Sure Signs of High Quality Green Tea

Posted by williamriddle on May 20th, 2011

Everyone enjoys a good cup of tea every now and then – especially if it is green tea. This particular kind of tea is very popular, and many tea enthusiasts claim to be experts on what makes for a really good brew. How exactly do you differentiate high quality green tea from a variant that is just so-so? There are several indicators that you can keep in mind the next time you are out shopping for some loose leaves for brewing. Here’s how to spot a good one. The first indicator of quality green tea is always freshness. How do you tell if green tea is fresh or not? If you are buying from a supermarket, make a habit of checking the best before date. Usually, this particular kind of tea has a six month window wherein you can be sure it is still at its brewing best. However, as soon as you buy a pack and open it, you should consume it immediately, for its exposure to air will subtract two to three months off that freshness window. As a habit, it always pays to buy tea only in small quantities each time, to ensure you get it fresh. There is a better chance of getting fresh teas from a premium tea specialist. They often source seasonal fresh teas and seal them using vacuum packets. This allows the teas to be consumed in small amounts while the quality of the rest is preserved. If you are up to the research, you can be assured of high quality green tea if it comes from only one estate. This might be hard to determine, but is worth the knowledge. A lot of retailers usually purchase wholesale green tea from various estates, and then mix them together before repacking and selling. This means there is a chance that high quality green tea can be mixed with leaves that are not grown as carefully, which will affect the taste of your brew. A good tea retail company is quite selective about where they get their stocks and often stick to one estate when purchasing green tea. Lastly, the time of the harvest is very important. The most ideal time to harvest high quality green tea is during the months of early spring, when the green tea leaves are in their premium state. The first flashes of new shoots are produced from all the nutrients accumulated in the tea bushes since the last harvest. Later harvested leaves are of lower quality because: the second flash or even later flashes of the leaves do not have as much flavour and as many nutrients; leaves which are too developed will have lost the delicacy of young, new shoots etc. Being out in the sun for a much longer time will also dry out green tea leaves and thus result in a mediocre or even low quality brew. If you have the means, it is always best to go for the more expensive brews. When you take your first sip, you will agree that it is worth being a stickler for quality. Simply keep these tips in mind and take note of which brands seem to taste better and have better quality control practices. Once you find it, stick to that brand so you will always have the freshest green tea around. Who knows – you just might find neighbours calling to have tea with you because they know you have a knack for picking out the best leaves to steep. Provide the tea and let them bring the biscuits! If you are dead set on getting green tea, make sure you take these tips to heart to ensure that you get quality green tea all the time.