How To Make Green Tea Taste Good? 7 Unmissable Tips!

Are you one of those who would love to sip on green tea, but for its taste? After all, none of you are unaware of its range of benefits but wouldn’t want to sip it because of its ‘tasteless taste.’ So, is there a way to make it taste good? Assuredly, there are a couple! In this post, we will tell you how to make green tea taste good and answer some of the most prominent queries that you may have. 

For starters, you may know already that adding a couple of condiments can make it taste better or bearable. But you would be surprised to know that it is the quality of tea leaves and the type of water you use also affects its taste. We will give you some more details. Scroll down this post for the same – 

How to make green tea taste good naturally? 

For those looking to improve the taste of your green tea, here are a couple of tips –  

Tip 1 – Look for a purer variety of green tea 

pure variety of green tea
Image Credit: Green DNA

Let us tell you one fact for a lifetime – quality always begets quality! Though there are multiple claims about those green tea bags/ premix tea bags providing the perfect flavor – that is far from the truth. If you truly wish to enjoy the taste of green tea, always remember 2 things – first, get premiere-quality loose tea leaves. Second, use a few leaves and have a higher infusion time. 

Tea bags contain broken tea leaves that do not allow the expansion of these to perfect the flavor. On the contrary, loose tea leaves get the room to expand and thereby bring that perfect flavor to your cup. 

In terms of options, you may choose from – the Chinese variety (pan-fried to enhance its nutty flavor), the Matcha green variety (packed with antioxidants and caffeine, thereby emanating a sweet flavor), or the Japanese variety (it is enabled with the traditionally complex umami taste). 

Tip 2 – You must know how to brew the tea correctly 

how to make green tea taste good 1
Image Credit: Emily Han

This is one of the crucial points that you must remember – to know how to brew the tea properly to make it taste good! For starters, do not use boiling water to brew your green tea. When you use boiling water, the tannins in the green tea leaves oxidize and leave you with a bitter aftertaste. Additionally, it destroys the amino acids and catechins that are present in the green tea. So, what is the ideal temperature? Let us help you with that – 

Since most kettles come with a pre-installed temperature system, keep the brewing temperature between 160-180 degrees Fahrenheit. If yours does not have a temperature system, go in for a thermometer or a thermostat to monitor the temperature. In case you are not armed with anything, just note that time when there are tiny bubbles on the water’s surface. It comes just before the water reaches the boiling point. 

For the record, the steep time of green tea is set within a minimum of 30 seconds to a maximum of 3 minutes. In the initial couple of seconds, give it a basic taste. After that, you can continue steeping it for a maximum of 3 minutes, within which the flavor will become smooth. 

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Your tasty green tea is ready! Now go on to include a couple of more tips on ways to improve its taste! 

Tip 3 – Adding on a bit of flavor 

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Image Credit: SteptoHealth

You have changed the tea’s variety, and now you have figured out how to brew it the correct way. But what if, beyond that, you are searching for ways of how to make green tea taste good? We’ll give you one right away – add a couple of add-ons to your tea! What’s that? We’ll tell you – 

If you wish your green tea to taste different, you can infuse it with your choicest fruit zest (primarily citric fruits since that helps elevate the earthiness of its taste). So, you may add – green apple, lime, orange, or grapefruit zest to your green tea. 

Apart from that, you can add a handful of any chosen spices to enhance the taste of your so-called ‘healthy but bitter’ green tea! Ground spices like cinnamon, mace, cardamom seeds, star anise, ginger cloves, and nutmeg automatically amplify the flavor of your green steeped brew. 

Did you know that infused berries work perfectly well with green tea? Well yes! You can try that as well! From extracts of edible floral petals and vanilla to raspberry tarts to food-safe essential oils – you have a plethora to choose from! 

Tip 4 – A herbal infusion is a great idea 

how to make green tea taste better
Image Credit: Getty Images

Here is another pro tip to make your green tea taste better than its usual vegetal sip – infusing it with herbs. Rather than buying herbal green teas, you can infuse organic herbs in your tea. 

The most opted ones are rosemary and peppermint (you may choose your favorite). Take a leaf or two and wash them well. After that, throw them in a pot of boiling water (the one you use for the tea). Let the flavor seep in for 10-15 minutes, then throw out the leaves. Pour in your green tea and brew it normally (lower the heat). 

You can also use two herbs at the same time. Say you combine peppermint and spearmint and follow the same process. 

Tip 5 – You can also cold brew your green tea 

cold brew green tea
Image Credit: Kawashimaya

If you are wondering how to make your green tea taste good, but differently and uniquely – try the cold brew format! Alternatively known as iced tea format (yes, it’s not only coffee that you can have cold) – in this case, you will simply have to – add 2 teaspoons (or your preferred quantity depending on the thickness you prefer) and an appropriate amount of water to a pot. Then, brew it normally (as mentioned above). Bring it to room temperature. After that, refrigerate it overnight. You will find the tea to have infused completely. 

If you do not wish to brew the tea, then simply get a tea infuser. Fill it up with tea leaves and put it in cold water. Refrigerate overnight.  

While serving, add ice cubes (optional) and a slice of lemon. You may add a piece or two of freshly grated ginger to amplify the taste. 

Tip 6 – Ever heard of blending with other varieties? 

blend different varieties of green tea
Image Credit: Plum Deluxe

Exactly!! That’s how you get better-tasting green tea! There are 2 ways of blending green tea. We will discuss both. 

For starters, you can blend one type of green tea with another. Say you have chosen the traditional Chinese green tea. You can combine it with the Japanese variety. While the Chinese variety is pan-fried with a floral note, the Japanese variety is fuller with an oceanic taste. Combine the green tea leaves and brew by the methods mentioned above. 

The second way of blending is – choosing a variety that is infused previously with ingredients like – natural fruits, blooms, herbs, or nuts. If that is not good enough for you, combine it with – herbal (lavender, orange, vanilla, almond, mint) flavored teas.

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Tip 7 – Adding a dash of honey or lemon always works! 

green tea with honey and lemon
Image Credit: Godrej

The last resort to making your green tea taste better is – one that always works: either adding a dash of lemon or adding a teaspoon of honey to it. Let’s start with honey. It is a natural sweetener, is suitable in moderate quantities even for diabetics, is packed with antioxidants, and balances the taste between bitter and sweet. Hence, this can be your perfect recipe for a better-tasting green tea. 

If you are a fan of a bit of tang, then lemon is the one to pick! Lemons for centuries have been adding flavor to a host of dishes, and they give the perfect kick to your green tea! Rather than adding the lemon juice directly to the tea, you can infuse it. This is how – 

Cut 2 pieces of lemon and put them in a glass jar along with boiling water. Let it sit overnight. You will find the lemon has thoroughly been infused into the water. Use this water for prepping the tea. 

Now that you have figured out how to make green tea taste good and may apply any of the given formats, ensure that you follow these tips and get a better sip than before! 

However, before you switch tabs to check out the latest available variety of green tea, let us share with you the Chinese way of creating this tea that enhances its taste compared to its original vegetal sip. 

The Gongfucha method of making green tea 

gongfucha method of green tea
Image Credit: Mandala Tea

For those who are unaware, this is a traditional Chinese format of tea-making. Apart from green tea, you can make other varieties of tea as well with this method. In this case, we will explain to you how to make green tea taste good with this method – 

Step 1

Take a teapot (ceramic or yixing clay) and cups of the same variety. 

Step 2

Take tea leaves (up to 2 teaspoons), depending on the size of the tea leaves. Heat the water and leave the leaves to infuse it for 5-10 seconds.  

Step 3

This is the first time. Again, infuse the tea leaves for another 5-10 seconds. Now pour the tea. What happens in this case is, through multiple infusions, the taste of the tea becomes milder. 

Keep repeating this process if you want a milder and better taste. The more the infusions, the better the taste. 

Final words 

Assuming you have read this article well, you now have a detailed idea about how to make green tea taste good. You may use any of the given methods (whichever suits your taste) and ensure that your green tea tastes like none other! If you have any specific way up, please share it with us in the comments section. For more exciting content like this, keep checking this website! 

FAQ 

1. What does green tea generally taste like? 

For lovers of tea, green tea tastes a little grassy and mild in nature. Also, depending upon the type of tea leaves you get, it may taste from astringent to floral with even nutty undertones. If you are in for some flavor, you may opt for strawberry, vanilla, or even orange-flavored ones! 

2. Can you add milk to green tea?

Generally, milk is not added to green tea, but at times, especially if you wish to have matcha lattes, you may add a dash of milk to your green tea. Also, there is no rule of not adding milk to green tea, so you may add it. 

3. Is matcha tea different from green tea? 

For the unversed, matcha tea is a much stronger version of green tea since it is made of the whole leaf. In contrast, green tea is curated out of an infusion. Therefore, there might be a subtle (at times pronounced depending on the quality of tea leaves) difference in terms of taste.