I found an interesting article about the taste of green tea. How does it taste to you? Many folks believe that green tea has a displeasing flavour that will be too vegetal to enjoy or get used to. Well, I won’t lie to you, some varieties do have a somewhat grassy taste, but the amazing thing is that your tongue will open up to it. It may take about 4 to 5 cups, but it happens, you adapt. And usually after that, you’ll WANT a tea with an awesome and strong vegetal taste now that the flavour has a certain “sweetness”. Just give it a chance.
Chinese greens overall are more mild, with some varieties having little depth, so for newcomers, that may be a good place to start the journey. Japanese green teas like sencha, have more grassier notes which seasoned tea drinkers really enjoy. So if you’re new to this type of tea, you may be a bit overwhelmed by the stronger taste.
Another factor on taste is how you brew your loose leaf green tea. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is adding boiling water to the delicate leaves. Let the water cool down for half a minute to avoid a spoiled cup. Also, the type of water used for steeping is important too. Avoid tap water since the impurities will influence the flavour. Stay away from distilled water as well since this has a tendency to make the tea taste “flat”. Filtered water or natural spring water works best.
The age of your green tea has a role to play and is best enjoyed within 6 to 8 months of the flush…no longer.
And of course watch your steeping time! Green tea has properties in it called tannins which release in greater numbers after about 3 minutes of brewing. If too many escape, your cup will become bitter and lose its subtle flavour. So be sure and follow the brewing instructions! Also, it is recommended you use a large infuser so that the leaves have room to open.
So remember, green tea has many benefits to offer, both for taste and health. But in order to experience the best of it, loose leaf tea is the way to go. Give this loose leaf method a chance, and a whole new beverage will introduce itself to you, providing you years of tea-drinking enjoyment!.