Korean Style Celadon Porcelain Tea Set - Crane & Cloud Design 11.8oz (350ml) Ceramic Teapot with Side Handle, Cups, Saucers & Cooling Pitcher - Complete Tea Ceremony Gift Set for Home, Office & Traditional Tea Parties

How to Brew a Cup of Korean Green Tea There are a few prerequisites to a good cup of green tea, and everything from the quality of water and tea, and the temperature of the water, to when the tea is added to the pot, or how long the tea is steeped, can influence the final result. When preparing tea for drinking, oolong teas are made using hot water, while that used for black tea should be virtually boiling. The water used for green tea should be much cooler, never more than 80 degrees Centigrade (176 degrees Fahrenheit). For high quality green tea, it is important to steep the tea in water that is about 50-60 degrees Centigrade (122-140 degrees Fahrenheit). This is to suppress catechin and activate the amino acids that are the key to green tea's refreshing taste. Generally, low grade quality green tea (most of tea bags) should be steeped in water that is heated to 70-80 degrees Centigrade (158-176 degrees Fahrenheit); this is lower than other teas, so as to minimize its bitter taste. If the water is too hot, or is allowed to remain too long on the leaves, the finest taste is lost and the bitter elements emerge. When preparing tea, add 50 cc of water (it should be boiled and then cooled to 50-60 degrees Centigrade) to 2 grams of tea per person, and let it sit for 1-2 minutes before drinking. In order to prepare green tea in Korean way, we use a tea set usually consisting of a tea pot, three or five cups that are smaller than the English variety but larger than the little Chinese ones. In addition there is a large bowl for cooling the boiled hot water, with a lip for pouring the cooled water into the empty pot. The water in this large bowl is also used for warming the pot and cups before placing tea.