Gyokuro tea bags, made simple
Gyokuro tea bags put Japan's shade-grown "jade dew" tea into a form you can steep at a desk. The leaves come from Uji, where the bushes are shaded for 20 days before the leaves are picked by hand. Shading keeps more L-theanine and chlorophyll in the leaf, which gives gyokuro its deep umami and subtle sweetness. Each plant-based bag holds 3 g of tea, and there are 15 to a box.
The one rule: cool water
Many green tea bags put up with a hot kettle. Gyokuro does not. Water at 122 to 140°F, well below a simmer, keeps the sweetness and holds back bitterness. Steep one bag in 8 ounces for 2 to 3 minutes. An easy way to get there without a thermometer: fill your mug halfway with just-boiled water, top it up with cool tap water, and let it stand a minute. That lands close to 140°F.
Japanese gyokuro tea bags or loose leaf
The bags are for convenience: one mug, one bag, nothing to strain. A bag can be steeped again for a lighter second cup. If you want to taste gyokuro at its slowest, in a small pot over several infusions, choose our gyokuro loose leaf tea. For a brisker everyday bag, try our sencha tea bags.
