Green tea has been consumed in Asia for over a millennium, and was first brought to the west by Portuguese explorers in the late 1500s. Four hundred plus years later, green tea is consumed worldwide, and is enjoyed for its delicate sweet and floral flavors. Green tea has about half the amount of caffeine as black tea, and only about 20% of the caffeine in a cup of coffee, so it often gives drinkers a slight lift, without causing jitters or keeping the drinker awake at night. Green tea makes up around ⅓ of global tea consumption, and ⅙ of US consumption. While ⅙ is only a small portion of total tea consumption, it still adds up to over 12 billion servings of green tea in the US last year. Those 12 billion cups of green tea can be broken down into 2 main categories: Chinese green teas, and Japanese green teas. While Chinese green tea leaves are pan fried, Japanese green tea leaves are steamed, and tend to have a sweeter taste. Whichever tea style you prefer, the proper brewing and water temperature will ensure a great tasting tea.
The first and most obvious starting place is high quality tea leaves from a brand you know and trust. The next step is to take filtered of spring water, and heat it to the proper temperature. The perfect temperature for green tea is different than that of coffee or black tea. The delicate flavors of green tea can quickly turn bitter if the water temperature is too high. Higher temperatures dissolve tannins from the leaves that contribute to that bitterness and astringency. So the perfect temperature for making green tea is typically 175-185℉. This a 10-20° cooler than coffee and 25° cooler than black tea. So make sure you heat your water to a precise temperature.
Once you water reaches your perfect temperature, you are ready to steep the leaves. There are several methods of steeping to choose from including loose leaf and bagged methods. Green tea can be steeped in a cup or kettle, and many kettle users keep a separate green tea kettle to avoid cross contamination from black or herbal teas. Most people agree that the right amount of time to steep your green tea is anywhere from 3-5 minutes. You can’t “unsteep” your tea, so start off with 3 minutes, and then steep a little longer if you are looking for more flavor. With experience, you’ll know exactly what works best for you. The drinking temperature for green tea is similar to coffee, usually 120-140℉. But some prefer it as hot as 160℉. Drinking temperature is largely personal preference, and can be dialed in precisely with the Cauldryn Fyre.
Just like any other hot drink, water temperature is an important factor in brewing the perfect cup. With the Cauldryn Fyre, you can dial in the precise temperature you want, so that you can brew at the perfect temperature, and drink at the perfect temperature all day long.
