Beginner’s Guide to Green Tea: Types, Taste & How to Brew It

Green tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, which are heated shortly after picking to help preserve their fresh flavor and green color.

If your first cup of green tea tasted bitter, don’t give up on it just yet. Green tea can taste grassy, floral, nutty, toasted, or slightly sweet, depending on the variety and how it is brewed.

It’s a lighter choice than black tea and can be enjoyed hot, poured over ice, or served alongside sandwiches and desserts at an afternoon tea party.

In this beginner’s guide, you’ll discover what green tea tastes like, which varieties to try, how to brew it without bitterness, and a few fun ways to enjoy it.

What Does Green Tea Taste Like?

Green tea does not have one single flavor. Some varieties taste fresh and grassy, while others are floral, nutty, earthy, or lightly toasted.

Japanese green teas often have a fresh, grassy, or savory flavor. Chinese green teas tend to be softer, slightly sweet, or nutty because the leaves are usually heated differently.

Jasmine green tea has a floral fragrance, genmaicha tastes warm and toasted, and matcha has a richer, more noticeable green tea flavor.

The fun part is trying a few varieties to see what you enjoy. Don’t judge every green tea by one tea bag—or by one cup that was accidentally left steeping for far too long.

How Is Green Tea Made?

Green, black, white, and oolong tea all begin with leaves from the same tea plant. What makes them different is mainly how the leaves are handled after they’re picked.

Green tea leaves are heated fairly quickly to slow oxidation. Chinese green teas are often heated in a pan or drum, while many Japanese green teas are steamed. The leaves are then shaped and dried.

That’s about as much processing information as you need to enjoy your tea. The important part is that this quick heating helps give green tea its lighter color and fresher flavor.

Black tea is allowed to oxidize longer, which gives it a darker color and stronger taste. You can learn more about those differences in my Beginner’s Guide to Black Tea.

If you prefer a tea that is even lighter and more delicate, my Beginner’s Guide to White Tea is a good one to explore next.

Green Tea Varieties Worth Trying

There are many varieties of green tea, but you certainly don’t need to learn them all at once. Start with one or two that sound appealing and see where your teacup takes you.

Sencha

Sencha is one of the best-known Japanese green teas. It usually has a fresh, grassy flavor and a pale green or yellow-green color.

Try this if: You want to experience a classic Japanese green tea.

Dragon Well

Dragon Well, also called Longjing, is a popular Chinese green tea. It is generally smooth with a slightly sweet, toasted, or nutty flavor.

Try this if: You’re concerned that green tea will taste too grassy.

Jasmine Green Tea

Jasmine green tea is scented with jasmine blossoms, giving it a lovely floral fragrance. The jasmine softens the grassy notes and makes an ordinary cup feel a little more special.

If floral teas appeal to you, take a look at my Beginner’s Guide to Floral Tea or learn more about the flavor and uses of lavender tea.

Try this if: You enjoy fragrant or floral flavors.

Genmaicha

Genmaicha combines green tea with roasted rice. It has a warm, nutty, toasted flavor that is very different from a traditional grassy green tea.

Try this if: You enjoy toasted flavors or want something a little unusual.

Hojicha

Hojicha is a roasted Japanese green tea. It has a reddish-brown color and a smooth, toasted flavor that may remind you slightly of caramel.

Try this if: You want a mellow tea without a strong grassy taste.

Gunpowder Green Tea

Gunpowder green tea gets its name from the leaves, which are tightly rolled into small pellets. It generally has a stronger, slightly smoky flavor.

Try this if: You prefer a green tea with a bolder personality.

Matcha

Matcha is a type of green tea made from leaves ground into a fine powder. Instead of steeping the leaves and removing them, the powder is whisked into water or milk.

Matcha has a stronger flavor than traditionally brewed green tea, but it’s also fun to use in lattes and desserts. My Beginner’s Guide to Matcha Tea can help you learn more about choosing and enjoying it.

Try this if: You like creamy matcha lattes or want to bake with tea.

How to Brew Green Tea Without Bitterness

Green tea’s bitter reputation often comes from using boiling water or letting the tea steep too long.

Here is an easy place to start:

• Use one tea bag or approximately one teaspoon of loose-leaf tea for every 8 ounces of water.
• Heat the water to approximately 170–180°F.
• Steep the tea for 1–3 minutes.
• Remove the tea bag or strain out the leaves.
• Taste before adding anything.

Check the instructions on your package because some delicate green teas taste better with cooler water or a shorter brewing time.

If you don’t have a temperature-controlled kettle, bring the water to a boil and let it sit for a few minutes before pouring it over the tea.

If your green tea still tastes bitter, shorten the steeping time or use fewer leaves. Even one small adjustment can make a big difference.

Take the Guesswork Out of Brewing Tea

Green tea isn’t the only tea that benefits from the right water temperature and steeping time. My free Tea Brewing Guide gives you an easy reference for preparing green, black, white, oolong, and herbal teas.

Print it and keep it near your kettle so you’ll always know where to begin.

Once you know the basic temperature and steeping time for each type of tea, making a good cup becomes much easier. You can adjust from there depending on how light or strong you like your tea.

Tea Bags or Loose-Leaf Green Tea?

Both tea bags and loose-leaf tea can make an enjoyable cup.

Tea bags are convenient, easy to find, and a simple way to begin. Loose-leaf tea gives the leaves more room to open and may offer a wider variety of flavors.

If you are new to green tea, start with whichever option feels easiest. Once you find a variety you like, try both a tea-bag and loose-leaf version to see if you notice a difference.

Loose tea should be kept away from heat, light, moisture, air, and strong kitchen odors. My guide to storing loose-leaf tea will help you keep it fresh.

What Can You Add to Green Tea?

I recommend tasting your green tea plain before adding anything. This gives you a chance to notice its natural flavor first.

If you want to dress it up, try:

• A small spoonful of honey
• A squeeze or slice of lemon
• Fresh mint
• Sliced peaches or berries
• A splash of fruit juice
• A little sugar or your favorite sweetener

Milk is less common in lighter green teas, but there are no tea police in Candiland. If you enjoy milk in your tea, add it. It works especially well in matcha and stronger flavored green tea blends.

Start with a small amount of any addition so you don’t cover up the delicate flavor of the tea.

Enjoying Green Tea Hot or Iced

Green tea is just as enjoyable cold as it is hot.

To make a quick iced green tea, brew it slightly stronger and pour it over a glass filled with ice. Add lemon, mint, cucumber, peaches, or berries for extra flavor.

For something more colorful, my Hibiscus Green Tea Spritzer combines green tea with hibiscus, grape juice, fruit, and optional sparkling water. It’s a pretty drink for brunch, a spring tea party, or a warm afternoon.

You can also prepare green tea using a cold-brew method. Add the tea to cold water, refrigerate it for several hours, and strain it before serving. My guide to making cold-brew tea walks you through the process.

When Is the Best Time to Drink Green Tea?

There isn’t one correct time to drink green tea. It depends on your schedule, the tea you choose, and how sensitive you are to caffeine.

Traditional green tea makes a nice morning or early-afternoon drink. Its lighter flavor works well with breakfast, a small lunch, or an afternoon treat when you don’t want a stronger black tea.

It is also a lovely option for a garden tea party. You could serve jasmine green tea with tea sandwiches and small desserts or offer it alongside black and herbal teas so your guests have several choices.

Because green tea contains caffeine, you may prefer to drink it earlier in the day. If you want a naturally caffeine-free evening drink, explore the options in my Beginner’s Guide to Herbal Tea.

What to Serve With Green Tea

Green tea pairs well with foods that won’t overpower its lighter flavor.

Try serving it with:

• Lemon or almond cookies
• Shortbread
• Fresh fruit
• Tea sandwiches
• Lightly flavored scones
• Madeleines
• Small cakes or cupcakes
• Matcha desserts

For something a little different, my Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies combine the earthy flavor of matcha with sweet chocolate chips. They would be fun for a green-themed tea party or spring dessert tray.

More Ways to Enjoy Matcha

If you enjoy the flavor of green tea but want something creamier, try making an Iced Matcha Latte. It’s a simple way to make a coffee-shop-style drink at home.

For a fruity version, the layers in this Iced Blueberry Matcha Latte make it almost too pretty to stir—almost.

You can also use culinary matcha in cookies, cakes, and other desserts. Matcha pairs particularly well with vanilla, lemon, strawberry, blueberry, and white chocolate.

Fun Facts About Green Tea

Green tea has been enjoyed for centuries, but there are still a few things about it that might surprise you.

• Green and black tea come from the same tea plant. Their different colors and flavors come mainly from how the leaves are processed.
• A cup of green tea isn’t always green. It may be pale yellow, golden, light green, or reddish-brown, depending on the variety.
• Jasmine green tea gets its fragrance from jasmine blossoms, but the tea underneath is usually still green tea.
• Matcha is green tea in powdered form. Because the powder is whisked into the drink, there are no leaves to remove afterward.
• Some loose-leaf green teas can be steeped more than once. The second cup may taste softer or reveal flavors you didn’t notice in the first one.
• Genmaicha contains roasted rice, which gives the tea its recognizable toasted flavor and appearance.
• The first Japanese green tea harvest of the season is known as shincha, meaning “new tea.”
• Green tea is popular in both hot and iced drinks. It can also be flavored with fruit, flowers, mint, citrus, or spices.

Green tea has much more variety than its name suggests. You might prefer a floral jasmine tea one day, a toasted genmaicha the next, and an iced matcha latte when you want something that feels more like a treat.

Does Green Tea Have Caffeine?

Yes, green tea naturally contains caffeine, although the amount varies depending on the tea, serving size, and brewing method.

An 8-ounce cup of brewed green tea commonly contains approximately 30–50 milligrams of caffeine. That is generally less than a typical cup of brewed coffee, but green tea is not caffeine-free.

Decaffeinated green tea is available, although it may still contain a small amount of caffeine. If you want to avoid caffeine completely, check the package carefully or choose an herbal tea made without green or black tea leaves.

Choosing Your First Green Tea

If you aren’t sure where to begin, start with flavors you already enjoy.

• Choose Dragon Well if you like smooth, slightly nutty flavors.
• Choose jasmine green tea if you enjoy floral tea.
• Choose genmaicha or hojicha if you prefer toasted flavors.
• Choose sencha if you want to try a classic Japanese green tea.
• Choose matcha if you like creamy lattes or want to bake with tea.
• Choose a fruit-flavored green tea if you want an easy introduction.

A small tea sampler is often more useful than buying a large package of one variety. You can try several flavors and decide which one deserves a permanent place in your tea cupboard.

Green Tea FAQs

Find a Green Tea You Enjoy

You don’t need special equipment or a cupboard filled with expensive tea to begin exploring green tea.

Choose one variety that sounds good, use water below boiling, and remember to set the timer. Once you find a tea you enjoy, you can drink it hot, pour it over ice, serve it at a tea party, or pair it with something sweet from the kitchen. Until next time, keep life sweet—one cup at a time.