Green Tea Forum

reasoN · Uh, Can I Add Sugar? Joined: 21 Mar 2008 Posts: 4

Hello,

I'm on a search to find a healthy tea for everyday drinking, mostly for nutrition and enjoyment. I figured I'd start with Japanese green tea. I recently purchased some first-flush Sencha, and I'm wondering if I got what I paid for. I ordered 140g for about $26. This is my first experience with Sencha so I have nothing to compare it to. I talked with an "expert" from the company and after describing and sending a picture of what I received she told me that it's normal for it to be crumbly. The amount of crumbs instead of whole segments of leaf is what concerns me. Here are some pictures I took of the product...

Now I hear Sencha has an aquired taste so I drank the first infusions with an open mind. Do tea enthusiasts use sugar or sweetner? I drank mine without. The first infusion was a nice transparent lime green, the next two were dark and cloudy and much stronger. I used about 170 deg. F water and steeped for about 2 minutes. I can't say that I'm crazy about the taste, it's a bit astrigent and grassy, but I think I can get used to it. My next tea purchase will be either Kabusecha Green Tea or Sencha Yutaka Midori from o-cha as I feel the urge to compare. Any helpful advice or recommendations on a healthy and enjoyable green tea would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

JJ

Ryan · Sensei Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 475

Sugar or sweetner? If you ever do this, do it in your own privacy... Some people get violent when they witness sugar added to sencha. Frankly, I've never witnessed such an evil, and can not say for certain how I'd respond.

Kabusecha would be a very fine choice, it's less astringent than many sencha's. It's one of my favorites. But I also love sencha that is more on the astringent side.

As far as much of the leaf being crumbly, it's probably deeply steamed, and this happens sometimes when the leaf is steamed extra long. It looks pretty normal to me, and the amount of small pieces would not alarm me - the taste is what to judge!

Finally, your parameters seem right on to me. You could always experiment with less or more leaf etc.

reasoN · Uh, Can I Add Sugar? Joined: 21 Mar 2008 Posts: 4

Ryan, thanks for the fast response and for clearing up the no sweetner rule. This whole new introduction to tea makes me look back at my Lipton drinking days with self-pity.

One more question, when can I order 2008's first flush from o-cha?

Kevangogh · Forum God Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 904 Location: Japan

Hi,

You can order it when it comes out, which will be another month or two...

Oni · 2nd Degree Black Belt Joined: 15 Mar 2008 Posts: 187

Hi, first of all my opinion is that the tea you have recieved is fukamushi(deep steamed) sencha, that is why the leaves are broken up, this tea you should brew much shorter than normal sencha, the smaler the leaves the shorter the brewing time, first brew should be 40 seconds, the second they say 10 seconds, but you should pour it imediately because the fukamushi is like a paste in your kyusu and instantly makes tea deep green colour, no wonder that with 2 minutes infusion it got unbearable.

FataliTEA · Posted: Mar 22, 2008 2:56 am Post subject:

Adagio Sencha Premier? It's not great stuff, very introductory. It's not fukamushi, but you might try taking 30 seconds off the infusion time to make it a 1.5 minute infusion.

Broken leaf is very common because sencha goes through brutal machine-processing.

I agree with Ryan. I think you'll like the kabusecha more. It's lighter, has less broken-up leaf, and is sweet, and non-astringent. Yum.

Chip · Posted: Mar 22, 2008 3:49 am Post subject:

Yeah, I saw the tin and thought adagio as well, but those pictures do not look like the leaf that I received as a gift at all.

These pictures do look more Fukamushi (deep steamed) or at least Chumushi (mid steamed). But it is quite possible they switched leaf along the way.

But if too bitter adjust down in temp and/or time as a general rule.

greenisgood · Black Belt Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 112

fukamushi, chumushi, asamushi...? hm.

Chip · Posted: Mar 22, 2008 4:59 am Post subject:

...hm...

What are you pondering GIG?

Ryan · Sensei Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 475

Fukamushi, Chumushi, Asamushi, oh my !

greenisgood · Black Belt Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 112

oh nothing, i was just making a connection, i never knew there was a mid-steamed term, and yes green tea steaming...oh my!

Chip · Posted: Mar 22, 2008 7:08 am Post subject:

reasoN · Uh, Can I Add Sugar? Joined: 21 Mar 2008 Posts: 4

Second day into drinking (you guys guessed it) Adagio's Sencha Premier and I gotta say I'm starting to enjoy the distinct taste of sencha. Today, I used more leaf but cut down on steeping. I'm still guessing the water temperature, which leads me to more inquiries.

I'm shopping for teaware and here are some of my concerns... I'm considering making green tea a daily routine. Should I buy a thermometer or just get an electric kettle with temperature control. What is more economical boiling water in an electric kettle or on stove top? Also, I like the authentic Tokoname Kyusu, does it really matter if the filter is made of clay or steel? Some glass teapot solutions seem very convenient and convenience has priority over style for me.

Thanks for recommending Kabusecha, can't wait for the spring flush to come around so I can experience Sencha with confidence.

Kevangogh · Forum God Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 904 Location: Japan

You can experience good sencha year 'round if you buy it right.

okimasa · Posted: Mar 22, 2008 10:18 am Post subject:

Its good to hear you're starting to enjoy it!

I guess I'm not a real "careful brewer" so although personally, I don't bother with a thermometer, maybe you should get one until you can acuratly guess the temp of the water.

Also, I use an electric kettle. I used to have a stove top one, but the electric kettle is much faster. And you said you like convenience, why don't you check out Handy Teapot

Hope this helps!