Gyokuro features a thick taste. It is not to be directly swallowed but to be rolled on the tongue just like a good wine. It is a kind of hobby tea to be tasted and enjoyed deliberately.
The key to serve Gyokuro is to brew it for a long time in a low temperature in order to avoid a bitter taste.
TEAPOT (traditional tea utensil)
1.Tea utensils used for serving Gyokuro are rather small. A Yuzamashi cup for cooling hot water is also needed.
First, pour hot water into a Hohin teapot. Then transfer the hot water into cups. Throw away the rest of water.
These procedures are for measuring the right amount of hot water as well as for warming the tea utensils.
2.Standard amount of tea leaves per person is about 4g.
A small-sized spoon measures about 4g, so three spoonfuls of tea leaves or about 12g is used for three cups.
A small-sized spoon measures about 4g, so three spoonfuls of tea leaves or about 12g is used for three cups.
3.Then, pour the hot water from the cups to the Yuzamashi cup. Cool the hot water again and then move it to the Hohin teapot. The temperature of the hot water should be lowered until about 50 degrees.
4.Place the lid on the Hohin teapot and wait for two and a half minutes to three minutes.
Since the temperature of hot water for Gyokuro should be low, it takes a long time to obtain the best taste of this tea.
Since the temperature of hot water for Gyokuro should be low, it takes a long time to obtain the best taste of this tea.
5.Since the amount of the hot water is extremely little, pour it little by little into each cup and rotate the tea among the cups many times in order to get the same taste in each cup.
Pour the tea out to the last drop.
Pour the tea out to the last drop.
You can enjoy tasty Gyokuro even at the second and third brewing. From the second brewing, the temperature of water should be gradually higher. Adjust the taste by shortening the brewing period. This time, pour hot water directly into the Yuzamashi cup since hot water doesn’t need to be cooled down as much as the first brewing.
