Did you know that with just a few simple tips, you can brew sencha and deep steamed green tea to taste even better than usual?
In this complete guide, FETC, a team that tastes hundreds of teas each year, shares the best brewing methods for sencha and deep steamed green tea. Whether you're new to tea or seeking to refine your brewing skills, this guide will help you unlock the full aroma, umami, and smooth flavor of your tea.
Essential Tips Before Brewing Sencha
Sencha and deep steamed green tea (fukamushi sencha) offer delicate aromas and a well-balanced flavor of umami, sweetness, bitterness, and astringency. To enjoy these characteristics to the fullest, two key factors must be considered: the temperature of the water and the proper ratio of tea leaves to water.
Understanding these two points will dramatically improve the quality of your brewed tea, bringing out its natural flavors and aromas more effectively.
Understanding Water Temperature for Brewing
Water temperature is one of the most critical factors in brewing a delicious cup of sencha or deep steamed green tea. It directly affects the balance between bitterness, astringency, umami, and sweetness. By adjusting the temperature, you can control the flavor profile of your tea to match your personal preference.
How Water Temperature Affects Flavor
The higher the water temperature, the more catechins (responsible for astringency) and caffeine (responsible for bitterness) are extracted. In contrast, amino acids like theanine, which contribute to umami and sweetness, dissolve better at lower temperatures.
In short, higher temperatures bring out bitterness and astringency, while lower temperatures enhance the tea’s natural sweetness and umami flavors.
Recommended Water Temperatures
For high-grade teas such as gyokuro, a brewing temperature of 50–70°C (122–158°F) is ideal. For standard sencha, 60–80°C (140–176°F) is recommended. However, the optimal temperature can vary depending on the specific tea leaves and personal taste, so feel free to experiment to find your perfect brew.
*Related Article: Relationship between Tea Flavor and Temperature
Soft Water vs. Hard Water: Which is Better?
Soft water is ideal for brewing Japanese teas like sencha. It allows the delicate flavors and aromas to emerge more clearly, without being masked by minerals. In Japan, tap water is typically soft and can be used after boiling to remove chlorine. If using bottled water, choose one labeled as "soft water."
*Related Article: How Does the Taste of Tea Change Between Soft and Hard Water?
Perfect Ratio: Tea Leaves and Hot Water
Getting the right ratio of tea leaves to hot water is essential for brewing a flavorful cup of sencha or deep steamed green tea. Too much water or too few tea leaves will result in a weak, bland tea, while too little water or too many leaves can make the brew overpoweringly strong.
Recommended Ratio for Sencha
The ideal ratio for brewing sencha is 30 ml of hot water for every 1 gram of tea leaves. For a standard cup of tea, use about 4 grams of tea leaves with 120 ml of water.
Using a kitchen scale to measure both the tea leaves and the hot water precisely can significantly improve the taste and consistency of your tea. Small adjustments can also be made based on your personal preference and the specific type of tea.
Recommended Tools for Brewing Sencha
While you can brew sencha with basic kitchen equipment, using traditional tools can enhance the flavor and experience of your tea. Here are the recommended tools to prepare the perfect cup of sencha and deep steamed green tea:
Essential Tools for Brewing
- Kyusu (Japanese teapot) — A teapot specifically designed for brewing Japanese green tea, often made of ceramic with a built-in strainer.
- Tea Cup or Tea Bowl — A small, heat-retaining cup enhances the aroma and taste of tea.
- Teaspoon — Useful for roughly measuring tea leaves if you don't have a scale.
- Iron Kettle or Temperature-Controlled Kettle — Ideal for boiling water and adjusting it to the precise temperature needed for brewing.
- Yuzamashi (water cooler) — A traditional Japanese tool used to cool boiling water to the desired temperature before pouring it over the tea leaves.
Step-by-Step: How to Brew Sencha and Deep Steamed Sencha
Here’s a simple guide to brewing a delicious cup of sencha or deep steamed green tea. Follow these steps carefully to bring out the best aroma and flavor from your tea leaves.
- Tea Leaves: 4g
- Hot Water: 120ml (70°C / 158°F)
The ratio is 30ml of water per 1g of tea leaves. Whether you're brewing for one person or several, maintaining this ratio is key for a perfect brew.
(1) Boil the Water
Start by boiling fresh water. If you are using tap water, boil it once to remove chlorine, which can affect the taste. If the tap water is hard, consider using soft bottled water for better results.
(2) Cool the Water to the Right Temperature
After boiling, let the water cool to around 70°C (158°F). If you don’t have a temperature-controlled kettle, use a yuzamashi (water cooler) or pour the hot water into cups to naturally lower the temperature before brewing.
(3) Measure the Tea Leaves
Use a scale to measure 4g of tea leaves for one serving. Measuring accurately ensures consistent flavor and prevents the brew from becoming too strong or too weak.
(4) Steep the Tea Leaves
Place the tea leaves into a kyusu or teapot and pour the cooled water over them. For sencha, steep for about 120 seconds; for deep steamed sencha, steep for about 80 seconds. Keep the lid open during steeping to allow the temperature to lower gently and bring out the flavors smoothly.
(5) Pour Using Te-gaeshi Technique
When pouring the brewed tea into cups, use the Te-gaeshi technique—gently rotate the teapot back and forth using your wrist. This helps extract more flavor by allowing the tea leaves to rub against each other inside the pot.
(6) Pour Out Every Last Drop
The last few drops of tea, known as the "golden drop," are packed with flavor. Gently shake the teapot vertically two to three times to extract every drop, ensuring a rich and full-bodied cup.
(7) Enjoy the Aroma and Flavor
Finally, savor the rising aroma and the well-balanced flavor of your tea. Notice the smooth umami, subtle bitterness, and refreshing finish. Enjoy each sip slowly and appreciate the complexity of the brew.
Can You Eat the Used Tea Leaves?
Surprisingly, the tea leaves left after brewing still contain rich nutrients and a pleasant flavor. Instead of discarding them, you can enjoy them in a variety of ways!
One simple and delicious method is making tea leaf ohitashi (a Japanese-style seasoned side dish). Lightly season the used tea leaves with soy sauce, sesame seeds, or a dash of citrus like yuzu for a healthy and flavorful snack.
By consuming the used tea leaves, you can benefit from nutrients like fiber, catechins, vitamins, and minerals that remain in the leaves after brewing.
*Related Article: How to Make Tea Ohitashi