Green Tea Forum

ummaya · Posted: Aug 11, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject: Newbie questions

Hello,

I am a complete newbie to tea (real tea). Not long ago a friend of mine had a guest who came back for a week vacation from Japan where he does some business and he prepared some Japanese tea. He was was so meticulous about the "right" temperature , the "right" brewing time and how to pour the tea into the cups that it seemed quite strange and excessive to me. Until then, for me tea was more or less a tea bag on which you pour some boiling water and add sugar to get something warm and sweet to drink.

Tasting the "japanese" tea on this evening was such a great experience that I dumped all my Lipton and Twinings tea bags. I remember that what the guest prepared was Sencha tea but have no idea what brand. Since then I have visited many web site dealing with tea and I decide to post here and I hope to learn.

1)I would like to try one of the many Sencha teas from O-Cha.com but since I have no real experience I simply do not know which of them to pick. On the list of Secha teas I see the following:

Kagoshima Sencha Yutaka Midori ( which appeared on the "Kagoshima Green Tea" page and also on the "Kyushu Green Tea" page)
Shizuoka Sencha Hatsumi
Fukamushi Sencha Supreme
Shizuoka Green Tea Daily Sencha
Uji Sencha Miyabi
Uji Sencha Otsuusan

2) What kind of teapot is recommended (ceramic, iron, glass etc...)
By the way on the different ceramic teapots sold by O-Cha.com there is an infusor screen . On some models the screen is just over the inside of the spout and on others the screen is a 360° circular one ("Obi" ). Why the different types of screens ?

3) How do I know that I pour the right amount of tea leaves. Should the tea spoon be full or not ? What is the right way to measure the right amount of tea leaves?

4) What is the right method to get the right brewing temperature ? ( thermometer, electric device or by touch/feeling)

Maybe there are links to threads with answers to my questions. I have already used the search engine but I got a bit confused by the different answers.

Thank you very much in advance for taking the time to answer my questions.

Kevangogh · Forum God Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 916 Location: Japan

Hi,

For the first green tea, I would recommend:

Fukamushi Sencha Supreme, Uji Sencha Miyabi, or Daily Sencha. Those are all pretty straight forward and easy to brew. The first two are upper grade, really good green teas.

Teapots - get a ceramic one. The metal ones usually have a tiny infuser basket and are not practical. Regarding the screens inside, it's not really that critical whether you get a 360 degree deal or one over the spout really, just a matter of preference. I wouldn't recommend the one ceramic teapot we carry which has a clay filter over the spout for a beginner though. Outside of that, pick one that suites your fancy - they were all designed specifically for Japanese green tea brewing and they will all work.

The right amount of leaf depends on how much water your teapot holds, so get the teapot first. Everyone here has a preference on the ratio of tea to water though. Depends on the tea, various things.

Basic brewing temperature - it helps to start off with a thermometer so you can get some idea of what's going on in the beginning. If you boil the water to where it's just simmering and then take off the heat, follow the procedures regarding pouring the hot water into the cups first, etc, you will be in the ballpark.

Basically, it takes practice....

Tea-Man · Uh, Can I Add Sugar? Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 11

another good option for a starter teapot is the "handy teapot" from this site:

Handy Teapot

I'm new to real sencha since May, and ordered the handy teapot for a simpler brewing process without all the pouring back and forth into cups. it brews about 6 ounces at a time.

So far, I've successfully brewed six different teas from o-cha with it, including the fukamushi and daily sencha as Kevin mentioned. I use a roughly level teaspoon for the daily sencha, and about three quarters of a teaspoon for the fukamushi.

Regards,

Tea-man

Oni · 2nd Degree Black Belt Joined: 15 Mar 2008 Posts: 213

Using this utensil of the devil, you will never become a true master, use the traditional utensils that were made with green tea in mind, and buying such crap... you will never get in touch with japanese art, it is like drinking a great wine from plastic cup... it is so "redneck", "Hill Billy".

okimasa · Posted: Aug 12, 2008 6:03 am Post subject:

Tea-Man · Uh, Can I Add Sugar? Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 11

Oni wrote:

Using this utensil of the devil, you will never become a true master, use the traditional utensils that were made with green tea in mind, and buying such crap... you will never get in touch with japanese art, it is like drinking a great wine from plastic cup... it is so "redneck", "Hill Billy".

shock

Harsh, Oni , harsh! play nice

Good thing you don't own o-cha.com, or else we might not have access to any of the high-quality tea bags that Kevin sells, either, as not being "traditional" enough. Mad

A major reason for my starting out with a handy teapot is that I currently have hand and arm problems that would make trying to use the traditional method painful and quite possibly result in broken teacups, etc. Sad

As a result, I decided to go with the more straightforward method and start drinking quality green tea now, and then maybe I can move on to the traditional method whenever my arms recover enough to do so. Smile

I am drinking the infusions one at a time more often than not, especially with the fukamushi and kirameki shincha I bought, each of which makes 5-6 or more infusions of varying flavor, with the last 2 or 3 kirameki infusions getting sweeter and sweeter. Yum!

okimasa,

Thanks for the support. I'm glad that you and Kevin are more concerned that people get access to Japanese good green tea than with the brewing method used.

ummaya,

Hope we haven't scared you away with this exchange! This is the first harsh and intolerant e-mail I've encountered on this forum (most people play nice!).

Regards,

Tea-Man

okimasa · Posted: Aug 12, 2008 11:49 am Post subject:

Well, I think this differences in opinions just goes to show that although we can give basic guidelines to making green tea, the " right" way to make it is up to you. (As I try to segway back to the original post Cool

) my absolute favourite tea from O-Cha is the Yutaka Midori. Although, I would suggest you try the Miyabi. My only reason for this is that some say the Midori can be hard to brew and on your list of teas you'd like to try, the Miyabi is the only other I've tried so far!

For a teapot, ceramic or glass would be good. Iron, however, may not be ideal for Sencha. I've heard that the iron can change the taste of the tea and also change the colour.

For all your brewing/measuring/watertemp questions, check out the FAQ part of the forum!

Don't worry, when I first started making good green tea, I thought that doing all these meticulous things was a very daunting task, but now, its something that I really enjoy doing.

spacesamurai · 2nd Degree Black Belt Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 204

ummaya · Posted: Aug 12, 2008 12:45 pm Post subject:

Thank you all for helping Very Happy

greenisgood · Black Belt Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 115

"harsh," so what, if no one had ever discouraged me from certain brewing methods i would still be using an "infuser spoon" in a coffee mug with microwaved water. i think knowing better ways to brew tea makes one have a more rewarding and enjoyable experience.

though oni obviously has a strong opinion, i dont think it should be regarded as a personal affront. i agree there is definitly something to be gained from making tea in certain ways and that sometimes new methods of tea preparation/consumption (not necessarily the handy teapot) do seem almost disrespectful to something that can be so culturally and personally important. though of course we all have a right to do whatever we want with the tea we buy, i personally oftentimes feel an obligation, however abstract though most likely not uncommon among tea lovers, to respect the tea itself by brewing carefully and thoughtfully, taking time to enjoy it, etc.

i have heard in the coffee world more than a few times of roasters and baristas even mention a certain obligation felt towards the farmers and other producers, who have (in the case of premium grade beans especially) worked so hard to make something that is special, to make the final product of what is in the cup similarly high quality and special. in a sense i feel the same way when i'm making good tea.

in response to Tea-Man about brewing not being as important as good tea: one can very easily make good tea not taste good by brewing it incorrectly. i could buy a top grade gyokuro or lung ching and make it taste worse than a lipton "leaf tea" bag if i brewed it wrong.

Chip · Posted: Aug 12, 2008 3:55 pm Post subject:

Chill out ya'll, or i'll put you in the TeaFridge. popcorn

Yutaka Midori for the Gold medal!!! Fukamushi Supreme for the Silver medal. Kabusecha for the bronze.

Japanese Kyusu, the best teapot for sencha.

I use a digital scale, not for everyone, but a beginner might find it helpful to get through the learning curve quickly. 4-6 grams per 7 ounces of water depending on personal tastes.

A digital thermometer is cool...or is it hot?

The bottom line, you will develop your own nuances of brewing, your own comfortable style. Follow some guidelines and then also seek your own path as you learn.

ummaya · Posted: Aug 12, 2008 7:48 pm Post subject:

I ordered a Washi Green Tea Canister. On the picture there is a spoon inside the canister(looks like a "Sakura Green Tea Teapoon"); is it only for the picture or does the real canister arrive with a spoon?
One more thing: if I want to make a single cup of tea, how do I know if I have put 6g of tea leaves on my spoon or 8g or 4g?

Thanks in advance

Kevangogh · Forum God Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 916 Location: Japan

Hi,

It doesn't include the spoon....

Oni · 2nd Degree Black Belt Joined: 15 Mar 2008 Posts: 213

Thanks for the replys, I think not many people should drink high quality tea, but for those who do, they must appreciate it and give it the respect it requires, otherwise if you have the money you could buy wonderful tea and ruine it.

okimasa · Posted: Aug 12, 2008 10:11 pm Post subject: