Gyokuro originating from Uji Kyoto is one of Japan’s most sought-after teas not only in the nation but the world. Traditionally only reserved for the ancient emperors of Japan, gyokuro creates a truly unique experience like none other. Shading is applied to the tea bushes around 20 days prior to the harvest, significantly increases the levels of L-theanine, glutamic acid, and chlorophyll. These increased levels of L-theanine and glutamic acid are responsible for creating the very pronounced sweetness in the tea, while the elevated levels of chlorophyll give the leaves a deeper, richer green color. Once harvested the tea is traditionally steamed in Japan, or pan-fried in China, locking in the moisture, preventing oxidation, and preserving the signature umami flavor (Japan’s steaming method achieves a fuller umami flavor than China’s pan-fried method), followed by drying, rolling, and sorting to remove any impurities that may be lingering in the tea.
Gyokuro is the perfect choice for someone who wants top shelf tea, with a light aroma, a very rich umami flavor, complemented with a pleasant grassy sweetness.
Gyokuro is the perfect choice for someone who wants top shelf tea, with a light aroma, a very rich umami flavor, complemented with a pleasant grassy sweetness.
Caffeine Content in Gyokuro:
- Moderate to high caffeine, usually ranging from 80-140mg of caffeine, the range is rather drastic because the quality of the gyokuro will heavily impact how much caffeine is in the tea, as a rule of thumb the higher the quality, the higher the caffeine. For reference, a typical cup of coffee has 80-200mg. At most the caffeine in a cup of gyokuro can reach around 360mg after 1 session which is brewing the leaves 3 times.
Brew like a pro:
- Heat soft water (not distilled) within the range of 105°-140°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.
- The great thing about high-quality gyokuro is that you can steep it up to 3 times. In order to make the most out of the 3 steepings I recommend starting with around 115°F for the first steep, around 105°F for the second steeping, and 135°F for the third infusion.
- Timing is the other important area to keep in mind when making gyokuro. During the first steeping, keep the time around 140 seconds (time range suggestions will be on the package of gyokuro), followed by dropping the time slightly for the second steeping, and then raising the time to around 180 seconds for the third steeping.
- Infusing (steeping) gyokuro 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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