5 Simple Ways to Elevate the Flavours of Your Lemon Green Tea

Freshness. Fitness. Flavour.

What gives you all of these things with just one sip? Green tea! Now some of you might not agree with us when we say that green tea is flavourful. But relax, because if you don’t like the bitter grassy taste of the tea, this blog is for you!

From soothing our senses to refreshing our bodies, everyone is aware of the numerous health benefits of green tea. In “Kissa Yojoki” (The Book of Tea), Japanese Zen priest Eisai interestingly highlights how green tea can have a positive effect on your heart, liver and lungs. And because of its several benefits, it does seem like a good choice to incorporate green tea into your daily routine. But it is also true that not everyone enjoys drinking this concoction.

Our last blog shed a light on ways to brew and steep your green tea in the right way. Now, read on to discover some effective ways to make that cup of green tea even more flavourful with the help of our expert tea sommeliers at Tulsi Tea.

1. Select the right tea leaves

Green tea leaves come from the Camellia sinensis plant which is used for numerous types of teas such as black tea, oolong tea, white tea etc. These are called ‘true teas’ as they are made out of actual tea leaves, unlike herbal teas which are made out of flowers and plants.

Now, two factors set green tea apart from other true teas:

1. The age and structure of the leaves used to make it.
2. The processing of its leaves.

Leaves that are made to use for green tea are picked in the spring season and are among the youngest offered by the Camellia plant. When picked, these leaves must be tender, bright green and ideally should be alongside a bud. The flavours of these leaves vary according to the season which is why older leaves used for oolong tea and black tea tend to have more caffeine in them. Now you can easily choose the right tea leaves and buy delicious Indian teas online from the comfort of your home as the tea sommeliers at Tulsi tea are committed to delivering you the best green tea made out of the finest and least processed leaves.

2. Use the right water & brew at the right temperature

Once you have got the right leaves to brew the perfect cup of green tea, it is very important to choose the right water to brew it in. If you use tap water to prepare your tea, the minerals and chemicals may affect the compounds in the tea and as a result the taste. Meanwhile, distilled water is too weak to imbibe the flavours and hence can turn the green tea pale. Ideally, pure and filtered water should be used to extract the best out of your green tea.

Moreover, controlling the water’s temperature can also make a lot of difference in brewing your green tea right. Green teas that are steeped too long or are put in water that is too hot, can turn sour. Similarly, too much cold water will make the tea flavourless and weak. The ideal temperature to steep green tea is anywhere between 79°C to 85°C or 175°F to 185°F. To do this, boil water in a pot and as the water starts to boil, take it off the heat and let it sit for about a minute or two. You can also read our latest blog to know more details about brewing tea just right.

Continue reading

Brew It Right! Your Guide to Making the Perfect Cup of Green Tea

Green tea is considered to be this elixir of good health; thanks to the numerous benefits it brings with it, like improving metabolism, reducing bad breath, guards against heart ailments and even aiding in anti-aging. But the poll has always been split half with one half swearing by the beverage, and others who may have been put off by the unsweetened flavour of it.

Our expert tea sommeliers, who curate the best tea in Gujarat, have studied this trend and have come to the conclusion that the tea leaves were never to be blamed in the first place. They naysayers may have just tried a cup that was brewed the wrong way.

With proper brewing techniques, you’re able to extract the right amount of flavours from the leaves and ensure maximum health benefits in every cup. And it all starts by choosing the best tea in Gujarat, so go ahead and shop for green tea online and buy Tulsi Tulvita green tea. Now, follow the steps as below.

Boiling it right

It is very important to choose the right kind of water and bring it to boil at the right temperature to brew your green tea right. We suggest using filtered or purified water, because the water from our taps is usually treated with chemicals or has high salinity. The latter will alter the taste of the brew, given that green tea has a delicate flavour profile.

Now, we all know water boils at 100°C, and the flavour compounds of green tea are sensitive to very high temperatures of water. Our tea sommeliers advice that the right temperature for the water should be anywhere between 79°C to 85°C or 175°F to 185°F.

To achieve this temperature, boil water in a clean pot on a stove top, and as the water begins to boil, take it off the heat and let it sit for about a minute.

Steeping it right

To steep means to soak any kind of organic solids in any form of liquid to either extract flavours or to soften it. And this applies to brewing teas too. Usually, for black teas, the more time the leaves are steeped in the hot water, the more flavours come out in the brew.

But when it comes to green tea, if the leaves are steeped in water that is either too hot or for a longer duration it releases an astringent flavour, which may taste unpleasant and sometimes bitter.

The amount of time the tea steeps directly impacts the flavour. When brewed properly, green tea should have a light colour and minor astringent flavouring. So we suggest steeping your Tulsi Tulvita green tea bag in hot water for a minimum 3 minutes and maximum 5 minutes. To best develop flavours, cover your tea kettle or tea cup if you are brewing in a single cup when steeping. Our sommeliers suggest that you use glass, ceramic, clay or stainless steel teapots for brewing.

Continue reading