How to Brew Gyokuro Tea

How to brew Gyokuro tea

Gyokuro tea is usually shaded for 3-4 weeks prior to harvesting to reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the tea. These unnatural conditions put a lot of strain on plant resulting in a more delicate leaf compared to a regular sencha green tea. Gyokuro is brewed between 40-60 degrees Celsius to enable the maximum extraction of the sweet umami elements found in the leaf into the brew, giving the tea the typical feel and taste found in this style of tea. The brew time is also longer to extract as much sweetness as possible. Higher brew temperatures will result in the of release bitter elements. Organic Gyokuro is lighter than its non-organic counterpart which has a more brothy feel due to the addition of synthetic fertilisers in the growing cycle.

Organic Gyokuro
Tea: 6g (0.211 oz. = 1 heaped tsp.)
Water: 1 cup (200ml)
Temperature: (40 - 60°C)
Steep Time: 120 - 180 seconds