What does green tea taste like?
It's difficult to describe precisely the taste of green tea, mainly because the flavor can vary so greatly depending on a surprising number of factors. Generally speaking, however, the green tea taste is fresh and light – much more delicate than regular black tea. You might hear words like “grassy” being used to describe it, but don't let that put you off! It's just that there are no adequate flavors to compare it to for descriptive purposes. Don't automatically associate the idea of a “green flavor” with grass, spinach, or other bitter vegetable tastes, as it's not accurate.
Green tea certainly doesn't taste like the ordinary tea you're accustomed to drinking. The whole point is that the leaves are much, much fresher, and that the goodness of essential nutrients has not been altered by the withering and oxidization process that produces black tea. Naturally, this means that there is a distictly more vegetal taste to green tea. Japanese varieties tend to taste much stronger in this respect than most Chinese varieties, so if you're new to green tea it might be worth starting with the milder-tasting Chinese kinds. The flavor is unusual, so it can be a bit of a shock to the palate if you launch right in with the really strong green tea taste of some Japanese types.
Experiment with a few different varieties and brands, as there really is quite a considerable difference in the flavor, strength and tastes from one kind to the next. Some green teas contain a pleasant hint of sweetness, while others can be sharp or even bitter. Adding milk or sugar is generally thought of as something of a faux pas! Green tea is meant to be enjoyed as it is, pure in delicate flavors, free from impurities, and full of the natural nutrients that make it good for the health. Green tea enthusiasts frown upon the addition of milk and sugar, and are particularly horrified by modern ways of consuming green tea, such as bottled cold drinks that are usually loaded with sugar and missing all the valuable properties that make green tea beneficial.
There's really no need for this, as there are so many varieties that it's only a matter of trying a few until you find one to your taste. As well as the variety that you choose, there are other factors contributing to the taste, strength and sweetness/bitterness of your green tea. Loose, whole tea leaves, for example, will always produce tea that is of a quality far superior to that of teabags. The water you use to brew the beverage will also contribute significantly – normal tap water is likely to damage and detract from the tea's delicate flavor (some tap water is obviously better than others, but your location will have a large effect on how much chlorine and other chemicals/impurities will be present, thus altering the tea's taste). Natural spring water is a much better option. The temperature of the water, too, will alter the flavor of the green tea, as will the length of time you allow the leaves to “steep” - too long, and you'll end up with bitter-tasting tea!
Useful Links:
http://www.the-color-of-tea.com/green-tea-taste.html
http://hubpages.com/hub/What_Does_White_Tea_Taste_Like
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