ORGANIC GYOKURO

While technically a variety of Sencha, authorities, including merchants selling green tea, will generally recommend quite a different method for brewing Gyokuro While the details differ from one source to the next, characteristically they recommend

* twice the weight in dry tea leaves for a given quantity of water (e.g. 12 grams for 300 ml);

* cooler brewing temperatures (in the range of 70 TO 80c (120-130 F) instead of 90C (150-160 F) for Sencha);

* a longer steeping duration, at least for the first infusion (2-3 minutes instead of 1 minute for Sencha).

Since Gyokuro steeps at such a mild temperature, sources generally recommend pre-heating both pot and cup so as to maintain the warmth of the tea as one drinks it. Characteristically one drinks Gyokuro very slowly, to savor its distinctive flavor.