Green Kukicha

[Kunkali]

I recently bought a green kukicha from den's and was curious about how to brew it. High temps? Long steeping time? Because it's all stems I don't feel it should be brewed like other greens but I'm just not sure what to do with it.

[Chip]

Welcome to the forum. Please say hi and tell us a little about yourself under Introductions.

Like many greens, you can adjust it to taste. Seems a little more heat is OK.

I go 1 gram per ounce water, smaller steeps than your normal 8 ounces. I seem to be hovering around 5 ounces for most Japanese greens.

175* in an unheated kyusu for 60 seconds is the norm. I will do that or if I happen to preheat the kyusu ... then 165ish* for 60 seconds.

You should get multiple steeps.

2nd 170ish for up to 30 sec
3rd 175-180 for 60 ish sec.
4th 185-19- for 2 ish min
5th boiling water for whatever.

Kukicha can be brewed pretty casually if the mood strikes ... or more paying attention to detail if you want to make the most of it.

[Kunkali]

I'm going to have to wait to get my electric kettle in the mail before trying those temperatures. I've been drinking kukicha every night for the past few nights so maybe I'm getting used to the vegetal flavor...but tropical breeze I haven't gotten yet. any suggestions on a good quality kukicha? Mine from den's seems to have a lot of particles.

Is green kukicha more healthy than brown kukicha?

[Chip]

Brown ... or roasted kukicha is purported to have even lower caffeine than green kukicha which is purported to have lower caffeine than all leaf Japanese greens such as sencha.

I would think the greener the better as far as health benefits. Some might argue this point.

Kukicha tends to have a lot of particles since it is a byroduct tea. I recently had shincha kukicha from Rishi that was very clean, but I am not seeing this one on their site presently.

As long as you are brewing for a minute, the particles should not be a huge factor.

[Kunkali]

How do you drink kukicha in a gaiwan and avoid getting all the small leaf leftovers (they kind of become a green mush in water) and the smaller stems from getting in your mouth?

[Chip]

I don't actually. I generally use a kyusu. Houji-kukicha I usually brew in an old Japanese glazed pot since it can impart roastiness into clay.