Best Green Tea

Consumed in Asia for millennia, tea is the drunkest drink in the world after water. Originating in China, Japan, or elsewhere, the varieties of green tea are endless, with new cultivars continually appearing. Most popular anime But from the most prestigious gardens to the most mediocre teas, choosing green tea can be overwhelming. Should we prefer teas from specialized houses (Mariage Frères, Palais des thés, Dammann Frères …) to those sold in hypermarkets (Lipton, Twinings, Tetley …)? How to choose it and best prepare it to respect a quality product? Que Choose guides you through the jungle of tea leaves.

CHINA-JAPAN, WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES? : Best Green Tea

In all green tea, the leaves undergo little or no oxidation, unlike black tea. To prevent this phenomenon, they are subjected to heat just after picking to stop the oxidizing enzymes. This process called desiccation varies according to the know-how of these two historical tea producers.

The ancient Chinese method requires a metal tank heated under a wood fire or with electricity (or large cylinders in industrial factories). How to backup iphone This dry heat preserves the floral scents and provides a tea with a vegetal character sometimes enhanced by toasted hazelnut notes.

In Japan, since the XVI century, the drying is done with steam, allowing in particular to create the type of Sencha teas, representing 70% of the Japanese production. It provides aromas of green vegetables supported by typical iodine and marine notes. Some Sencha stamped teas do not originate in Japan but made elsewhere in the world using this Japanese method.

WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR QUALITY TEA? : Best Green Tea

The best teas from our selection come from specialized houses. They are also the most expensive. The price is not an unstoppable criterion, and the marketing can sometimes inflate the note. But teas from prestigious gardens are very expensive to buy, and tea houses generally make less profit on these products than on common teas or flavored blends. Green tea that is too cheap is therefore unlikely to be of high quality. Some manufacturers mix teas from several origins (Indonesia, China, Kenya, etc.) from productions subject to tremendous commercial pressure and low rate. You will see this if you open a bag: a dry grind with more dust and broken leaves than whole leaves, not a good sign …

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Conversely, the green teas with the most prestige are generally spring teas. Harvested in February or March in China (depending on the province) and from the end of April in Japan, they are made up of the young buds, the most tender and the greenest, “which makes it possible to limit pesticide residues because these harvests take place at an optimal season for the tea plants, which need less chemical inputs to protect or boost them, ” specify Pierre and Florian from the Parti du thé, a specialist shop in Paris. But beware, like their leaves taken from the tops of tea plants, their price is close to the summits!

Finally, if Japanese green tea is more famous in our latitudes than Chinese, the best rubs shoulders with the mediocre in both origins. Therefore, better to seek advice in a specialized shop to get started.

STORAGE, PREPARATION: THE BASICS OF A GOOD GREEN TEA!

Green tea quickly loses its aroma because its oxidation is very rapid. In sachet, it, therefore, better preserved in individual packaging. Whether in bulk or a bag, it can generally store away from light and, if possible, in a cool place without humidity. If you place it in the fridge, put it in an airtight box to not soak up strong odors (onions, cheeses, etc.).

Tap water should be avoided if it is rich in limestone or chlorine, which overwhelms the aromas and makes the tea bitter. We prefer bottled water, spring or mineral, slightly mineralized (Mont Raucous, Volvic…).

The tea leaves must also heat to the right temperature to express the full richness. Fragile, green teas infuse around 70 to 80 ° C against 90 ° C for black tea. Most viewed video on youtube If you don’t have a kettle with a thermostat, one trick is to bring water to a boil and then add a quarter of cold water to it before brewing your tea. Brewing time is generally 1 to 3 minutes for Japanese tea and 2 to 4 minutes for Chinese tea.

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Types of Bulk Tea

If your tea is in bulk, different types of filters are available to you. Disposable paper, reusable textiles, balls, or metal filters … If some experts believe that these materials can sometimes instill a slight aftertaste in the infusion. This effect remains very modest. However, avoid using the same reusable filter for solid blacks (smoked tea, for example) or scented and green teas. The main thing is to choose a container large enough for the leaves to unfold in contact with water. And deliver all their flavor. There is no need to stuff your filter like the hearth of a pipe. The adage uses 2 g of tea for 20 cl of water.

Finally, a quality tea should drink immediately after its infusion. Please do not put it in a thermos because its taste deteriorates quickly! On the other hand, you can infuse quality teas several times to support up to 3 or even four infusions. The only difference between the successive drinks. Caffeine (or theine, which the same molecule) extracted at more than 80% in the first infusion.

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