Japanese Green Tea: Aged, Roasted, Fermented

[Pan]

I just bought some hojicha to try out before I go for the finer varieties, turns out cold brewing in a yxing pot makes it taste quite sweet.

[Baisao]

I just bought some hojicha to try out before I go for the finer varieties, turns out cold brewing in a yxing pot makes it taste quite sweet.

I’ve generally found all teas that include stems to be sweeter than ones without. It’s a great observation you’ve made.

[Pan]

I just bought some hojicha to try out before I go for the finer varieties, turns out cold brewing in a yxing pot makes it taste quite sweet.

I’ve generally found all teas that include stems to be sweeter than ones without. It’s a great observation you’ve made.

intresting.

[LeoFox]

Found an interesting passage from the thes du japon blog about a tea festival session on aged sencha:

https://japaneseteasommelier.wordpress. ... ival-2016/

In addition to the exhibitors, the festival offers many demonstrations (tradition related to tea in various countries, temoni-cha, etc.) and conferences and seminars. There was one that I wanted to see absolutely, concerning the “vintage” sencha.
If the idea of “hine-cha”, voluntarily aged tea is common and known in Uji, essentially for gyokuro and tencha (matcha), this very rarely exceeds storage for one to two years. Here, the samples of sencha presented in the examination method, two teas of Hon.yama and two of Tenryû, were each in their vintages of 2002, 2003 and 2004. Simple storage in sachets under nitrogen at 3 ° C. All Yabukita, for simple comparison.
This seminar presented the result of an experiment carried out voluntarily by two tea professionals since 2000. After two years, inevitably appears this characteristic odor of oxidized tea, outdated, called “hine-shu”. Yet by letting another two years pass, this smell begins to disappear, and even ends up completely disappearing. This is the first incredible conclusion for the Japanese tea professionals, while this “hine-shu” smell has always been synonymous of “end of life” for a tea. But there is another important point. For experiment, one of the teas (a 2003 Hon.yama) was part condition in 5Kg bag, and another part in 50g bags. This is the other conclusion: the tea preserved by 5 Kg, had very clearly this characteristic odor of oxidation, whereas stored by 50g, the same tea was always very good. It is thus conditioned in small quantities that one can obtain a long storage and Japanese steamed green tea “vintage”.
Nevertheless, it seems to me that it is really more adapted to speak of “vintage” than of “maturation” or “aging”, indeed, the teas appear always fresh and good, with many aromas, but with less body, very soft . In short, we must not wait for an evolution, a radical change.
One of the messages that could be heard then, an idea that I found particularly interesting is that under these conditions, these “vintage sencha”; Rather than becoming new products for tea merchants, become a new dimension for the consumers themselves. Storage in small packaging, 3 ° C, the refrigerator’s vegetable sieve does the trick (the temperature itself does not seem primordial, at room temperature the process is only faster, but the refrigerator keeps a constant temperature) : In clear, why not store a great tea for many years as one would do with a great wine? For example, a Tôbettô of the year of one marriage, open 10 years after to celebrate marriage anniversary ?
The unknown remains of course with which teas it will work or not? It is obvious that a quality tea, with very good drying is an indispensable condition.

Also his experience with some aged gyokuro;

https://japaneseteasommelier.wordpress. ... yo-tanabe/

[LeoFox]

Kiroku Tea Garden: Spring Hojicha, Zairai 

[LeoFox]

Not strictly a green but- am digging into a bag of 2017 hon yama oolong made from koju cultivar from thes du japon.

https://www.thes-du-japon.com/index.php ... cts_id=492

My previous experience with a fresher version of the tea shocked me with its bitterness and fruity aromas when brewed according to the vendor ( boiling, 6g/100 ml)

viewtopic.php?p=34224#p34224


This tea really shines at a lower 70-80C temperature, offering the ideal levels of aromatics and thickness.


Now with this 5 year old, I did find the aromas to be attenuated but also it is much smoother - and I think I like it more now. According to TDJ, Japanese tea seems to have an awkward phase between 2-4 years during which a kind flat/rancid/oxidized aspect develops. But then after that, this goes down over time, yielding a fresh tasting tea with diminished aromatics but one that might be smoother.

viewtopic.php?p=39841#p39841

I feel this tea might have benefited from a few more years of storage- as it still has a touch of a rancid note in one infusion. However, otherwise, it seemed very fresh and nice - especially with regards to diminished bitterness. The aftertaste is also very very long lasting and string - longer and more powerful than I remember

[LeoFox]

This is a good post about aged gyokuro:

https://japaneseteasommelier.wordpress. ... yo-tanabe/

[LeoFox]

So basicaly the same concept as the "ware house" Tokusen Gyokuru? That was nicer than regular Gyokuru

Well, there are various grades of Gyokuro for sure, even though the expense of shading for 45 days is already costly, then presorting only the finest leaves and then time needed for aging. Windowless traditional thick stone walled tea “Kura” ( 蔵 or 倉) warehouse or storehouse can still be found Japan (many are repurposed today as shops etc), they were cooler than outdoor temp and used to store and later age teas.

More info on kuradashi tea:

https://www.hibiki-an.com/sp/contents.php/cnID/7

This special autumn tea was called Kuradashi Tea, meaning tea taken out from the granary. Our Kuradashi Tea is aged in the granary for more than 1.5 years.

SmartSelect_20230908_101515_Samsung Internet.jpg (343.39 KiB) Viewed 6428 times

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And more detailed info here
https://www.tobi-en.com/post/kuradashi-green-tea

For the aging process, nowadays, the leaves are usually put into foil bags, which are then placed in wooden boxes. The foil bags are usually vacuumed and sealed to protect the tea from the surrounding conditions. The boxes are placed in a large refrigerator where the temperature and humidity are carefully controlled. It is a delicate balance of allowing some exposure to oxygen but not too much. There has to be just the right amount of oxygen to gradually let the tea age. Further, the temperature has to be cool but not too cold to avoid condensation. The tea leaves can easily spoil, if not monitored closely...

The leaves are then left to age until autumn of the same year or even longer. Sometimes for up to two years...


Kuradashi tea was always a seasonal product and its history dates back to the early Edo period when preserving the aroma and flavor of the tea was much more difficult. It is said, that the habit of drinking intentionally aged green tea dates back to Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and his fondness for its mellow richness, the rich umami flavor, and the almost complete absence of astringency. At that time, Gyokuro and even the way how Sencha is produced today were not yet invented.


In the old days, the newly harvested leaves were partly processed and dried. They were then put into a tea jar which then was stored high in the mountains in a granary. There, the climate was ideal for storing and aging the tea. In fall, a ritual called Kuchikiri (口切) took place, where the tea jars filled with tea were opened. In the Japanese tea ceremony, it is also called the New Year of tea, and it is a very important event in the annual calendar of the tea ceremony.

SmartSelect_20230908_101959_Samsung Internet.jpg (296.62 KiB) Viewed 6428 times

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And

https://www.teaformeplease.com/tea-nerd ... kuradashi/

Kuradashi tea leaves are put into unsealed foil bags placed inside wooden boxes stored in a special refrigerator. It is a delicate balance of allowing some exposure to oxygen but not too much. The temperature needs to be cool but not too cold to avoid condensation. As I’m sure you can imagine, this process could easily go wrong if not done properly.

I note a discrepancy in some descriptions talking about teas being completely sealed and others being more opened. My guess is sealed is the more modern approach.


One can also imagine modern and more open storage of aracha prior to finishing..


Some of the info above also seems to imply aging of the aracha or some other intermediate instead of finished product was done in the past. Perhaps it is still done now out of necessity in some places - like temples where they make the aracha and let it sit around until they can get a factory to finish it

[Bok]

Cheers @LeoFox, good info.

[Victoria]

Just moved a few posts from Gyokuro Recommendations to this topic on Aging, Roasting, Fermenting Green Teas. Thanks @LeoFox for your input.

[jamesbolt]

I’ve been thinking about Japanese green tea aging and roasting for a while now. Bok’s recent post about his having a 1940’s Japanese aged green tea in Taiwan, got me thinking once again about this topic. Since posting this topic I have come across a few traditionally fermented green teas, so have decided to include them as well. Some of these teas use traditional processing methods that are quite rare, and at times have been on the verge of extinction, to then be revived by a younger generation. Here are a few aged, roasted and fermented Japanese greens that I know of;

Aged:

• Gyokuro: 3,6,9,12+ months

• Kuradashi Gyokuro, Matcha: +-1.5 years. Kuradashi means ‘remove from the storehouse’. Teas are aged in cool storage for +- 1.5 years. The Kura (storehouse) were built out of stone or brick in cool locations, before refrigeration.

• Sannenn Bancha: 3 years. Dry leaf, into cold storage for 3 years. Roasted after taking out of storage. The tea oxidizes slightly during cold storage, breaking down tannins, smoothing out flavor. Macrobiotic.

• Tarui Tea Farm aged green teas: This farmer in Nearaicho, Shizuoka specializes in aging teas; 1999 green, 1991 oolong, 1991 black. The teas are stored in a cool -20C/-4F storehouse. https://yunomi.life/collections/tarui-tea-farm

Roasted:

• Roasted Sencha. Kagoshima Seicha Co. Organic Roasted Sencha. I wrote about it here. Yunomi’s list.

• Iribancha, (Kyobancha). Ippodo Iribancha. I posted a little about it here.

• Hojicha (Basic Roasted Bancha), Tenbone Houjicha (Roasted Tencha Stems). Yunomi’s list.

• Roasted Matcha

Fermented:

• Awa bancha, Tokushima, Shikoku Island. Norbu’s description.

• Bata Bata-cha, Birudan village in Asahi, Toyama. Thes du Japon.

• Goishi-cha, Kochi, Shikoku Island. Double fermentation. pedants post.

• Ishizuchi Kurocha, Komatsu town, Ehime prefecture, Shikoku Island. Double fermentation. Description.

• Tengu kurocha, Saijo, Shikoku Island. Created by villagers to keep Ishizuchi tradition alive. Double fermentation. Description.

I’ve been doing my own experiments with cold storage and aging that I first wrote about here, since then I continue to taste a few greens I’ve had in the refrigerator for 2-5 years with good results, especially with gyokuro. With sencha I’ve found that the tea needs to be consumed within the first few weeks, with gyokuro less so.

I’m wondering if there are other aged or fermented Japanese green teas that I missed in my list? Curious also, if anyone else has had roasted sencha, or other roasted Japanese greens?

Hey Victoria,

Thank you for sharing this information about Japanese Green Tea, this is very insightful and I want to tell you that Currently I use to drink Lipton's green Tea. This is very good. I have been drinking this tea since two years. If you have any insightful information about Lipton's Green Tea then please provide me.

Thanks
James

[Victoria]

Hey Victoria,

Thank you for sharing this information about Japanese Green Tea, this is very insightful and I want to tell you that Currently I use to drink Lipton's green Tea. This is very good. I have been drinking this tea since two years. If you have any insightful information about Lipton's Green Tea then please provide me.

Thanks
James

Welcome to TeaForum @jamesbolt. I haven’t tried Lipton green tea, but I can recommend O-Cha’s Sencha and gyokuro tea bags. These contain high quality tea leaves. Lipton I’m going to assume uses tea dust, small particles of low-quality tea. Since O-Cha is shipping out of Japan you might first visit a local tea shop or even Whole Foods market and sample other green teas that are loose leaves and also bagged to compare. The difference in quality will be noticeable

[LeoFox]

Very nice bancha kamairicha from yunomi.

From website

Produced using late first flush spring leaves harvested in June after the May first flush harvest. In other regions, this late first flush harvest is called Oyako Bancha.

Oxidization in the leaves are then stopped using the pan-fired (kamairi) method of processing, the leaves are rolled, dried in a greenhouse under the sunlight. And finally, the tea is roasted.

While you may think of banchas as tea made from leaves that have been allowed to grow to a very large size (usually harvested in the summer - autumn season), the Kumano bancha does not fall under this general definition of bancha. The Kumano bancha is a type of traditional kamairicha that has been preserved from the Kumano area, manufactured in a particular manner by kneading tea leaves roasted in a pot and drying them in the sun. One may think of this tea like the other rare traditional local banchas such as the awa bancha from Tokushima prefecture and the tosa bancha from Kochi-City. Furthermore, at Tea Farm Mitocha, the harvested leaves are left overnight - so their tea comes from a combination of ichoka (i.e., a process in which the harvested tea leaves are withered to enhance their scent), the kamairi processing method, roastiness, and a sweetness that can only be obtained from sun drying tea leaves

.