Tips on Brewing Green Tea

Green tea is defined as tea that has not been fermented, as black tea is, before the leaves are dried - and it’s not always green in color.
Green tea experts advise using the best quality possible. The tea should be first brewed for half the time suggested in the package directions, then tasted to see if further brewing is desired.

The higher the water temperature, the more bitter and astringent the taste can become. Experts in green tea recommend using only filtered or bottled water, although some prefer filtered tap water, as many bottled waters contain less oxygen, an important factor in making green tea. Ideally, the teapot and tea cups should be warmed in hot water before using.

Never boil the water in an aluminum pot, and never steep the tea in teapots or cups made of plastic or aluminum, which badly affect the taste.

Good choices for teapots are glass, which makes it easy to monitor the strength of the tea, china or porcelain.

Water should be below boiling temperature when added to most green teas.

(- the Associated Press. This article was taken fromthe sun-sentinel.com)