Steenbergs Gyokuro

Steenbergs Gyokuro is higher quality Japanese green tea. Gyokuro is a shade-grown green tea. In late April/early May and about 21 days before picking, the tea bushes are covered with bamboo or straw shades. which encourages the tea bushes to develop extra chlorophyll to compensate for the lower light levels, so giving Gyokuro its intensely dark green colour. The result is a softer, more delicate and less butter green tea. After picking, the leaves are steamed to stop the fermentation process and lock in the flavours. Next, the tea leaves are dried using an oven-fired method.

Tea brewing: Into a warmed teapot, put 1 teaspoon of gyokuro tea per cup. Bring fresh water to boil, leave to cool to about 60C and pour over gyokuro tea leaves. Steep for 1 – 2 minutes. Once the water level is low, add more water until the tea leaves no longer give any flavour.

Tasting notes: Young, tender leaves that a bright green, infuses pale green-yellow and slightly cloudy, with a brew that tastes fresh, floral, with no astringency or bitterness but has hints of marine umami.