Green tea from Schmidt: Simply unique!

Green tea and its history

Green tea is where it all started. 4,000 years ago in China, people simply put green, unfermented tea leaves in a container, poured hot water over them and enjoyed the delicious taste and energy-giving powers. Monks took green tea to Japan, where it not only became a popular drink, but also part of what is probably the world's most famous tea ceremony.

Today, China is the world champion in the production and export of green tea. In Japan, green tea also accounts for the majority of tea production, but the Japanese mostly consume it themselves. Only a fraction of the delicious tea is exported worldwide. Meanwhile, other tea countries also produce green tea, but relatively little compared to Japan and China.
 

Green tea and its origin

All teas come from one of two origin tea plants: Thea assamica and Thea sinensis. Over the centuries, these plants have been crossed countless times, bred under special circumstances, and modified, so that today we have an almost endless number of tea varieties, all of which taste different and can also be prepared in different ways. Black teas are usually obtained from cultivars of the Assam seed plant, while the China seed plant is more suitable for the finer green and white teas. The latter grows at very high altitudes and can tolerate light frost.

This means that there are no special tea plants for green, black or white tea. This is because it’s not the plant itself that is responsible for the "colour" of the tea, but the growing conditions and processing after harvest. In order for the tea to become black, its leaves are fermented after harvest.

White tea becomes "white" only if it is picked at a very specific time. For green tea, the leaves must be treated in a special way immediately after harvest to stop fermentation. So, different types of tea from one plant would be possible in principle, but with the experience of thousands of years, we know which tea plant is best for which type of tea.
 

Green tea and its production

Green tea owes its name, of course, to the colour in the cup. In order for it to glow beautifully rich green in all its different shades, the leaves have to form a large amount of chlorophyll as they grow. For this reason, the tea plants that will later be used to make green tea are shaded in the tea gardens to stimulate the production of the pigment. In contrast, plants for black tea are exposed to the sun, without any shade.

Harvesting is the same as for other teas, and only two leaves (the freshest) and a bud are harvested. Just one hour after harvesting, the picked tea leaves produce enzymes that trigger fermentation. But because green tea is an unfermented tea, this must not happen.  - Therefore, tea leaves for green tea are blanched immediately after harvesting, stopping the oxidation process.

The leaves are then rolled, dried and sieved. In addition to its colour, this procedure allows green tea to retain more of its aroma, flavour, vitamins and caffeine, than its black counterpart. 
 

Japanese and Chinese green tea

If you are already a tea connoisseur, then you know that green tea from Japan differs in taste from Chinese green tea. This is because of the different tea plants that grow in each country but also because of the different fermentation processes.  Japanese green tea varieties are treated with hot steam for about two minutes after harvesting.

In China, on the other hand, the tea is exposed to direct heat. The fresh tea leaves are swirled in hot vessels, pots, drums or pans for about thirty seconds, giving them a more  astringent flavour than the subtle Japanese varieties. And that’s why green tea from Japan is seen as special and therefore more expensive, but as with everything else, it’s all a matter of taste. 
 

Green tea - preparation

There are two important things in the preparation of green tea that affect the taste - the temperature and the brewing time. You can experiment to find the optimal flavourful treat for you. Here are a few tips:
 

  Optimal water temperature for green tea:

This is between 60° and 80°C for pure green tea like our "Sunlight". Here, the rule of thumb is that the higher the quality of the tea, the lower the temperature should be. In a pot with an open lid, freshly boiled water cools to about 80°C within ten minutes. Tea blends with fruit can also be brewed with 100°C water.
 

  Green tea brewing time:

Depending on the variety, this can be as little as 30 seconds or as long as three minutes - finer varieties of green tea will not become bitter even then. Pro-tip: A green tea has reached the end of its infusion time when the leaves have risen or sunk to the bottom of the pot or cup.
 

  How much tea should I use?

You can enjoy our green teas with one teaspoon per cup (150 ml). However, feel free to try other measurements to find what works best for you!
 

  Green tea without sugar and milk:

To get to know the taste of green tea fully, we recommend that you don’t add milk or sugar. If you can't do without sweeteners, go for honey rather than sugar or a squeeze of lemon will give your green tea an extra kick.
 

Caffeine in green tea

The most important ingredient in tea is caffeine - formerly also called teein or tein - and the amino acid theanine. In coffee, the caffeine is, so to speak, free; in tea, the two substances caffeine and theanine are linked together. As a result, the caffeine in tea has a different effect than in coffee. Caffeine in tea affects the autonomic nervous system and the energy kick does not flatten out again as quickly as with caffeine in coffee. Caffeine in coffee causes the adrenal cortex to release adrenaline and the energy boost comes quickly and doesn’t last very long.

Our green tea is a special tea treat, so order your favourite today and dive into a world of extraordinary taste!