Korean Jungjak Green Tea
Vegetal sweetness, chestnut and a light floral note from Korea's early-summer green tea.
Jungjak, medium sparrow, is Korean green tea picked after the start of summer, from slightly larger leaves than sejak. It is rounder and a little fuller, with sweet grass, chestnut and a light floral note. Brewed small and strong at 80°C.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 35 mg in one serving (5–6 oz cup (150–180 ml)), a concentration of 21.2 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
Related gear
Related reading
| Brewing method | Small Teapot or Cup |
|---|---|
| Brew ratio | 1:42 |
| Dose & yield | 3.9g → 165g |
| Grind size | Whole Leaf |
| Water temperature | 176°F / 80°C |
| Target brew time | 1:00-1:30 |
| Serving | 5–6 oz cup (150–180 ml) |
What you need
- 3.9 g loose-leaf green tea
- 165 g filtered water at 80°C
Required gear
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Warm the pot with hot water and pour it away, so the brewing water does not lose heat to cold ceramic.
- 0:10Add 3.9 g of leaf to the pot or basket, leaving room for it to open.
- 0:20Pour 165 g of water at 80°C over the leaf and cover. Start the timer.
- 1:35Remove the leaf or decant completely. Leaf left in the pot keeps extracting and turns the last cup bitter.
What it may be good for
Caffeine, in numbers
We list about 35 mg for a 5 to 6 oz (150 to 180 ml) cup, made with a generous 3 to 4 g of leaf per 150 ml.
Warmer than the spring grades
Jungjak forgives hotter water than ujeon or sejak. If it tastes thin at 80°C, add leaf rather than temperature.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much tea is right for you.
Jungjak, medium sparrow, is Korean green tea picked after the start of summer, from slightly larger leaves than sejak. It is rounder and a little fuller, with sweet grass, chestnut and a light floral note. Brewed small and strong at 80°C.
Origin & Story
Korean green tea is graded by the day it is picked, and jungjak is the third grade. The four names are ujeon, before the rain, sejak, thin sparrow, jungjak, medium sparrow, and daejak, big sparrow. Jungjak is made from leaves gathered after Ipha, the start of summer, around the first week of May, when they have grown a little bigger than the sparrow's tongue of sejak.
Bigger leaf means a different tea. Jungjak is rounder and a little fuller than the delicate early grades, with less of the fragile sweetness of ujeon and more body, and it can take hotter water: grading guides give about 80°C for jungjak, against 60 to 70°C for sejak. The name is romanized in several ways, including joongjak, so you may see it spelled differently on a label.
Most Korean green tea is made by roasting the leaf in a hot iron pot, called deokkeum, and the chestnut note here is typical of that style, along with sweet grass, a vegetal sweetness and a light floral hint.
This page is written for a small cup of 150 to 180 ml, with 3 to 4 g of leaf per 150 ml of water at 80°C for 60 to 90 seconds, in a small teapot or cup. A second infusion with the same water temperature is usually worth making.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 60/100 |
| Acidity | 40/100 |
| Bitterness | 30/100 |
| Body | 45/100 |
| Aroma | 70/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Korean Jungjak Green Tea?
One serving, 5–6 oz cup (150–180 ml), contains approximately 35 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Korean Jungjak Green Tea?
Target 80°C (176°F).
How long should Korean Jungjak Green Tea be extracted?
Timing: 1:00-1:30. Method: Small Teapot or Cup. Ratio: 3–4g per 150ml water. Grind or leaf format: Whole Leaf.
What does jungjak mean?
Medium sparrow. It is the third grade of Korean green tea, made from leaves slightly bigger than sejak, gathered after the start of summer.
Which water temperature suits jungjak?
About 80°C, according to the usual Korean grading guides, which is warmer than the 60 to 70°C used for sejak and the 50 to 60°C used for ujeon.
Who should avoid Korean Jungjak Green Tea?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much tea is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
Borosilicate Glass Teapot with Infuser
In this recipe: Teapot with room for the leaf to open
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