Superior Japanese Green Tea
MAIKO TEA SHOP



How to prepare delicious Gyokuro ( instructions are for 3 people; using tea of superior quality )
Necessary items: Kyusu ( tea pot ), 3 tea cups, Gyokuro tea, tablespoon, yuzamashi
( vessel to cool off boiled water - not absolutely necessary )

1.A slightly smaller kyusu ( Japanese tea pot ) is most appropriate for brewing Gyokuro.
You may use a mug instead of a yuzamashi if you do not own one.
A predetermined focus on preparing the best tea possible will naturally help you to provide your guests with delicious tea.

2.Cool off the temperature of the hot water (1)

In order to achieve the genuine flavor of Gyokuro it is important to let the boiled water cool off first. Therefore first pour the boiled water into the empty kyusu (tea pot).
The initial temperature of the boiled water is approxiamately between 90 and 100 degrees celsius.
Pouring it first into the kyusu will cause the temperature to decline to about 80-90 degrees celsius.

Caution: Pouring the hot water directly on the Gyokuro leaves without letting it cool off will cause your tea to lose its refined flavor and to have a bitter taste! 


3.Cool off the temperature of the hot water (2)
Pour the water from the kyusu ( tea pot ) into the yuzamashi ( vessel to cool of boiled water ). This will further reduce the temperature by about 10 degrees. Your water will now measure around 70-80 degrees celsius.

4.Cool off the temperature of the hot water (3)
Pour the water from the yuzamashi into the three cups. This will further reduce the temperature by about 10 degrees. It will now measure around 60-70 degrees celsius.
Discard any hot water that might be left in your yuzamashi.

5.Put gyokuro leaves into the kyusu
Now insert the tea leaves into the tea pot. The amount should be around 2 tablespoons (8- 10 g) of tea.
Of course, the amount may vary, depending on your taste.

6.The amount of tea leaves
The picture shows what 10 g of superior gyokuro should look like in the pot.
It might seem to be more than you have imagined, but if you use high quality tea leaves even a larger amount will produce a very delicious tea!

7.Pour hot water on the leaves
When the temperature of the hot water in the cups has declined to about 50 degrees celsius pour the water on the tea leaves in the tea pot. The amount of water should be just enough to cover the leaves. Even if it looks like being 'too little' it will be just the right amount. Discard all excessive warm water.

Let the tea infuse for about 2 minutes.
When tea leaves have just begun to open up, the tea is ready to be served.

 

8.Pouring to the last drop

After 2 minutes of steeping time pour the tea into the cups. When serving several cups of tea ( like 3 cups in our example ) pour a little into each cup alternately so the richer tea at the bottom of the pot will be distributed evenly between all cups.

Alternate pouring:
1The photograph shows how to pour just a little into each cup in the sequence of 1-2-3.( Do not fill a whole cup at once! )
2After you have reached cup 3 go back in the order of 3-2-1. Then again pour according to the sequences: 1-2-3, 3-2-1.
 Caution: Pour until not a single drop is left in the pot. The leaves should be as dry as possible.
Shaking the last bit of water out can help the leaves to make better tea the next infusion(s).

9.Enjoy your delicious Gyokuro!
Please enjoy the unique sweetness that is the trademark of Gyokuro tea. Genuine Gyokuro cups are very small, therefore Gyokuro is best enjoyed by sipping slowly.
Let the tea rest on your tongue and enjoy the delicious taste as it spreads through your whole mouth.

For a second or third infusion use water with higher temperature and shorten the time of the infusion. Tea of superior quality can be used for three or four infusions.

***Methods to recycle the used up tea leaves ****
Please note that the above instructions for brewing tea are merely our suggestions. The taste of tea is subject to one's own likings. Please continue to 'experiment' in order to find the taste that is most fitting to your own preference.







Preparation of various

Gyokuro

Maccha

Sencha

Shiawasecha


About Japanese Tea
Chako's Tea Exploration Adventure
1.Let's go to Maikonocha
2.Tea Picking
3.Tea Processing
4.Tea Varieties
5.Serving Tea
Maccha Gyokuro
Sencha
6.Tea and Health

Proper Tea Storage

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2-1 Kamidaimon Fugenji Kyotanabe Kyoto JAPAN 610-0322

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MAIKONOCHA-HONPO 2-1 Kamidaimon Fugenji Kyotanabe Kyoto JAPAN 610-0322
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