Why does my green tea taste like anchovies?

Question

I'm a green tea fanatic, and I've noticed that cheeper brands or less authentic brands will give you tea that tastes like anchovies or seaweed. Its always an unpleasant surprise!

Answer 1

is it japanese sencha or green tea?
i drank few times sencha has some kind of seaweed taste. but chinese green tea dont..

Answer 2

Maybe its a flavor from being stored next to anchovies in the shipping warehouse. I'd stop buying the cheap green tea and only buy the famous brand when its on sale or when you have the extra money.
I'm mostly an oolong tea fan which is not straight black nor green but a tasty in between. I sure would be disappointed if my oolong turned out tasting like seaweed.!
I stick to Lipton tea. It's always good, except that I can't find an old flavor that I really loved. hmmm I'll post a question on that.

Answer 3

The strange aroma could be because:

the water was too hot . ("Cooking" the tea could alter it somehow, just as coffee kept in a thermos for too long tastes different than freshly brewed joe.)

You used too much tea. (Although I sometimes brew super-strength green tea but have never noticed a strange taste or amora.)

You let the tea steep too long. (For instance, there could be unpleasant-tasting substances that take a long time to seep out of the leaves.) 3-5 min. is the right steeping time

Answer 4

What's really weird is what if your anchovies tasted like green tea?

Answer 5

Maybe because they ARE anchovies

Answer 6

Yuk, definitely avoid those in future! lol

Answer 7

The grower is using fish based fertilizers.

Answer 8

could be old throw it out

Answer 9

that is very fishy