On 2006-01-20 22:51:20 -0800, "Knack" > said:

>
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> OK I'm on a tight budget so I can't exactly get the expensive stuff
>> that's usually recommended here. So far I've tried a box of Yogi tea
>> "simply green tea" and a box of "Equal Exchange" organic green tea BUT
>> both turn brown when brewed. Does that mean it's not really green tea,
>> EG I won't get the benefits of green tea from those?
>>
>> Any decent priced brands you can recommend? I honestly don't care about
>> the taste, I'm just drinking it for the health benefits. If it has a
>> bitter aftertaste that's OK with me.
>
> Don't you really mean dark amber, not brown?
>
> According to my observations the difference in hues is related to the
> degree of fermentation.You can produce the different hues yourself
> using just one brand of the same variety tea as follows: Brew one cup
> of plain green tea in a glass cup at a starting temp 180F (82C). Then
> set that cup aside for 5 days. On days 2 thru 5 you will notice
> progressive darkening of the beverage from pale yellow to dark amber.
> That is the result of fermentation.
>
> There are also differences in the partially fermented green tea leaves
> (between brands) before you even steep them. That accounts for the
> different hues of the beverage.

It's not fermentation, it's due to oxidation of the chlorophyl. I brew
a pot of green tea with a automatic drip brewer at work occasionally.
Depending on the tea it will be light green to start with and get
progressively darker throughout the day until i've drank it all The
flavor becomes less 'green' as it gets darker. I have two types of
gunpowder tea right now and the stuff that was only 30 cents an once
starts out almost brown to begin with. I think this is due to the
delay between picking and steaming/rolling the tea.

-S.