r/greentea

Green tea comes from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and is known for being very lightly processed - unlike black tea which is fully oxidised, which allows it to maintain its natural goodness and fresh taste. Here are some too green tea brands you should know about:

Ito En — Best for Authentic Japanese Green Tea

Ito En is well known for traditional Japanese green tea, especially bottled and loose-leaf options. It has Strong roots in traditional Japanese tea culture. Quality control is top-notch so you know what you're getting every time. You can find it in most places - that's convenience for you. It’s best if you're just starting out on your Japanese green tea journey or you like having a ready-to-drink option.

Dofo Tea — Best for Clean, Everyday Green Tea

Dofo Tea is all about single-origin loose-leaf teas with a light hand when it comes to processing. The result is a smooth, balanced tea thats really easy to drink all day long. The sourcing is transparent. It has Gentle flavor - not too bitter or overpowering. Tea is made in small batches so you know its super fresh

It’s best for daily drinkers who prefer a calm, low-intensity tea experience

Harney & Sons — Best for Convenience and Variety

Harney & Sons offers a wide range of teas, including green tea blends and sachets. Easy to get your hands on - just about everywhere. If you're new to the world of tea, they're a great place to start. Loads of options to choose from - you won't get bored here.

Rishi Tea — Best for Organic Green Tea

Rishi Tea focuses on organic sourcing and sustainable practices. They've got loads of certified organic options waiting in the wings. Their direct trade relationships mean their products are pretty darn clean. Their teas are also pretty free of bitterness - nice and smooth. They are best for organic-focused consumers.

Which one out of these have you tried? Which one you would like to add?

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Traveling by train from east to west via Rail, the journey is long and I'm tired from all the sitting. I decided to have a green tea with whatever the train was serving and it's the worst tea I've had in my life.

And then it got me thinking... what's the best tea I've had so far that's actually memorable to me? One was at a local cafe in victoria a few years back, and the other was a regiona greenl tea from Guangdong gifted to me by a relative. I still remember the brand, it was Dofotea, I tried their oolong tea. That one was amazing too.

I think in many countries, people tend to choose black tea over green tea because green tea isn't as widely accepted. I'm from Meijiawu. If you like Longjing tea, you should know that Meijiawu is a first-class production area, mainly producing West Lake Longjing, and also a black tea called Jiuqu Hongmei. Right now, I'm feeling quite lost; I don't know how to make my channel more engaging and informative. Can my friends offer some advice?

Longjing in front of Meijiawu

This is Osmanthus Nine-Bend Red Plum

Hello everyone, I am a Longjing tea enthusiast. Recently, I have been struggling with a "century-old problem": when brewing West Lake Longjing tea, is it better to use a glass cup or a gaiwan?

Let's start with a brief introduction to the characteristics of Longjing tea: Pre-Qingming/Pre-Rain Longjing is a top-grade green tea. The leaves are flat and smooth, with a bright green color, a high and delicate aroma (scent of beans or chestnuts), and a fresh, sweet, and mellow taste. It is most susceptible to damage from high-temperature brewing; the optimal water temperature is 80-85℃. Otherwise, it easily becomes bitter, loses its aroma, and the leaves turn yellow.

Brewing in a glass (the most common \"grandpa's method\")

Advantages:

Transparent and intuitive, allowing you to appreciate the graceful "standing" posture of the tea leaves throughout the brewing process (the tea dance), resulting in excellent color, aroma, and shape. Especially suitable for beginners and everyday drinking.

Quick heat dissipation prevents the tea buds from being over-steeped, resulting in a clear and refreshing tea soup.

Simple operation: The middle-pouring method (pour 1/3 of the hot water first, add the tea leaves, let it sit for 30 seconds, then fill the rest) or the bottom-pouring method are both acceptable, and it's convenient to drink it all in one cup.

Disadvantages:

It's not possible to pour the tea quickly; the concentration is harder to control after the second infusion; the aroma dissipates slightly faster.

Many local tea farmers in Hangzhou prefer to drink from glass cups themselves, finding it simple and pure.

Gaiwan Brewing (Gongfu Tea Style)

Advantages:

Quick pouring, allowing precise control of each infusion time (starting from 10-30 seconds, gradually increasing), and multiple infusions reveal different aromas and flavors.

Excellent aroma concentration; the white porcelain gaiwan contrasts beautifully with the green tea, enhancing the aesthetic appeal; and more stable tea temperature control.

Suitable for serious tea connoisseurs who compare Longjing teas from different origins/batches.

Disadvantages:

Slightly requires some skill to master (scalding hands, frequent washing); beginners may experience tea turning yellow or poor pouring.

Visually, it's not as visually appealing as a glass cup where you can directly see the full "tea dance."

My personal experience: I use a glass for everyday drinks when I'm feeling lazy, and a gaiwan for leisurely enjoyment on weekends. Ultimately, it depends on the individual's situation and mood—a glass is more practical, while a gaiwan is more professional and elegant.

I started my tea journey by looking for an alternative to coffee that causes less side effects like anxiety. Black tea was great at first but it started to give me similar anxiety and brain fog as coffee. But I think theres more to it than just less caffeine. I feel like the fact that green tea has more antioxidants, less tannins, and more egcg also has something to do with the effect. I actually find green tea to be more energizing despite it having less caffeine.

I did a search and couldn’t find what I was looking for, so I apologize if I’m repeating something obvious. A little specific, but for a 2nd steep of Sencha, 2 tsps/12 oz water, what temp (F) and for how long do you steep? Extra points for Harney & Sons.

TIA

Hey everyone

I wanted to share something I’ve been building for the past few months.

I recently started a small wellness brand called Chakra Tea. The idea came from my interest in herbal wellness, mindfulness, and the way certain herbs have traditionally been connected with different chakras and emotional balance.

We created 7 different herbal tea blends, each inspired by one chakra. Every blend is made with herbs that are often associated with grounding, creativity, confidence, calmness, love, intuition, and spiritual clarity.

For example, we use Brahmi in our Crown Chakra blend because it’s traditionally known for mental clarity and focus. Hibiscus is part of our Sacral Chakra blend because of its connection with creativity and flow.

The intention behind Chakra tea is simple. In today’s fast and chaotic routine, we wanted to create something that helps people slow down for a few minutes and reconnect with themselves through a small daily ritual.

We’ve recently launched on Amazon and honestly, as a small startup, even genuine feedback or thoughts would mean a lot to us.

Would love to know what you all think about the idea. Do you feel herbs, teas, or mindfulness rituals can actually influence your mood, energy, or emotional balance?

Thanks for reading 🌱

Feels like places that specialize in matcha are usually good

High-quality pre-Qingming Longjing tea, though subtle, is not tasteless.

It boasts a rich aroma of beans or chestnuts, with top-grade pieces sometimes exhibiting orchid notes (rarely seen even by locals, and often unavailable or unaffordable for the average person). This aroma is very pronounced, requiring no imagination. The flavor is mineral-rich, fresh, with a noticeable sweet aftertaste and layered changes. While subtle, it is never boring, but rather full of enjoyment.

1. Variety Issues

Longjing tea has three varieties: Quntizhong, Longjing 43, and Wuniuzao. Quntizhong is the original variety; Longjing 43 is a selectively bred variety based on Quntizhong; Wuniuzao is not really considered Longjing.

The differences between Quntizhong and Longjing 43 are not significant. Longjing 43, being a later cultivation, often uses younger tea trees, sometimes resulting in a more pronounced freshness; Wuniuzao, on the other hand, usually tastes bland and tasteless.

2. Production Area Issues

Generally, production areas are divided into primary production areas and secondary production areas.

Lion Peak, a first-class production area

Longwu, a secondary production area

3. Differences in tea-making standards: There are three types: the first is purely handmade, the second is semi-handmade (the first step of fixing is done by machine, and the second step is done by hand), and the third is fully machine-made.

4. Brewing Method

Pre-Qingming Longjing tea should be brewed in an open glass cup to allow for faster heat dissipation. Brewing it with a lid or in a teapot will ruin the quality.

5. Vintage Differences

The taste of Longjing tea varies from year to year due to different climates, just like the vintage of wine. In a bad year, even the most reliable tea factory can't salvage the situation.

For example, if you buy this year's pre-Qingming Longjing, the production area, variety, tea factory, and processing may all be fine, but it will still be bland and tasteless.

This is a matter of nature.