How do fresh tea leaves become green tea? The important step in producing green tea is preventing oxidation. This is done by applying one of two methods – the Japanese method or the Chinese method.
The Japanese method applies steam to the fresh picked leaves. This halts the oxidation and begins to develop flavors that are often described as grassy, umami, or vegetal. This produces a bright evergreen green leaf.
In the Chinese method, the leaves first go through a short withering period before a pan firing. At the end of this step, the leaves range in color from a greenish yellow to a deep green. The flavors developed using the Chinese method are often described as floral, smooth, slightly sweet, or slightly grassy.
One of our favorite green tea’s is Humm Green. This beautiful, long-leaf green tea is grown by the Makaibari Estate in India. Makaibari, established in 1859, is committed to organic and sustainable tea farming practices. This tea is processed using the Chinese method and has a naturally sweet taste with light floral notes making it perfect for every day.