How to brew loose-leaf tea
The most common mistake is pouring boiling water over green tea. A lower temperature and a shorter time are enough to make the same sencha sweet instead of bitter.
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Measure the leaves
A level teaspoon holds about 2–3 g of leaves. For Japanese teas use more leaves and less water than for a tea bag: 4 g to 150–200 ml.
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Cool the water
Without a thermometer: boil the water and pour it into an empty cup, then into the teapot. Each pour lowers the temperature by a few degrees. After two pours you're at about 80°C.
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Brew briefly, brew several times
The first infusion takes a minute, the next ones are shorter. The same leaves give 2–5 infusions, each a little different. Pour out the infusion to the last drop so the leaves don't keep brewing.
Brewing guide for each tea
| Tea | Leaves | Water | Temperature | Time | Infusions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sencha Kagoshima | 4 g | 200 ml | 70–80°C | 60 s | 3 |
| Sencha Yabukita, first harvest | 4 g | 150 ml | 70°C | 45 s | 3 |
| Gyokuro Uji | 5 g | 60 ml | 50–60°C | 120 s | 4 |
| Hojicha | 3 g | 200 ml | 90–95°C | 30 s | 2 |
| Genmaicha | 5 g | 250 ml | 80–85°C | 60 s | 2 |
| Ceremonial Matcha | 2 g | 70 ml | 75–80°C | whisk 15 s | 1 |
| Darjeeling First Flush 2026 | 3 g | 250 ml | 85–90°C | 2–3 min | 2 |
| Bai Mu Dan, white peony | 4 g | 250 ml | 80–85°C | 2–3 min | 3 |
| Jin Xuan, milk oolong | 5 g | 150 ml | 90–95°C | 60 s | 5 |
| Dian Hong, Yunnan golden buds | 3 g | 250 ml | 90°C | 2–3 min | 3 |
Matcha step by step
- Sift 2 g of matcha (two scoops with a bamboo chashaku) through a strainer into the bowl. If you don't, it will stay lumpy.
- Add a splash of water at 75–80°C and work the powder into a smooth paste with the whisk.
- Top up with water to 70 ml and whisk quickly in an M shape, from the wrist, for about 15 seconds.
- When there's a thick, fine foam on top, lift the whisk out from the centre of the bowl. Drink it straight away.
Water matters
Hard tap water dulls the aroma and leaves a film. Filtered or soft bottled water works best. Don't boil it twice.
Storage
Close the bag as soon as you've measured out a portion and keep it in a cupboard, away from spices and coffee. Tea absorbs smells. Once opened, keep matcha in the fridge.
First batch list
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