Every once in a while you might observe a slight deviation in the taste of your cup of green tea. Or, does it taste bitter all the time?! Green Tea consumption for its health benefits and high antioxidants content is a relatively new phenomenon in India. Most people who drink green tea on a regular basis may assume that it’s not supposed to be a tasty, aromatic beverage, that it is supposed to taste bitter and have a strong aftertaste. Well, let us break that myth for you today!
What does green tea taste like? Green tea is a lightly flavored beverage that can be enjoyed by everyone, whether or not you are drinking it for the many health benefits of green tea should not come in the way of having a flavorful, aromatic cup of tea.
We did a review for the most affordable green tea brands and found that some of them actually taste great, and have the perfect aroma and mouthfeel. But even after you have bought yourself the best brand, it’s important that green tea is brewed in the right way. Typically, Green tea, a non-oxidized type of tea, has a grassy taste, and when prepared the right way, can have some hint of fruitiness to it.
Brew up the perfect cup – Green teas are available in tea bags or as loose tea leaves. Which one do you prefer?
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Badly Made Green Tea? What You Are Doing Wrong!
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What causes the green tea to taste bitter? Is the green tea supposed to taste like water? Is the green tea supposed to have a bitter taste? Making green tea is easy, but nailing that flavor can be hard. Here are few things that you could be doing wrong while preparing your cup of green tea-
1. Using Bad Tea | Quality And Expiration
As the base ingredient for your cup, it is important for you to first take a note of the green tea that you have purchased. Check the expiry date of the package, and make sure that it does not exceed the date of your consumption. The quality of tea you use impacts the flavor in a big way. Make sure you aren’t using cheap quality green tea leaves. Good quality of leaves ensure a phenomenal taste.
2. Infusing The Tea Bag For Too Long
If you think that your cup of green tea tastes too watery or too bitter, then it is probably because you have not steeped it for the right amount of time.
The time for the infusion of the green tea leaves is usually given at the back of the package with which it is bought, and it’s crucial that you follow it.
The average time for the infusion of the green tea leaves for a perfect cup of tea is 2-3 minutes, and it should be neither less nor more than that, unless said so on the packaging. Over brewing green tea will lead to a bitter taste.
This applies when steeping green tea leaves as well. If you buying loose green tea leave then sign by steeping the leaves for an average of 2-3 minutes. One or two cups along and you should know if you need to increase or decrease the amount the infusing time.
3. Water Temperature
The water temperature plays an important role while preparing a cup of green tea, as the level of infusion is determined by the temperature of water. A higher temperature of water might result in a higher absorption of chlorophyll by the water, which might make your green tea taste bitter, whereas, if the temperature is lesser than the required temperature, then cup of green tea will turn out to taste watery.
Any tea- master will tell you that you should never use boiling water to infuse green tea (bags or tea leaves). The apt temperature is between 80-90 degrees. However, we know that it’s not possible to stand with a food thermometer to check temperature every time! Simply allow freshly boiled water to cool for a few minutes and then use it to infuse the tea.
4. Check The Quantity Of Tea
It is important to add an adequate amount of green tea leaves to the hot water for the process of infusion. If the quantity of green tea added is more, then the resultant tea would taste bitter, and if the quantity is less, then the resultant would taste bland and might not feel as strong as expected.
What Can I Add To Green Tea?
For some, green teas are not a flavorful experience as they just don’t like the taste. Here are a few things you can add to your cup of green tea to make it more flavorful –
- Honey – Adding a small amount of sweet honey to your green tea will help you massively if you find the taste of green tea bad. Adding refined sugar to green teas is a big no-no, as it kills the purpose of consuming it in the first place. Crystallised honey? Don’t discard it! Know more.
- Lemon – A popular practice, try adding a few drops of lemon in your daily cup of tea. This will not only amplify the flavor, but will also help with weight loss.
- Ginger – Infusing ginger in your green tea will increase its health benefits and taste. If you feel the green tea taste is a tad bit bitter for your liking, adding ginger will help mask that.
- Mint – Mint flavored green teas are common in many countries. If you cannot find mint flavored teas, add a few leaves of fresh mint to your green tea and let it steep before you consume for a lovely fresh taste.
- Mix blends – Many people make green tea using a mix of different tea flavors. Add some fruity tea like orange green tea or cranberry green tea to enhance the flavor.
- Floral Green Tea – Flowers like hibiscus, rose, jasmine and chamomile are very delicate, soothing and taste great in a green tea. You can add dried flowers or green tea leaves infused with floral flavors to make your green tea.
- Cinnamon – Believe it or not, but a pinch of cinnamon in your green tea is a game changer. If you like the earthy flavor of cinnamon, this spice can become a favorable addition. Add only a little amount of cinnamon, as it can overpower the entire flavor of the tea.
- Vanilla extract – This is only for those who love vanilla flavors and wouldn’t mind it in their cup of green tea. Vanilla in green tea can get a bit overpowering if not used with caution.
Learn about the best brands of green tea from around the world – China, Japan, UK and India.
If you are watchful of these 4 important aspects of brewing green tea, then there is way your cup of green tea wouldn’t taste good! Your next best cuppa, is just a few steps away. Cheers!