IE Green Tea's blog : Which Green Tea is Best For Beginners?
Unlike black tea, green tea is a bit more flexible with brewing temperature. That makes it a good option for new tea buyers.
When buying green tea, look at the leaf shape and size to help identify which tea you're getting. For example, longjing has flat sword shaped leaves, while fukamushi sencha has small dust-like leaf particles.
Sencha
Often the first tea that people try green tea, sencha is an ideal choice for those new to the world of green tea. It is mild in both flavor and caffeine content (around 20-30 milligrams per 8 ounces) which makes it a great alternative to coffee for those who don't tolerate the higher levels of caffeine very well.
If brewed correctly, sencha can be extremely smooth and refreshing. However, infusing for too long or at the wrong temperature can quickly turn this delicate tea into an astringent bitter cup of nothingness. If you’re brewing sencha, follow the brewing instructions on your tea bag or use an automatic tea brewer like our BRU Maker to get the most out of your loose leaf green tea.
For those who like their sencha a little bit on the sweeter side, you can choose shaded sencha or Kabuse sencha which are known for their sweet and smooth flavor profiles. You can also opt for unshaded sencha if you prefer the higher level of catechins such as EGCG that this type of tea contains.
Gyokuro
Gyokuro is considered one of the highest quality green teas. The shading of the tea leaves before harvesting produces an incredibly complex flavor and high levels of umami. The shading slows down photosynthesis, and the L-theanine prevents caffeine from converting into catechins, which creates the unique savory experience of this tea. It is also known for its health benefits, as a combination of the amino acid L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive function and alertness without jitters or a crash, unlike coffee.
The shading of the tea leaves creates a sweeter cup with fewer astringency, making it an excellent tea for beginners to start their tea journey. It is best brewed with low water temperature and short steeps. The tea leaves are a mix of the earliest leaf buds and stems, and are deep steamed right after being harvested. The stems have a lower caffeine content than the leaves, and are known as karigane or kukicha. The karigane tea is made by combining the stems and leaves of the shaded tea plant, which can provide a smoother introduction to the savory gyokuro flavors.
Bancha
Bancha is one of the lower caffeine teas, making it ideal for beginners who are sensitive to caffeine or those wanting to cut back. It also works well as a cold brew, producing richer flavor.
Unlike premium green teas like sencha and gyokuro, which use younger leaves, bancha uses older tougher tea leaves. This is why it has a less grassy taste and less astringency. It can be enjoyed by itself or with lemon or honey.
Like most green teas, bancha is high in catechins, an antioxidant that protects the body from damage by blocking free radicals. It also has several health benefits including reducing risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as improving weight loss.
It is easy to brew a cup of delicious bancha using a traditional Japanese teapot (kyusu) or a kettle. However, the quality of the water and heat control are the key factors in brewing a good cup of tea. Be sure to use filtered water for best results.
Genmaicha
Genmaicha is a great green tea for beginners, as it’s often made with toasted rice which makes it less intimidating. It’s a very mild, sweet, and cereal-like tea with notes of warm wood and popcorn. It pairs very well with fatty fish like salmon and tuna. It also goes well with a variety of snacks and desserts, including creamy chocolate and cheesy creations.
There is a slight amount of caffeine in this green tea, depending on the brand and the type of brown rice used. However, the toasted rice contains a lot of GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid) which is known to help relax the mind and body. Additionally, it has y-oryzanol which is known to lower cholesterol levels, which can be combined with the catechins and l-theanine found in green tea for an all-around relaxing effect.
The toasted rice used in this tea was introduced as a way to stretch out the supply of expensive green tea leaves during times of economic hardship. It was traditionally made with sencha, but there are also versions that use bancha or other types of green tea leaves.
Hojicha
Hojicha is one of the most popular green teas in Japan, made from roasted kukicha leaves. It hits that sweet spot between roasted and unroasted tea, with a flavor profile that reminds of coffee (not as strong though!) and the nutty characteristics you'd expect from a steamed green tea like sencha.
It is also relatively low in caffeine, which makes it a great choice for those with sensitive stomachs or those who are limiting the amount of caffeine they consume. Hojicha is roasted over charcoal, which gives it its distinct smoky flavor and autumnal reddish brown color.
When brewed correctly, hojicha has a mild flavor and a soothing aroma that can help relieve stress. It is also a good source of L-theanine, which has been shown to boost mental capacity while lowering levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This combination of antioxidants and amino acids can improve focus, attention, and alertness. So enjoy a cup of hojicha to make the most of its many health benefits!
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