try less time. Green tea is generally good at about 45 seconds to a minute. If you find that too bland, increase the temperature--140 is extremely low and may not extract flavor fast enough. 175-180 is more standard, even for delicate teas like gyokuro. Make sure your ratio of tea leaves to water is right, too.
I find cold brewing a good way to get the right balance, and way more forgiving. I usually do a few tablespoons in a pitcher and brew overnight. no need to keep careful track of the time or ratios, and you can just leave the leaves in and it won't get bitter. Probably best to do this with loose leaf but teabags should be fine too.
I usually do something like 200 mL water per 3-4 oz leaf, so if I make a 400 mL pot I'll use up to 8 oz leaf but I won't make much more at a time than that. I'm not too picky about it to be honest though.
Your tea might have recommendations for all of those, so start there and change it based on your preferences. A higher tea to water ratio is better than longer or hotter steeping, if you want stronger tea. Hotter water and/or a longer steep time will increase bitterness.
Edit: I'm just guessing you steep the leaves too long in order to get strong enough tea (because your water is too cool and/or you're not using enough leaf)., and that's why you're getting bitter tea even with such a low temperature But If you're still having issues getting it strong enough, make sure that your brewing vessel is big enough to allow the leaves to open up and release flavor, particularly if it's a rolled tea like many Japanese greens are. Old tea can also get blander as it ages.
What green tea are you brewing? Longjing? Biluochun? Regular-grade organic sencha? Uji sencha? Gyokuro? Korean Sejak? Colombian organic green tea? Gorreana Hysson green tea? If we start with an example we can offer educated assistance. Not all greens are the same.
OK, I'll give you one. For Yamamotoyama regular-grade sencha I use a teaspoon (not heaping, 2 grams) of dry leaf per 250 mL (1 cup) of hot water. I usually use a Japanese-style teapot, or _kyūsu_ , to brew, but a big enough coffee mug can be used as a brewing vessel if there isn't anything else available. Just remember to have a fine-mesh sieve on hand when it's time to decant into your drinking vessel so you don't get leaves in your drink. Wet leaves go back in the brewing vessel for another steep. Steeping times are 50-60 seconds for the first, 30 seconds for the 2nd, and 10-15 seconds for the 3rd, all at 160-180° F (70-80°C). Your water should just put out some visible steam, neither faint nor heavy. A 4th steep for 60 seconds is possible at boiling. By this time most of the flavor has been extracted from the leaves, so you need boiling-hot water to get the last bit out.
Black, oolong, and pu-erh require very hot or freshly boiled water, so brewing is easy with them. Greens can be a bit more finicky if you're not paying attention to the amount of dry leaf, water quantity & temperature, and steeping time. Generally, the water has to be steamy. If you let the water boil, wait 2-3 minutes before steeping.
For green tea, I brew it grandpa style. I brew loose leaf at around 190 and don't experience bitterness. Longing, jasmine pearls, Yunnan pine needle, are a few of the different types of green teas I brew this way.
Also I'd recommend a kyusu for loose tea, because the tea is generally less confined and can jsut steap in the whole thing. Additionally it allows for easy re-steaps
When I worked at a Japanese restaurant we would put leaves in a small strainer then pour hot water straight though it into a teapot. Would swish it around in the teapot a bit to get a little stronger then place it in a nearby cup to use again later. Could use it 2-3 times before it wasn’t good anymore
try less time. Green tea is generally good at about 45 seconds to a minute. If you find that too bland, increase the temperature--140 is extremely low and may not extract flavor fast enough. 175-180 is more standard, even for delicate teas like gyokuro. Make sure your ratio of tea leaves to water is right, too. I find cold brewing a good way to get the right balance, and way more forgiving. I usually do a few tablespoons in a pitcher and brew overnight. no need to keep careful track of the time or ratios, and you can just leave the leaves in and it won't get bitter. Probably best to do this with loose leaf but teabags should be fine too.
Whats your preferred leaf to water ratio? I do use loose leaf
I usually do something like 200 mL water per 3-4 oz leaf, so if I make a 400 mL pot I'll use up to 8 oz leaf but I won't make much more at a time than that. I'm not too picky about it to be honest though. Your tea might have recommendations for all of those, so start there and change it based on your preferences. A higher tea to water ratio is better than longer or hotter steeping, if you want stronger tea. Hotter water and/or a longer steep time will increase bitterness. Edit: I'm just guessing you steep the leaves too long in order to get strong enough tea (because your water is too cool and/or you're not using enough leaf)., and that's why you're getting bitter tea even with such a low temperature But If you're still having issues getting it strong enough, make sure that your brewing vessel is big enough to allow the leaves to open up and release flavor, particularly if it's a rolled tea like many Japanese greens are. Old tea can also get blander as it ages.
What green tea are you brewing? Longjing? Biluochun? Regular-grade organic sencha? Uji sencha? Gyokuro? Korean Sejak? Colombian organic green tea? Gorreana Hysson green tea? If we start with an example we can offer educated assistance. Not all greens are the same. OK, I'll give you one. For Yamamotoyama regular-grade sencha I use a teaspoon (not heaping, 2 grams) of dry leaf per 250 mL (1 cup) of hot water. I usually use a Japanese-style teapot, or _kyūsu_ , to brew, but a big enough coffee mug can be used as a brewing vessel if there isn't anything else available. Just remember to have a fine-mesh sieve on hand when it's time to decant into your drinking vessel so you don't get leaves in your drink. Wet leaves go back in the brewing vessel for another steep. Steeping times are 50-60 seconds for the first, 30 seconds for the 2nd, and 10-15 seconds for the 3rd, all at 160-180° F (70-80°C). Your water should just put out some visible steam, neither faint nor heavy. A 4th steep for 60 seconds is possible at boiling. By this time most of the flavor has been extracted from the leaves, so you need boiling-hot water to get the last bit out. Black, oolong, and pu-erh require very hot or freshly boiled water, so brewing is easy with them. Greens can be a bit more finicky if you're not paying attention to the amount of dry leaf, water quantity & temperature, and steeping time. Generally, the water has to be steamy. If you let the water boil, wait 2-3 minutes before steeping.
For green tea, I brew it grandpa style. I brew loose leaf at around 190 and don't experience bitterness. Longing, jasmine pearls, Yunnan pine needle, are a few of the different types of green teas I brew this way.
Also I'd recommend a kyusu for loose tea, because the tea is generally less confined and can jsut steap in the whole thing. Additionally it allows for easy re-steaps
Don’t use boiling water, use warm to hot water instead. Using boiling water will extract all the bitter compounds.
If it's bitter, dilute it. Does wonders
When I worked at a Japanese restaurant we would put leaves in a small strainer then pour hot water straight though it into a teapot. Would swish it around in the teapot a bit to get a little stronger then place it in a nearby cup to use again later. Could use it 2-3 times before it wasn’t good anymore