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We write about “how much amount of sencha tea leaves (Japanese green tea) is appropriate per 100ml of water” .

It is based on how people do in Japan, also from some books and media in Japan.

Principle (Prerequisite)

Basic info to control flavor of tea is:

• 1 Amino acids 2 Catechin 3 Caffein, those three are major ingredients of making flavor of Japanese green tea.
• Amino acids (Umami/Sweetness) dissolve in water easily
• Catechin (Bitterness/Astringency) dissolve more in water of 80℃ and higher
• Caffein (Bitterness/Freshness) dissolve more in water of 80℃ and higher
• Cup of tea with well-balanced sweetness and bitterness or astringency is considered good.
• Control Amount of Tea leave / Time of infusion / Water temperature to make your favorite taste.

This is basic and simple (rough) explanation.

Brief Summary : 3g-10g Sencha Green Tea to 100ml Water

Roughly speaking, 3-4g sencha per 100ml of water is in the range of standard brewing in Japan ( when using higher water temperature than 70℃ (158 °F )) . Time and temperature depends on personal preference of flavor to make.

More than 5g per 100ml can be too much for brewing with hot water. But lower temperature of water can be good.

10g sencha with 100ml water is good for “iced water brew”. Please see introduction of NHK TV program in the chapter below.

What is Standard of Sencha Green Tea Brewing? (3.5g, 100ml)

As I reviewed a text book issued by Japanese Tea Instructor Association, “standard” of sencha brewing is as a shown in the table below. This is outcome of a research in 1973 and also posted in O-CHANET of World Green Tea Association in Japan.

About Sencha (High) , converting to 100ml of water, it will be 3.5g of tea leaves.

Nowadays, there are more tea varieties than at that time, also people’s preferences are diversified, so that this can be a just reference. However it is still good to follow if you don’t have idea how to brew.

The More Number of People, The Less Amount of Tea Leaves per Person. Tea Leaves Absorb 4 Times Water of Itself.

<For reference>
The text book also said that 4g to 5g in a teapot can be good when brewing for a person.
When brewing for more than 2 persons, 2-3g per person is recommended.
When brewing for many persons, 2g per person is recommended.

(Amount of water is not clearly mentioned but I guess 50ml-80ml per person in a cup).

Please note that tea leaves absorb 4 times water of tea leaf weight in a teapot. If you put 4g of tea leaves in a teapot with 100ml of water, the leaves absorb 16ml of water, only 84ml is come out, theoretically.

How I Brew Sencha Green Tea

I am a Japanese, I drink sencha green tea almost everyday for decades. I usually use sencha green tea leaves from Kyushu since I am from Kyushu and love tea there. (I think the cultivar is Yabukita or blend of Yabukita with other cultivars – I often don’t have chance to make sure)

Local market price is approx 1100JPY- 1300JPY per 100g (always spend time to find high quality tea leaves with good price. It is not easy but the process is fun, anyway )

I use 3g of tea leaves and 150ml of water. This is my daily standard. Steeping time varies depends on temperature of water. If 85 ℃, time is shorter, 70℃ is longer. I change temperature depend on what flavor I want. When temperature is higher, taste is fresher and bitterer. If temperature is lower, taste is milder (feel more umami)

I sometimes put more tea leaves, sometimes put less water. If you understand the character of your tea, you can make various flavors.

Brew 3g Sencha Tea Leaves with 100ml Water (3g, 100ml)

After I saw the question in the title, I tried 3g with 100ml of water, 80 ℃ (approx.) 1 min. It is very strong (bitter, fresh with unami-sweetness in aftertaste) Anyway it tastes good.

Then tired with 4 g leaves, 100 ml water, below/around 70 ℃ (approx.) 2 min. It is strong bitterness and strong umami-sweetness and deeper aftertaste of umami. It may be strongest I can accept. But anyway I still like it.

I think that 10g of Sencha with 100ml is too strong with hot water (above 70℃（158 °F )). I never heard this way of brewing so far.

However, if water temperature is very low, it is possible to make tea with very rich umami taste. In this case, the tea leave should have lots of amino acid (umami) in the leaves, it is prerequisite. Talk about amino acid, in Japan’s standard, simply says, the more amino acid green tea leaves contains the higher grade it is and vice versa.

To Enjoy Umami in Japanese Green Tea leaves. Refer Standard of Gyokuro Brewing (50-60 ℃ )

The following table is “standard of Gyokuro brewing” from the text book. Gyokuro has lots of amino acid (umami) in the leaves. This way of brewing is to fully enjoy(feel) umami in the leaves.

Grade	Tea leaves	Water	Temperature	Time
Gyokuro (High)	10g	60ml	50 ℃ （122 °F ）	2.5 min
Gyokuro (Regular)	10g	60ml	60 ℃ （140 °F ）	2 min

Gyokuro is much more expensive than Sencha.

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“Cold Brew” of Sencha Green Tea (10g, 100ml)

Iced water infusion of sencha greentea was introduced in a TV program of NHK as “It’s summer! Super green tea A new catechin restores immunity!” It is 10g tea leaves with 100ml of iced water, 5 minutes of infusion time. You can read the page with a translation service.

Recent studies shows that sencha green tea brewed with cold water (especially with iced water) has good effect of EGC, epigallocatechin  (Immune-enhancing) and Theanine (Anti- Psychosocial Stress / Relationship Stress) . For the detail information please refer “The Cold Brew of Green Tea! ” in The National Agriculture and Food Research Organization.

The Way to Find Your Favorite Taste

“Standard” is just a reference when you don’t have clue how to brew. Try with the standard way first, then adjust temperature and time til you feel tasty. (Better fix amount of tea leaf and water first – it is easier to find your favorite taste.)

Referece: The tea leaves I used this time is Sonogi Cha.

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