars of sun tea that have sat in the sun all day, black tea isn’t as exacting as green tea. While green tea has wonderful qualities, it is like Harriet Oleson and will punish you with bitterness if left to wilt in the heat for long. Black tea, on the other hand, is like Caroline Ingalls and will spend all day plowing the field herself because Charles insisted upon falling out of the kite-eating tree and breaking his ribs. Carrie Ingalls is the White tea, the baby of the group that is simply air-dried, possibly a little faster during that tumble down the hill.
| TEA VARIETY | Brewing temperature | Amount per 8 oz. cup | Steep time |
| Standard Black teas | 205°F to 212°F | 1 tbsp. | 3 – 5 minutes |
| Darjeeling | 185°F to 195°F | 1 tsp. | 3 – 5 minutes |
| White teas | 160°F to 185°F | 1 tsp. | 1 – 3 minutes |
| Oolong | 205°F to 212°F | 1 tsp. | 3 – 5 minutes |
| Chai with black tea | 205°F to 212°F | 1 tbsp. | 3 – 5 minutes |
Recommended brewing instructions for herbal tisanes and others
Herbal teas that do not contain tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) at all are called herbal tisanes. Tisanes can be flowers, berries, spices, herbs, and fruits. Tisanes are caffeine-free unless cacao or tea leaves are added. Though Rooibos tea is often lumped in with black teas, it is not from the tea plant at all, but from the Aspalathus linearis shrub. As with other tisanes, it is caffeine-free.
Tisanes with herbal roots may take much longer to steep. For this reason, they often do not contain green tea leaves, though adding green tea after the brewing has completed is a wonderful idea.
| TEA VARIETY | Brewing temperature | Amount per 8 oz. cup | Steep time |
| Red Rooibos | 205°F to 212°F | 1 tbsp. | 3 – 5 minutes, adjust for taste |
| Chai without black tea | 205°F to 212°F | 1 – 2 tbsp. | 3 – 5 minutes |
| Tisanes | 205°F to 212°F | 1 tbsp. | 3 – 5 minutes, adjust for taste |
Green Tea vs. Black Tea
All green teas and black teas come from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis. The difference between the two is that green tea isn’t oxidized in any way during the production process, whereas black tea is. To produce green tea, leaves harvested from the tea plant are heated to prevent withering and oxidation. To produce black tea, leaves harvested from the tea plant are withered to reduce their moisture content, then spread out on large trays where oxygen turns the leaves black. The black leaves are then oven-fired to halt the oxidation process. While Green tea doesn’t contain as much caffeine as black tea, it does still contain caffeine.
Green tea contains antioxidants that are believed to support general health, specifically due to polyphenols. The most abundant of the many phenolic compounds found in green tea is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), among other catechins. Green tea also has a rich L-theanine content. L-theanine is an amino acid studied for its role in health. In fact, L-theanine’s benefits are enhanced when paired with caffeine. Black tea also contains EGCG, though in smaller amounts. During black tea’s oxidation process, the EGCG converts to theaflavins and thearubigins, the former of the two giving black tea its dark color.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.