Green Teas

Moody Teas offers a variety of green teas, in both strict and blend forms. Green teas come from the Camellia sinensis plant, typically the sinensis varietal. This type of tea is a smaller leafed variety said to originate in China.

While black and white teas are also made from the Camellia sinensis, what makes green tea different is the processing method. During production, green teas are picked and immediately heated to prevent any oxidization, which gives them their green color and adds fresh, grassy, vegetal, sweet, or even seaweed like flavors, depending on the tea. Typically, green teas are steamed or roasted, cooled, processed (rolled, or cut), dried, and processed again.

Within green teas there are many different varieties, varying depending on what time of year it was plucked, how the plant was pruned, what part of the leaf is plucked, what kind of heat is applied in processing, how it is rolled, and if the leaves are cut or whole. A green tea flavor also depends on the “terroir” or environment the tea is produced in. Is it cool or warm, mountainous or tropical? Do the plants live next to stone, trees, sand or seaweed? Do the tea plants grow near other plants that might affect their flavor, like roses, coffee plants or grapes? All these subtle aspects contribute to the many different flavors of green tea, including dragonwell and gunpowder (Chinese) or sencha, hojicha, genmaicha, gyokuro, and matcha (Japanese).

Green Teas are fresh, grassy, and contain slightly less caffeine than black tea varieties. Green teas brew between 160-180 degrees (f) for anywhere from 30 seconds to – 3 minutes. Use about 1-1.5 teaspoons of tea per 8 ounces of hot water, double for iced teas or cold brews.

Learn more about each type of green tea Moody Teas offers below!