The Chinese encyclopedia of teas lists 138 distinct green tea varieties, of which there are more than 12,500 subgroups!

Green teas are picked and quickly dried by heating. The methods of heating vary from steaming to pan firing, Japanese teas such as the Sencha is a great example of the steaming method, while most Chinese Greens are fired. Our Silver leaf, in the Chinese method produces a less veggie tasting and more mellow and lighter in taste. This is our lowest caffeine content of our teas. Rooibos, also known as Red Bush is caffeine free but Rooibos is a herbal tea (real tea =Camellia Sinensis).

According to Traditional Chinese Medicne, green tea; Clears the Head, Refreshes The Mind, Relieves Thirst and Restlessness, Resolves Phlegm and fatty deposits, Promotes Digestion, Activates Blood. Opens the acupuncture channels. Its nature is Cooling, and acts as a diuretic and astringent. Japanese and European studies indicate perceived benefits; Reduces the Effects of Cigarette Smoking May Prevent Oral Cancer, may Prevent Rheumatoid Arthritis, anti-inflammatory, reduces pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of joint function, prevent tooth decay, works better than the antibiotic tetracycline.

For kombucha brewing the kombucha mushrooms tend to be clearer and thinner than the traditional black tea brew. Green tends to produce a higher ratio of Gluconic to Acetic acid. The result is it will not sour quite the same as black but the acidity will still be comparable. Green tea is usually seeped quickly to avoid becoming too bitter. Water for Silver Leaf green tea, should be around 80C to 85C (176F to 185F) and steeped for only about 5 minutes. If your kombucha brew tends to be flat switching to green tea helps to re-establish the sparkling nature of fine kombucha

Suggested use: use one level spoonful (3 grams) per cup of water. Makes about 40 cups of tea. For kombucha brewing use 2-3 spoonfuls (15 grams) per quart of water. There are roughly 30 grams per ounce. Each 4-ounce package makes about 8-10 gallons of tea. Steeping time remains a personal preference but when brewing kombucha a longer steep time releases more sterols, which in turn favor, the yeasts over the bacteria. Since kombucha brewing is a balancing act a long steep time favors the yeasts, short steep time favors the bacteria side of the equation.

The polyphenolic group that is most reactant during the enzymatic fermentation of fresh green leaves to black tea leaves are the catechins (26). Green tea has a much higher catechin content than black tea. As a result, green tea may have more anti-microbial activity than black tea (27). Kodama et al. demonstrated that crude catechins may be useful in the prevention of some bacterial plant diseases (28). The catechin fraction of black tea, at about 0.4 mg/ml, was shown to be anti-microbial against Streptococcus mutans, related to dental carries found in human teeth (25)

Green teas tend to produce bitter brews if steeped over 5 minutes. Our premium grade White Tea, (White Teas are in the category of Green Tea) do not become bitter and may be steeped 15 minutes or more similar to Black Teas. Our Pu-erh Teas (a category of Black Tea) may be steeped until the cows come home and rarely loose their natural sweetness - but they do become very strong! Additional information on package and accompanying booklet. Some research indicates Green tea can lower blood pressure and may reduce weight. The opposite effect what one expects from brewing kombucha with Black.

Many folks find combining teas into their own blends as well as adding pieces of fresh or dried fruit and herbs; Hawthorne, Elderberries, Wolfberries, Ginseng, to name just a few. We recommend Harald Tietze (herbalist, kombucha enthusiasts) book as he offers hundreds of wonderful flavorful and healthy combinations.

A home decaffeinate water-process: Immerse the tea in one cup of boiling water. Wait 30 seconds and remove the tea. Discard that water. Now use the tea in your regular water. 80% of caffeine is naturally extracted in hot water within the first 30 seconds. It is debated the role or benefit that caffeine plays in our lives as well as that in the life of the kombucha. Most kombucha brewers believe that some caffeine is necessary for kombucha brewing. True, depending upon the balance of the kombucha ferment and the lenght of the ferment some of the caffeine will be reduced.