Preparation of Gyokuro (3 servings)
Preparation of Gyokuro (3 servings)
- Fill up hot water into a pot for preheating. Wait until the temperature gets down to 70℃～75℃.
- Fill up a tea cup to 60% with hot water into 3 cups (30ml each) from the pot for preheating. Wait until the temperature gets down to 60℃～65℃.
- Fill up the water from the 3 cups into a suitable container in which it can cool off.
- Put Gyokuro tea leaves in the pot. For 3 servings, 3 full tea spoons of tea (about 7-8 g). For 5 servings, 4 full tea spoons (about 10-12 g).
- When the temperature of the warm water has fallen to 50℃～55℃, the water is ready.
- Fill up the warm water back into the pot from the small bowl, and wait for 1.5 - 2 minutes for the first infusion.
- Fill up the tea evenly into the 3 cups to obtain the same taste and oncentration. Do not leave any tea in the pot, but fill up all out to the last drop.
- For a second infusion, use water of a little higher temperature than for the first (55℃～60℃) and let the tea draw for only 30 seconds before filling up to 70 % it into the cups.
- For a third infusion, use water of even higher temperature than for the second and let the tea draw for only 15 seconds.
N.B.
- The first infusion will give a full-bodied tea while the second and consecutive infusions will be lighter.
- This is a standard way to prepare Gyokuro. However, it is very much up to personal taste. Depending on the conditions you will have to find your own way to get your favorite look, smell and taste of a particular tea. Please enjoy it the way you like.
Fill up a tea cup to 60%
with hot water.
Transfer hot water
to the water cooling pitcher.
Fill up the warm water into the pot
from the water cooling pitcher.
Wait for 1.5 - 2 minutes,
and fill up the tea evenly.
Do not leave any tea in the pot,
but fill up all out to the last drop.
Water for Tea
Water for Tea
When you use tap water,
- Please pour the water into an iron or anodized aluminum kettle, and keep it overnight.
- Once the water is boiled, keep it for 5 minutes by low heat in an open kettle. Then the smell of chlorine, mold and trihalomethane is removed.
- For Japanese green tea, slightly acidic water is suitable. Tap water has a neutral value of pH7.
- It is recommended to use a charcoal water filter.
When you use mineral water,
- Most Japanese mineral water is soft and suitable for green tea. One should use only the best pure and soft water for tea, as can easily be ascertained through experiments with tap water and different mineral waters. Each water will give different colours, smells and tastes. It is highly recommended to use soft water of the best quality only.
- Mineral water should be boiled for 5 minutes as well.
