Bancha originates from the camellia sinensis shrub, and is harvested between the summer and fall, called the second harvest, the leaves harvested mainly comprise of the lower leaves which are larger and more course. Bancha is considered to be low-grade green tea, because the second harvest doesn’t produce the same quality of tea, due to the diminished nutrients in the soil; however, bancha is still delicious in its own way. The large and course leaves used for bancha increase the bitterness while also having lower levels of caffeine.
Bancha is quite different from other forms of green tea, as it has a strong straw-like smell with earthy flavor tones.
Bancha is quite different from other forms of green tea, as it has a strong straw-like smell with earthy flavor tones.
Caffeine Content in Bancha:
- Low to moderate levels of caffeine, usually ranging from 10-20mg, a cup of coffee has 80-200mg. At most the caffeine in a cup of bancha could potentially reach 40mg after 1 session which is brewing the leaves 2 times.
Brew like a pro:
- Heat soft water (not distilled) within the range of 200°-212°F. Soft water creates the best tea experience, the extra minerals in hard water will clash with the contents of the tea creating an undesirable film on top of the tea.
- High-quality bancha can be brewed up to 2 times. In order to make the most out of the 2 steepings, I recommend starting with around 205°F for the first steep, and 212°F for the second steeping.
- Timing is the other important area to keep in mind when making bancha. During the first steeping, keep the time around 30 seconds (time range suggestions will be on the package of bancha), followed by raising the time to around 50 seconds for the second infusion.
- Infusing (steeping) bancha for too long and/or at too high of a temperature will result in a bitter and undesirable flavor. Timing and temperature are something of personal preference, so play around with them until you find what works best for you.
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