How to prepare japanese green tea by tea pot

It’d become easy for everyone to prepare a cup of perfect green tea by practice. I’m going to introduce the way to prepare tea in this article but I wouldn’t want you to go through the drill as described.

Anyway, it’s important to understand basic steps to prepare it because each steps have actual meanings. After knowing the standard, I think you could enjoy making tea by your own way. Now let’s get started.

<1> Boil the water

This step is important for people who live in the region where the water smells bleach odor. The odor goes off 　in 2-3 min after boiling the water. The length depends on how strong the smell is. You don’t have to do this if you use water purifier.

<2> Cool the hot water

The ideal temperature of water for the first extraction.

Green tea type temperature
Sencha 70〜80 degree Celsius
Gyokuro 60〜7０ degrre Celsius
Generally the more finer the leaves is, the more richer the taste becomes even the temperature isn’t hot. The most superior leaves gets rich and strong taste even if it’s below 50 degree celsius. Cold brew gyokuro is one of my favorites!

I’m going to write another article to explain the reason of each degree which are 80 degree celsius for Sencha or 60 degree for gyokuro etc because the explanation would get longer only for itself.

How to cool the hot water using only teaware

The way is just moving the water to another teawares. When moving to another cups, the water gradually become cooler by 5-10 degree celsius.

  1. Pour hot water into each cups
  2. Move the water into the teapot and wait a minute
  3. Move back the water into the cups again

After you’ve done this steps the temperature should be around 80 degree.
It goes to 70 degree after waiting for 3 to 4 minutes.

It’s important to move slowly. The water cool down by giving its heat to teawares. You should wait for a minutes when you move the water from one cup to another.

<3> Put tea leaves into the teapot

The standard amount is 2 grams (0.07onz) for 100cc(ml). I put 5 grams of leaves for 250cc in this picture.

Whether　leave the cap opened or not depends on forms of leaves. Generally Rough leaves need more amount of leaves than fine loose leaves. 2 grams is on the assumption of fine leaves.

Actually you don’t have to be nervous about the amount of leaves. Especially superior leaves get more strong and tasty with much amount of them. You can change it depending on your preference. But if you use lower grade tea, it sometimes get bitter so you should care the amount.

<4> Pour the hot water into the teapot and put the lid on it.

Pour the water into the teapot.

Again, whether putting the lid or not depends on tea masters’ opinion. Each answer is actually right. But when you use fine leaves, you should put the lid and do the next step below.

<5> Shake the teapot tenderly horizontally

Then shake the teapot tenderly horizontally and move the leaves inside the teapot. That makes leaves dance in the teapot and quicken the extraction time by 10-20 seconds.

This step isn’t strongly necessary but it makes the taste much better.

Be careful not to spill the water from the pot shaking too strongly.

This is the table about temperature and extraction time.

Temperature moving leaves not moving
90 degree 20〜30sec 40〜50sec
80 degree 30〜40sec 50〜60sec
70 degree 40〜50sec 60〜70sec
60 degree 60〜70sec 80〜90sec
When you don’t move the leaves inside the pots, you should leave the lid opened. Putting the lid makes the steamed smells which sometimes spoil the taste.

<6> Pour tea evenly into cups

Pour tea evenly into cups so that the tea is of similar strength in each cup. Make sure the teapot is drained completely.

Pour tea in turn as the picture below.

Leave the lid opened for the second brew

It’s important to be drained completely after pouring the first brewing because it helps avoid being steamed with water before the second brew. Then tap the teapot to leave the leaves from strainer for air to pass through.



<7> 2nd brewing with hot water

When you brew another cups by the leaves left in the teapot, it’s better to brew with hot water which is plus about 10 degree compared to the first. Brew in about 20 seconds after pouring water because the leaves are already steamed well.

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