Green tea is the oldest tea type, often associated by the founding myth of the discovery of tea by the divine Emperaro Shen Nong who is said to have discovered tea when leaves accidentally fell into boiling water in 2737 BC.
From China, green tea gradually spread throughout East Asia—most notably to Japan—and today it is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide. Its popularity comes from its delicate, slightly bitter, fresh, and vegetal flavour. But what gives green tea its distinctive character?
The steps in producing Green Tea
In green tea processing, the key distinction from other tea types is the effort to keep the leaf as unchanged as possible, while preventing its degradation.
There are two widely used approaches to processing green tea: the Chinese method and the Japanese method.
Plucking
Green tea production begins with carefully hand‑picked young leaves—the bud and the first one or two leaves. The highest‑grade green teas are harvested during the year’s first flush, when new spring shoots are rich in nutrients stored over winter. These early leaves naturally hold elevated levels of L‑theanine, the amino acid responsible for green tea’s smooth, savory umami depth.
In Japan, the leaves are shaded a few weeks before harvest to increase the chloroplasts and chlorophyll leves in the leaves, turning them deep greeen. The reduced light also boosts carotene and carotenoid levels to help capture what little energy is available, which increase the concentration of aminoacids, espcially L-theamine.
Whithering
In Chinese green‑tea processing, the leaves are briefly withered right after picking to soften them for shaping, though any delay before the next step increases oxidation and reduces their fresh, vegetal character.
In contrast, Japanese green‑tea producers typically skip the withering stage and move the leaves quickly to the next processing step.
Fixing
Oxidation is the natural process that causes freshly picked tea leaves to slowly turn brown, shifting their bright, vegetal green‑tea flavours toward the fruitier, floral, or malty notes typical of oolong and black teas.
To prevent this from happening, heat is applied to deactivate the enzymes responsible for oxidation. This step can be done with steam (Japanease method) or with dry heat (Chinese method).
Fixation (Chinese-style method)
In traditional Chinese green‑tea processing, leaves are heated in woks that are fired with wood or coal. This direct‑heat fixation not only stops oxidation but also gives the teas their characteristic roasty, toasty, and nutty notes.
The leaves are handled in small batches. For flat‑style teas, the leaves are briefly pressed against the hot pan, then stirred back and forth to shape and dry them. For curly‑style teas, the leaves are hand‑rolled and continuously stirred until they are fully dried.
Long Jing (Lung Ching), Huang Shan Mao Feng, and Anji Bai Cha are a few examples of well‑known green teas produced in China.
Fixation (Japanease-style method)
In contrast, Japanese green teas are fixed using steam. Exposing the leaves to hot vapor stops oxidation while keeping their natural freshness intact. This technique produces a brighter green liquor and a flavor profile that leans more toward vegetal notes.
This steaming step is used to make well‑known Japanese green teas such as Sencha and Gyokuro.
Rolling
This stage involves rolling the leaves to gently break their cell walls and release the aromatic oils they contain. The motion also helps push out excess moisture, especially from the thicker stems and veins, so the leaf material dries more evenly.
Drying
After rolling, the leaves are spread out in a thin layer and either sun‑dried or exposed to warm air until they reach the proper moisture level. This step stabilizes the aromas released during rolling and ensures the leaves are dry enough to prevent mold and preserve quality.
Conclusion
Green tea’s character is defined by the care taken to keep the leaves as close to their natural state as possible. Chinese dry‑heat fixation adds roasty depth, while Japanese steam fixation produces a vivid green liquor with more vegetal flavours.
