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Yuki. I
Jun 19th, 2024

How to Brew Delicious Japanese Green Tea Using a Teabag (5 Essential Tips)

Using a tea bag, you can still enjoy quality loose-leaf tea even if you don't have proper tea tools!

Discover the secrets behind choosing the best teabag shapes and materials for an optimal tea experience. Learn why traditional flat teabags fall short and how newer materials can enhance your brew while keeping health risks at bay.

How do they compare? teapots vs. teabags

How does brewing tea using a teabag compare to using a teapot?


This question is straightforward, so let's get this out of the way. Well, they don't compare at all! Brewing tea using a teapot for loose-leaf tea is always much better than brewing in teabags, and it's not even close.


The main factor is the movement of the water. The size of the space at the bottom of the teapot is vital in allowing the tea to be extracted from the leaves. It will enable a high volume of water to flow through the leaves, maximizing the extraction of the tea nutrients.


On the other hand, the teabag only has that small confined space within the area of the bag. Although the teabag's mesh material allows water to permeate to some degree, it is still much more inefficient than having no obstruction at all. As a result, only a small volume of water can touch and flow through the tea leaves. It limits the extraction of the taste significantly.


Do you have a teabag of Japanese tea right now? If you do, try to take a look inside the teabag. Are the leaves inside the teabags crumbled?


If it is, this is an effort to make the tea leaf as extractable as possible, knowing the difficulty of extraction through teabags. Making the tea leaves crumby enhances their ability to emit flavors. However, this approach isn't enough to offset the limitations of a tea bag.


Therefore, here's my advice.


If you have access to a teapot - use it. Not the teabag.


However, a tea bag also has advantages. For example, you might not have access to a teapot.


"If you have access to a teapot - use it. Not the teabag"

Imagine you're on the go, perhaps at the office, and you're craving a comforting cup of your favorite Genmaicha to help you unwind.


In situations like these, teabags are a convenient solution. They allow you to enjoy your tea without the need for a teapot.


Picture yourself on a delightful picnic, the sun shining, and you're in the mood for a refreshing cup of Sencha. Teabags are the perfect companion for such outdoor adventures, allowing you to enjoy your tea wherever you go.

In cases like this, a teabag is an excellent tool for enjoying your favorite tea outside of home.


Therefore, it's good to know some tips for making good tea, even if you're using teabags! You may be surprised - it's not as easy as it seems!


Here are the five essential tips for brewing delicious Japanese tea using teabags!

The Five Essential Tips for Brewing Delicious Japanese Tea Using Teabags

Get the right Teabag (Shape)

The leaves need enough space to catch the water flowing through, and some teabags don't allow this.


The shape of the tea bag is not just a design choice, it's a crucial factor in the brewing process. In fact, it could be the most important tip you'll learn about brewing tea.

It's crucial to steer clear of traditional flat-shaped teabags. They can be a real hindrance to the brewing process, potentially altering the taste of your tea. Sometimes, it is extremely challenging to extract tea from them.


You might be familiar with some newer teabag shapes. An example is a pyramid-shaped teabag such as this one.

This one is much better in terms of allowing for more water flow. 


However, this is a type of teabag that I wouldn't recommend either. It's less about the performance of the tea extraction. It's for a different concern, which we'll touch on in the next section.


Remember, the key is to ensure there's enough space and penetration, particularly at the bottom of the teabag, for the leaves to unfurl and allow for optimal extraction. Any teabag shape that facilitates this is a winner.

Get the right Teabag (Material)

Different materials are used for different types of tea bags, and this has a huge effect on the tea's extraction as well.


When the filter is thick, it's naturally difficult for the water to penetrate the teabag and seep the tea.

There are some newer material, such as a nylon based tea bag like this.

Several of the triangle-shaped teabags mentioned above come in this nylon-based tea bag. While this shape is suitable for seeping tea, it has a highly bothersome caveat.


The caveat for these teabags is that when hot water infuses tea, billions of microplastics and nanoplastics are also released into the tea's liquid.


In fact, according to a study, approximately 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics were released into a single cup of beverage after brewing at 95 degrees Celsius. (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.9b02540)

This data is alarming. The implications for the human body are still unknown. However, it is wise to be concerned about its health and environmental risks as well.


Recently, biodegradable materials have been becoming increasingly popular for these triangle-shaped bags. If you can find these, this would be an excellent choice. However, if not, I would recommend you try to stay away from tea bags altogether.

The Water Temperature

In a same way that controlling the water temperature is important when using a teapot, it is also important for teabag infusion as well.


Don’t use hot water directly; lower the temperature to the ideal level suited for the tea leaf you have.

For example, 70 to 80 degrees would be the right temperature for a Sencha or a 

Genmaicha.


After the water reaches the optimal temperature, drop the tea leaf into the cup.

Cover the top of the cup

Unlike a teapot, which would usually come with a lid, your cup may not have a cup to keep the tea warm during infusion!


Still, try to cover the top of the cup to keep the temperature from falling. You can use a small dish to do this. Leave it to seep between 30 to 60 seconds, depending on the type of tea)

Pour until the last drop

When you pull the teabag out of the cup, let it drip.
Wait and wait and wait - until it almost stops dripping! As if to seemingly squeeze the water out of the teabag!


This is because the water dripping from the teabag is the richest tea extract. It's a satisfying process, ensuring you pull out as much tea as possible before tossing.

Yuki

Yuki is the Editor-in-Chief AND Community Manager at Tealife. He bleeds Japanese Tea and loves being a part of the Japanese Tea journey of others. Writes, does events, conducts tasting sessions, drinks, drinks and drinks tea! Easily accessible - hit him up on whatsapp (+65) 85882980.

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