Wakoucha Brewing Guide
Japanese black tea, known as Wakoucha, has a long history as an export product - ending up on foreign shores. After fierce competition emerged in the Indian and Chinese tea markets, Japanese black tea vanished from the world stage in the 20th century. Inspired by new production methodologies, it is now returning and while production is still small, it impresses with its soft, sophisticated flavor.
Kettl wakoucha recipe for 1
Gather your tools. In order to brew a traditional serving of wakoucha, you will need:
- A bag of your favorite Kettl Wakoucha
- Tea kettle with boiling water
- A kyusu (teapot)
- One large tea cup
- Digital kitchen scale
- Tea strainer (optional)
Bring your water to a boil.
Pour 220 mL (7.5 ounces) of boiling water into your kyusu.
Pour directly from your kyusu into your serving cup. This preheats the kyusu and your cup.
Dump the preheating water.
Weigh out 5 grams of Kettl wakoucha (or roughly 2 tsp) and add it to your kyusu.
Start a timer and immediately pour a fresh 220ml of water off the boil directly into your kyusu.
When the timer reads 90 seconds pour the brewed tea from your kyusu with a rocking motion through the strainer into your tea cup. Enjoy.
While generally sturdy enough to hold up to milk, sugar and lemon, Japanese black tea offers a lovely soft aroma of spring that can be enjoyed when prepared neat. We are proud to showcase some of the most thoughtful examples of this emerging style of tea and know you’ll find something perfect for both a lazy weekend morning and an afternoon pick-me-up.
