The Art of Cold Brewing Japanese Green Tea

For those who share a keen interest in Japan, anime and J-dramas/movies must have been a gold nugget for learning more about the country’s rich culture. After all, who didn’t try ramen for the first time after watching their favorite character gulp down a hot bowl? Or grab some sushi after seeing the image of a glistening platter of colorful pieces of fish? Aren’t these a little bit cliche, you may ask? It is a question of perspective, I would say. We shouldn’t ignore the fact that some of these have a special place in the lives of the locals. Take Japanese green tea (ocha), for example. Whenever a protagonist enters a place, he is often offered ocha as a form of greeting. And in summer, when he comes home, exhausted from the heat of the day, he immediately goes to the fridge. He opens the door, takes out a jar of cold, oh, sweet cold, green tea, and pours it into a glass to quench his thirst. Doesn’t it make you want to do the same? Ocha holds an essential meaning in the hearts of the Japanese. As we will see down below, it isn’t just a drink, it is a way of life! Summer is just around the corner, so let’s discover what makes ocha so special, and above all, let me share with you the secrets of brewing it cold!

Where it all begins: Camellia Sinensis

First and foremost, we must understand the origins of green tea. Ocha, just like black tea, or any other tea, all come from the same plant, known as Camellia sinensis. A plant that can grow up to 30 feet if left alone, and live more than 100 years when properly cultivated. It requires a combination of good climate, altitude, and soil to grow quality tea leaves. Indeed, the plant usually flourishes at an altitude that ranges between 2000 and 6500 feet. The higher the altitude gets, the finer the quality will be.

This evergreen shrub originates from China and the Northeastern part of India (Assam), where two different varieties can be found: The Camellia Sinensis Sinensis and the Camellia Sinensis Assamica. The former has small leaves and is native to China, Yunnan Province, to be precise. The Sinensis variety has the advantage of leaving a delicate taste, typically found in our dear ocha or white tea. The Assamica, however, was first discovered in Assam, a northeastern state of India, located south of the eastern Himalayas. The leaves are comparatively bigger and have a stronger taste. Because of this, it is often used to make strong black tea.

The legend behind the plant

When it comes to origins, green tea has a lot of legends to offer. One of them is the story of the Indian/Persian sage Daruma (Bodhidharma), the 28th patriarch of Mahayana Buddhism and the founder of Chan Buddhism (precursor of Zen Buddhism). According to the myth, around the 5th to 6th century C.E., Daruma arrived at the Shaolin temple in China, and meditated there for nine long years, incidentally losing his legs while doing so. Upon approaching enlightenment, however, he fell asleep. Unable to contain his frustration and anger, regretful of neglecting his devotions, he cut off his own eyelids and threw them upon the ground. In the spot they fell, a tea plant grew, one which, when made into a beverage, would ward off slumber and allow fellow monks to meditate without any hurdles. 

Another legend credits Emperor Shen Nung (also known as Shen Nong) as the discoverer of tea. The story goes that, in 2737 BC, while the emperor was sitting beneath a tree, his servant was preparing and bringing boiled water. By a twist of fate, just as he was about to fetch the hot drink for his master, some leaves blew from the tree and fell into the water. Shen Nung, being a renowned herbalist, decided to taste the fortuitous concoction. The tree was a Camellia Sinensis, and the newly discovered beverage became tea.

Green tea’s first introduction to Japan

Besides the legends, there is the history of global trade. Let us take a small detour and enlighten our minds as to how the Sinensis variety came to Japan from China. The habit of drinking tea in Chinese culture dates back long before it was even heard of in the West. Evidence suggests that traces of tea could be found in a tomb dating as far back as the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). However, it was during the Tang dynasty (618 AD – 906 AD) that it gained popularity and became the national drink of the country. Buddhist monks also began to harvest and use tea as a natural medicine, using it as an aid to meditation, to strengthen their focus, and to fight sleep.

At the same time, in an era of world trade practices, many monks would travel back and forth to China and/or India to further their knowledge about Buddhism. Among them, the monks Saichō and Kūkai are said to have been the first ones to bring tea seeds from China to Japan, in the early Heian period (794 AD – 1185 AD). In AD 815, another monk named Eichu brewed tea and offered it to Emperor Saga. It is believed that the monk had traveled to China to learn Kissa’s method (drinking tea). The emperor was so pleased with it that he encouraged the cultivation of tea, and the practice of Kissa spread amongst the elite and noble class.

It was only after the return of monk Eisai (founder of the Rinzai school, a branch of Zen Buddhism) from his travels abroad that tea and Kissa became widespread, in 1190. He not only wrote two very successful volumes of the “Kissa Yojoki”, describing the merits of drinking tea, but also discovered a new method of preparing it. Powdering streamed leaves into what we know today as Matcha, and mixing it with hot water with the aid of a bamboo whisk. This newly found method, combined with his Zen lifestyle, heavily influenced the basis of today’s Chado (tea ceremony ~ literal meaning: “the way of tea”). No wonder he is now called the “Father of Tea”!

Different types of Green tea in Japan

Now that we have learned about the origins, let’s dive into some of the diverse varieties of green tea that you could enjoy brewing cold: 

• Matcha: Cultivated using a shade-growing technique, meaning that it was under cover for twenty to thirty days before being harvested. The leaves are then steamed, dried, and finely powdered.
• Sencha: The most popular green tea served in Japan, it makes up around 80% of the country’s production. Contrary to Matcha, it is cultivated under full sunlight. Once they are harvested, the folia are immediately steamed to not only halt the fermentation process, but also to avoid oxidation. After that, the leaves are rolled and dried. Sencha has a refreshing taste with grassy notes.
• Gyokuro: Similarly to Matcha, it is also cultivated using a shading technique, albeit for a shorter time. The leaves are then steamed, dried, and rolled into a needle-like shape. It is considered a prime tea in Japan and has an umami flavor to it. 
• Hojicha: Just like Sensha, it is cultivated in the open fields, where it gets exposed to a lot of sunlight. Once harvested, the folia are steamed, dried, rolled, and then roasted. It is known for its smoky and rustic taste. 
• Genmaicha: This tea has the unique feature of being a mix of green tea and roasted, popped brown rice (genmai). It has a toasted flavor that is combined with hints of sweetness.

Of course, these are just a few to give you an idea, but be creative and try some other varieties as well!

Now, for the best part, let’s get brewing, people!

Method No. 1: Hot Brew over Ice

A simple 5-step method:

1. Brew your tea as you would normally do with hot water.
2. Extract the tea leaves from your chosen crockery, and let the infusion get to room temperature.
3. Once done, put the brew in the fridge for a minimum of 4 to 5 hours.
4. Take the tea out of the fridge and pour it on top of the ice. 
5. Last but not least, enjoy!

Method No. 2: Reicha

 A similar method to the former one, but still quite different and slightly more intricate.

1. Add the tea leaves to your teapot or Kyusu (traditional Japanese teapot).
2. Spout a minimal amount of hot water (around 10 ml per serving) into the vessel.
3. Let the leaves spread.
4. Add ice to the infusion. This step will allow the tea to cool in temperature.
5. Once done, pour water into the mix.
6. Allow it to infuse for 1 minute, and voilà! 

Method No. 3: Mizudashi

The Mizudashi method is one of the easiest. You just need to follow these simple steps:

1. Put the tea leaves inside your teapot.
2. Add cold water to it. 
3. Place your infusion in the fridge and let it steep for a minimum of 4 to 5 hours. For a stronger flavor, let it infuse for longer.

Mizu in Japanese means water. Therefore, as the name suggests, water is the key element for this method.

Method No. 4: Kōridashi

The Kōridashi method, also known as Shinobicha, is best used for high-quality tea like Gyokuro. Kōri means ice, so as you will see below, ice is the pillar of this method.

1. Lay down the ice cubes of filtered water inside your teapot.
2. Place the tea leaves directly on top of the ice cubes.
3. Let it melt and start the infusion on its own.
4. Strain it, pour it into a cup and drink it!

Method No. 5: Latte

All the methods above simply use water, but what if you were craving something creamier, like, for example, a latte? No worries, I have got you covered.

1. First, add ice to a tall glass.
2. Pour your preferred milk on top of it.
3. Whisk your preferred green tea powder with cold, filtered water in a separate bowl.
4. Let it dissolve completely.
5. Add the newly created tea to the glass of iced milk.
6. This will cause a layered effect, but if you prefer, you can also gently stir all the ingredients together to create a smooth and uniform drink.

Method No. 6: Japanese Green Tea Soda

Yes, you have read me right! Now we are going to make Green tea soda. No, it isn’t a weird combination… well, maybe. But even so, the result and the taste will make it worth your while. Just try it!

1. Place your tea leaves inside the teapot.
2. Pour hot water onto them, just enough to cover them.
3. Wait for 1 to 3 minutes, let it infuse.
4. Now pour your favorite carbonated water (it can be flavored – for example, lemon or lime versions go well with green tea).
5. Strain it and top it with ice!

Excellent in all aspects!

Cold brewing methods are not only fun to make and creative, but they also tend to have some additional health benefits compared to hot brewing. Cold brew is far less bitter, as the absence of heat produces less caffeine and catechins. It offers a plethora of vitamins and antioxidants, even more than what you may find in hot tea. And to top it off, it has a smoother taste. Combine all this with Japanese green tea, and here you have the perfect combination for excellent health!

Featured Photo Credit: New Africa

Looking for more ways to beat the heat this Summer? Check out our Summer Food Tours for an unforgettable experience!