Sometimes green tea may taste bitter for several reasons. Of course, there are tea types that are naturally more or less bitter than others. But any green tea can have sweet, full-bodied and pleasant taste if it is brewed correctly. Read on to find out ways how to make green tea taste good and reasons why it may have some odd flavors.

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Why does green tea have bitter taste?

Green tea, as well as many other tea types, may be bitter because of over-brewing. It contains such compounds as catechins, caffeine, and chlorophyll, which are healthy, but bitter. Catechins contribute the most to the tea bitterness. Those compounds are released during brewing process, so it is vital to control the steeping time to avoid unpleasant taste. You can also re-steep green tea leaves to get the best flavor.

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Ways how to make green tea taste good

1. Don’t over-brew

Such delicate tea variety as green tea should be brewed carefully. We don't recommend steeping it for more than 2-3 minutes. If you re-steep your green tea, keep the steeping time for the first infusion at about 1 minute. Further, add nearly 30 seconds to every subsequent steep.

2. Use loose-leaf tea

It is one of the key secrets to better tea taste. Green tea can be bitter if you are using green tea bags. They contain dust and small tea particles that will release unpleasant compounds much faster than loose leave tea.

3. Add less tea leaves

If there is too much leaves added to your tea, its flavor is more intense and full-bodied. The best option is adding 2-3 grams of tea leaves per 1 cup of green tea.

4. Steep it with cooler water

Water temperature can significantly influence the taste of your green tea. For example, if it is too hot, you will extract more caffeine, catechins, and chlorophyll. There is a component in green tea called L-theanine that gives a light savory note to the tea. It is brighter when you use cooler water. Never brew green tea leaves (especially not high quality ones) with boiling water.

5. Add lemon, honey or fruit jam

Some mixes may sound unusual, but they make a great match with green tea. You will not only reduce bitterness, but also get a tea with fruity, citrus, and sweet notes in tea.

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Green teas from Sense Asia

Sense Asia’s collection of the Vietnamese teas includes wide range of green teas as well. Those are Traditional Green tea, Jasmine Thai Nguyen, B'Lao Lotus tea, Pandan tea, and others. All teas are hermetically packed with minimum delay after receiving from the farms in Vietnam. We use 100% natural ingredients and only whole leaves to maintain all the natural health benefits. Follow us, purchase tea in our online shop, and learn more about tea and Vietnamese tea culture!