Afternoon in Paris Green Tea: Flavor and Brewing Guide
By Sourced. Blended. Shared. LMTC | Lake Missoula Tea Co. | Published: 2026-11-01
Category: Product Reviews
A practical brewing guide to Afternoon in Paris green tea, covering water temperature, steep time, and how to adjust the cup without bitterness.
Quick answer
Brew Afternoon in Paris with water just below boiling, around 175–185°F (80–85°C), and steep for 3–5 minutes. Unlike many green teas, it is blended to stay smooth as it steepens, so you can push the time for a bolder cup without bitterness.
Why this green tea behaves differently from a straight green
Afternoon in Paris is a botanical blend built on green tea, and the catalog describes it as a feel-good tea designed to invigorate. The key practical difference is that the blend is formulated so longer steeping makes it bolder rather than bitter. That gives you more room to adjust strength than you would have with a delicate single-origin green.
The liquor steeps to a vibrant pinkish-red, which is a useful visual cue: if your cup looks pale, you can usually extend the steep without risking a harsh cup.
Water temperature: the one variable worth measuring
Green tea water temperature is the most common source of a disappointing cup. Boiling water can make even a forgiving blend taste flat or sharp. Let your kettle rest for a few minutes after boiling, or use a thermometer, and aim for 175–185°F (80–85°C).
If you do not have a thermometer, bring water to a boil, then transfer it to a cool pitcher or wait about 3–4 minutes before pouring. The exact rest time depends on your kettle and room temperature, so treat it as a starting point and adjust by taste.
What to expect from the flavor
The catalog describes a flavor play of tang and sweet, with a refreshing thirst-quenching character. It contains only a hint of caffeine from the green tea, so it is a reasonable choice for an afternoon cup if you are sensitive to stronger teas later in the day.
Because the blend includes botanicals, the aroma is more layered than a plain green. Use a mug or a small teapot so you can smell the cup as it steeps; the pinkish-red color and tangy-sweet balance are the main cues for deciding whether to adjust the next brew.
How to brew Afternoon in Paris step by step
- Measure the leaf: Use about 1 teaspoon of loose leaf per 8 ounces (240 ml) of water. If your tea comes in a pre-portioned bag, use one bag per cup. A common mistake is packing the infuser too tightly, which prevents the botanicals from expanding and releasing flavor evenly. Leave room for the leaves to swell; a crowded infuser brews unevenly.
- Heat the water to 175–185°F (80–85°C): Boil fresh water, then let it rest for 3–4 minutes before pouring, or check with a thermometer. The most common mistake is pouring straight from a rolling boil, which can flatten the tangy-sweet notes. If you hear an aggressive boil, wait; the target is a gentle steam, not a roar.
- Steep for 3–5 minutes: Start with 3 minutes for a lighter cup, then taste. Because this blend is designed to get bolder without turning bitter, you can go to 5 minutes or longer if you want more intensity. A common mistake is judging by color alone; the pinkish-red hue appears early, so taste before deciding. Use a timer for the first few cups to learn your preferred strength.
- Remove the leaves and serve: Lift out the infuser or strain the tea into your cup. If you plan to sip slowly, remove the leaves rather than letting them sit in the water, since the flavor will keep intensifying. A common mistake is leaving the leaves in and then finding the second half of the cup too strong. For a shared pot, pour all the tea off the leaves at once.
- Adjust the next cup: If the cup tasted thin, add 30 seconds to the steep or a pinch more leaf next time. If it was too tangy or intense, shorten the steep or lower the water temperature slightly. Keep one variable at a time so you can tell what changed. Change either time or temperature, not both, when fine-tuning.
Product facts
- Afternoon in Paris: Afternoon in Paris is a botanical green tea blend that steeps to a vibrant pinkish-red and is described as becoming bolder, not bitter, with longer steeping. You can extend the steep time to suit your taste without the bitterness that often comes from over-steeping green tea.
Afternoon in Paris
