“All green tea is from the same tea plant, camellia sinensis,” explains Ashley Lim, a certified sommelier and founder of Mansa Tea. “What makes green tea a green tea is its specific method of processing.” For the tea novice, knowing what differentiates one green tea from another can be daunting. Tea leaf processing isn’t typically written on tea packaging or on cafe menus, and knowing your sencha from your gunpowder takes knowledge. That’s why we enlisted two tea experts to talk us through the different types of green tea. Spoiler: There are more than you think.
Types of Green Tea
Green tea can come from anywhere where tea is grown, though it is most commonly grown in China or Japan. “Tea type is determined by how the tea is grown, harvested, and processed,” explains Kyohei Sugimoto, president of Sugimoto Tea Company and a certified Japanese green tea advisor. “Chinese green teas are typically pan fried and Japanese are typically steamed, however, this isn’t the only thing that makes for different kinds of Japanese green teas,” Sugimoto says. While Japanese and Chinese green teas are the most popular, green teas are now surfacing from India and within the United States. “A few Indian producers are experimenting and fine-tuning their technique for other types of tea besides black,” Lim says. While the U.S. doesn’t have a considerable history of growing tea, American tea growers are now experimenting with growing green tea as well as other varieties.
Japanese Green Tea
“Japanese green teas tend to have vegetal and grassy notes with umami,” Lim says. Gyokuro is the highest quality Japanese green tea. “The tea plants are shaded for about three weeks before plucking, and this process leads to sweeter, more brothy flavor with intense umami,” Lim says. Sencha is “shaped like a needle and has marine and vegetal flavors,” says Lim. It’s the most commonly consumed tea in Japan. Bancha is the lower grade of sencha. It’s much coarser and has a rougher flavor. Bancha is also used to make hojicha, a roasted tea with more savory notes. The parts of the tea leaf used (and how they are processed) also affects the type of tea, Sugimoto explains. Genmaicha is typically a mix of Bancha and roasted rice, Kukicha is a green tea that uses the stems of the leaves, and matcha is special in that the stems and veins are removed from the leaves before it’s ground into a fine powder. Matcha powder is then rehydrated with water, rather than steeped. Kukicha, made of young stems, is one of Sugimoto’s favorites. “Kukicha has high L-theanine (amino acid) and low caffeine content, which make it a mild, umami-rich cup of tea with a unique aroma,” he explains.
Chinese Green Tea
“Chinese green teas tend to have more toasty notes compared to Japanese green teas,” Lim says. Dragonwell, also called Long Jing, is flat shaped with sweet, nutty, and toasty notes. “Because the leaves are pressed, not rolled, you can brew this tea at a higher temperature than other types of green tea,” Lim says. Gunpowder Tea is sold in pellets in varying sizes. “It is full-bodied, bold, and smoky,” Lim says. Gunpowder pellets are also made in Taiwan. Bi Luo Chun has light roasted vegetal notes.
Buying Green Tea In the U.S.
“Consumers looking for quality green tea on retail shelves should first look to see if the country of origin is stated and see if it’s from China or Japan,” Sugimoto suggests. If the specific type of tea doesn’t match its place of origin, it’s likely not of great quality. Packaging is also important. “Green tea quality is degraded through exposure to heat, oxygen, and light, causing a decrease in nutrients and bad flavor,” Sugimoto says. “If you can see the tea through the packaging, the tea has been exposed to light for longer than it should have been and may have already become bitter. If the bag has excess air in it and is not vacuum sealed, there may be a problem with oxygen exposure.” The best type of packaging for green teas is a foil bag, which should have been nitrogen flushed and vacuum sealed. This preserves the flavor and nutrition of the tea before you open it. And, of course, check the “best before” date. Just like everything in your pantry, tea has a shelf-life!
