绿茶

Green Tea 绿茶

Green tea is minimally oxidized, preserving the fresh, vegetal character of the tea leaves. The leaves are quickly heated after picking to halt oxidation, resulting in a light, refreshing flavor profile with notes ranging from grassy and marine to nutty and sweet. Green tea is the most produced tea in China, with famous varieties including Longjing (Dragon Well), Biluochun, and Huangshan Maofeng.

17 Varieties
0–5% Oxidation
4 Styles

Processing

Minimal oxidation (0–5%). Leaves quickly heated after picking to preserve freshness.

Character

Fresh, vegetal, grassy, nutty, marine, sweet

Brewing

70–80°C water, shorter steeps. Glass or porcelain ideal.

How to Understand Green Tea

Green Tea is not a single flavor so much as a processing family. In this database it includes 17 teas from Anji County, Dongting Mountain, Huangshan, Anhui, and Qimen County. The shared foundation is that the leaves are halted oxidation through early heat-fixing, so the finished tea keeps a fresh, high-toned profile, but each origin and cultivar pushes that foundation in a different direction.

Across the listed teas, recurring flavor signals include umami, chestnut, fruity, floral, sweet pea, and cucumber. Those notes are a practical starting point for tasting: first identify the dominant family of aromas, then compare body, finish, and brewing tolerance.

Good entry points include Anji Bai Cha (Anji White Tea), Biluochun (Green Snail Spring), Dongting Biluochun, and Huangshan Maofeng. Treat them as reference points rather than final answers. Once you know the reference style, the less famous teas become easier to evaluate because you can tell whether a tea is lighter, roastier, sweeter, more aromatic, or more textural than the benchmark.

When buying green tea, avoid judging only by the broad category name. The same family can include both simple daily drinkers and highly specific regional teas. Look for origin, harvest season, intact leaf, clean aroma, and brewing notes that fit how you actually prepare tea. A lower-priced tea with clear origin and fresh aroma is often more useful than an expensive tea with vague sourcing.

For tasting practice, brew two teas from this category side by side and keep the variables steady: same vessel, same water, same leaf ratio, and short repeated infusions. The differences that appear after the second or third steep are usually the most reliable clues about quality, processing, and whether the tea suits your palate.

More Green Tea to Explore

Green Tea Subcategories

Growing Regions

How to Brew Green Tea

Gongfu Style

Use 4–5g per 100ml, water at 75–80°C. Steep for 20–30 seconds, adding 5 seconds each steep. 4–5 steeps.

Western Style

Use 2g per 200ml, water at 75–80°C. Steep for 2–3 minutes. 2–3 steeps.