Why don't you drink green tea the first time you brew it? Why is green tea black after brewing?

In the tea ceremony culture, when serving tea to guests, the first brew of tea is usually poured on the tea tray to spread the tea fragrance, which not only serves to create an atmosphere, but also to show respect to the guests. The first brew of green tea is not drunk, usually to clean the dust or other dirt on the tea leaves, and also to preheat the tea leaves. Do you also know why green tea is black after brewing? Why is green tea bitter after brewing? You may wish to open the following content to learn more.

Contents of this article

1. Why don’t you drink the first brew of green tea?

2. Why is green tea black when brewed?

3. Why is green tea bitter after brewing?

Why don't you drink the first brew of green tea?

The first brew of green tea is not drunk, usually to clean the dust or other dirt on the tea leaves, and to preheat the tea leaves. When the second brew is made, the nutrients in the tea leaves will be completely dissolved in the tea. In the tea ceremony culture, the first brew of tea will be poured on the tea tray, both to create an atmosphere and to show respect to the guests.

1. Cleaning

The custom of not drinking green tea after the first brewing is actually passed down from the Northern Song Dynasty. The first brewing of green tea is to clean the dust or other dirt on the surface of the tea leaves, which is called washing tea.

2. Wake up tea

The reason why you don’t drink the tea the first time you brew it is to allow the nutrients in the tea to gradually dissolve into the tea water, which is equivalent to warming up the tea leaves. When you brew it the second time and drink it, the taste of the green tea can reach its best state.

3. Etiquette

In the tea ceremony culture, when entertaining guests with tea, the first brew of tea is usually poured on the tea tray to let the tea fragrance spread. This not only serves to set the atmosphere, but also shows respect for the guests.

Why does green tea turn black when brewed?

The color of brewed green tea is black, which may be because the color of the tea will become darker and darker if the tea is brewed for more than an hour. If the tea is damp, deteriorated, or stored improperly, the tea green pigments in it will be oxidized and volatilized, which will also cause the brewed green tea to gradually become darker.

1. Brewing time

If green tea is brewed black, it may be because it is brewed for too long. Generally, green tea will not change color if it is brewed for no more than an hour, but if it is brewed for too long, the color of the tea will become darker and darker.

2. Tea quality

If green tea is brewed black, it may be due to the quality of the tea leaves. For example, if the tea leaves are damp or deteriorate, it will directly affect the color of the brewed tea leaves.

3. Storage method

The brewed green tea may be black because the tea pigments in it are completely oxidized and volatilized due to improper storage. The most correct way to store green tea leaves is to seal them in odorless food packaging bags and refrigerate them.

Why is green tea bitter after brewing?

1. Temperature is too high

The reason why green tea tastes bitter after brewing may be because the water temperature is too high. The best water temperature for brewing green tea is between 80℃ and 90℃. If you use boiling water directly to brew it, the substances in the tea leaves will be scalded and the brewed green tea will have a strong astringent taste.

2. Brewing time

If the green tea is brewed for too long, it will taste bitter. This is because the astringency of the green tea will be completely brought out when it is brewed for too long, and the green tea will become bitter and astringent.

3. Tea Proportion

When brewing green tea, the ratio of tea leaves to water will also directly affect the taste of green tea. Too little tea leaves and too much water will make the green tea taste bland. Too much tea leaves and too little water will make the tea taste very bitter.

4. Tea Varieties

The bitter taste of green tea may also be due to the tea variety. If you want to avoid the situation where green tea is too bitter, you can choose tea varieties with light tastes such as Huangshan Maofeng, Xinyang Maojian, white tea, and Junshan Yinzhen.