YSK: If your green tea tastes like bitter leaf juice, your…
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YSK: If your green tea tastes like bitter leaf juice, your water is probably too hot
Why YSK: If you've ever given up on green tea because it tasted painfully bitter, try changing the water temperature before changing the tea.
Green tea is pretty sensitive to brewing temperature. Hotter water extracts more of the compounds that contribute to bitterness and astringency, while brewing at a lower temperature can give you a noticeably smoother cup.
L-theanine is one of the compounds associated with tea's savory/umami character, while catechins such as EGCG contribute to bitterness and astringency. Temperature affects how quickly and how much of these compounds end up in your cup.
That's why boiling water can be a problem with some green teas. It doesn't "ruin" the leaves, but it can pull out more of the bitter and astringent compounds than you actually want.
A good starting point is around 75–80°C (165–175°F). Studies on green tea have found that brewing temperature has a significant effect on both catechin extraction and sensory quality, with temperatures around 80–85°C often producing a more pleasant result.
The lazy way to try it:
No thermometer? Boil your water, pour it into your mug, and let it sit for a few minutes (around 3-5 mins depending on your mug) before adding the tea.
Or just use a temperature-controlled kettle if you already have one.
The difference can be surprisingly noticeable. Same tea, same mug, completely different cup.
And if you normally brew green tea with boiling water and love it, keep doing it. Tea is supposed to taste good to you.
Sources
Vuong et al., Journal of Separation Science (2011), L-theanine extraction
Vuong et al., Journal of Separation Science (2011) catechin extraction
Rady et al., Food Chemistry, brewing temperature and sensory quality of green tea
#education
Why YSK: If you've ever given up on green tea because it tasted painfully bitter, try changing the water temperature before changing the tea.
Green tea is pretty sensitive to brewing temperature. Hotter water extracts more of the compounds that contribute to bitterness and astringency, while brewing at a lower temperature can give you a noticeably smoother cup.
L-theanine is one of the compounds associated with tea's savory/umami character, while catechins such as EGCG contribute to bitterness and astringency. Temperature affects how quickly and how much of these compounds end up in your cup.
That's why boiling water can be a problem with some green teas. It doesn't "ruin" the leaves, but it can pull out more of the bitter and astringent compounds than you actually want.
A good starting point is around 75–80°C (165–175°F). Studies on green tea have found that brewing temperature has a significant effect on both catechin extraction and sensory quality, with temperatures around 80–85°C often producing a more pleasant result.
The lazy way to try it:
No thermometer? Boil your water, pour it into your mug, and let it sit for a few minutes (around 3-5 mins depending on your mug) before adding the tea.
Or just use a temperature-controlled kettle if you already have one.
The difference can be surprisingly noticeable. Same tea, same mug, completely different cup.
And if you normally brew green tea with boiling water and love it, keep doing it. Tea is supposed to taste good to you.
Sources
Vuong et al., Journal of Separation Science (2011), L-theanine extraction
Vuong et al., Journal of Separation Science (2011) catechin extraction
Rady et al., Food Chemistry, brewing temperature and sensory quality of green tea
#education
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