Green Teas Light or Dark

[Deleted User #23791]

Are some green teas lighter or darker in color than others? I've only tried a few and they all seem to be a sort of light brown. If there are gradiation in color, does that affect the taste? If so how?

[brandon]

The leaf or the brewed tea is brown? There is certainly a huge gradation in colors, from green and white in Bi Luo Chun to very dark forest green in gyokuro. I am not sure where you are seeing brown, that is not typical in fresh, unroasted green tea.

[Chip]

High grade Long Jing, Dragon Well, can look pretty light green in leaf while lesser grades that have been over fired to improve a lower grade leaf may appear somewhat brown. This can translate in darker or more brown brew as well.

Japanese green is virtually never brown unless it is roasted.

Generally, Chinese greens can appear more on the brown side than Japanese greens.

[Deleted User #23791]

I'm talking about the brewed tea. I do have some Hojicha which is also a very brownish leaf.

[gingkoseto]

Some green teas naturally look greener than some others. For the same kind of tea, very often, when it gets old, it gets paler and browner.

For example, these are contrasts between a new and an old liu an gua pian (melon seeds).







Melon seeds have relatively longer shelf life. The old melon seeds, I won't treat guests with it, but I am so thrifty that I still drink it from time to time Some other green teas get "old" and browner much faster.

[Salsero]

Beautiful educational post, Gingko. Thanks!

[Wesli]

Good green tea can range from a mostly clear-green, to a deep, dark, opaque green, like this:

[Jack_teachat]

The only green tea that I've had which came out somewhat brown was a low-grade Chun Mee, which, as Chip stated, was probably the result of over-firing.

Great pics gingko!

Jack