Go Green! Choose Gyokuro green tea March 10, 2014

Green!

The color of spring. Have you caught a glimpse of the oncoming season? Here in Texas, we’ve seen hints of winter’s end earlier than most of our tea loving friends across the country.

To celebrate, we’re drinking even more green tea than before. Here, we’d like to invite you to enjoy one with us: Gyokuro.

Gyokuro is a rare green tea from Japan. Not to be confused with sencha, gyokoru has its own harvesting, processing, and steeping methods which yield a distinctly different cup. The name “gyokuro” means “jade dew,” referring to the pale, whispy green color of the infusion.

If you like the grassy notes of sencha, you’ll love gyokuro. Before being harvested, gyokuro tea leaves are shielded from the sun for at least two weeks. This step heightens the naturally occurring photosynthesis of the plant. Here, the levels of both l-theanine and caffeine increases and there’s plenty of reasons to celebrate that effect! Plus, it gives gyokuro a distinct aroma and a slightly sweeter flavor from this covering process too.

Steep this delicate green tea at a lower temperature than most, and for less time. Experiment to find your perfect steep. Get lucky!