Quick answer

Brew jiaogulan with water just off the boil, around 195°F, and steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Use about 1 teaspoon of loose leaf per cup and expect multiple flavorful infusions from the same leaves.

What Jiaogulan tastes like and why it matters

Jiaogulan, also called Immortality Herb, has a flavor that often surprises first-time drinkers. The catalog describes it as evoking the sweet earthiness of ginseng or licorice root with a faint spice. If you think of cucumber, the sweet–bitter combination makes a lot of sense. A mineral note and vegetal heft also remind some people of green tea.

Because the taste sits between sweet, bitter, and vegetal, the way you brew it changes the cup noticeably. A shorter steep pulls out the sweeter, ginseng-like notes, while a longer steep brings more of the green tea character and a deeper mineral edge. That flexibility makes jiaogulan a good everyday herbal tea, but it also means temperature and time matter more than with a single-note herb.

Why water temperature matters for jiaogulan

Jiaogulan leaves are delicate. Boiling water can make the cup taste flat or overly bitter, especially if you steep too long. Aim for water that is just off the boil, around 185–195°F (85–90°C), to keep the sweetness and the cucumber-like freshness intact. If you only have a kettle without temperature control, let the water rest for about a minute after boiling before pouring.

The trade-off: hotter water releases more of the plant's compounds faster, but it also pulls out more bitterness. For a first cup, cooler water and a shorter steep give a gentler introduction to the flavor. You can always push the temperature up on the next brew if you want more depth.

What jiaogulan tastes like

Jiaogulan is sometimes called Immortality Herb, and its flavor is often compared to ginseng or licorice root with a faint spice. The sweet–bitter balance can remind some people of cucumber, while a mineral note and vegetal heft bring green tea to mind. If you are new to it, expect a cup that is sweet, slightly bitter, and refreshing rather than floral.

Step-by-Step Jiaogulan Brewing Guide

  1. Measure the leaves: Use 1 teaspoon of loose jiaogulan per 8-ounce cup. Adjust up or down based on how strong you like the sweet-bitter flavor. Start with 1 teaspoon; you can always add more, but you cannot take it out.
  2. Heat the water to 195–205°F: Bring fresh, filtered water just off a full boil. Too-hot water can make the cup harsh and bring out more of the bitter side of the sweet–bitter balance. If you do not have a thermometer, let boiling water rest about 30 seconds before pouring.
  3. Steep for 3–5 minutes: Use 1 teaspoon of loose jiaogulan per 8-ounce cup. Start with 3 minutes for a lighter, grassier cup and extend to 5 minutes for deeper sweetness. Strain and enjoy. Longer steeping adds bitterness; add time in 30-second increments.

Jiaogulan at Lake Missoula Tea Co.

  • Jiaogulan, Immortality Herb: Jiaogulan, or Jiao Gu Lan, also called Immortality Herb, grows widely across South and East Asia and carries a sweet earthiness like ginseng or licorice root with a faint spice. Its naturally sweet, ginseng-like flavor means you can drink it plain without sweetener, and the vegetal green-tea note helps you judge the right leaf-to-water ratio by taste.

    Jiaogulan, Immortality Herb

    Jiaogulan, Immortality Herb