What Green Are You Drinking

Non-oxidized tea
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debunix
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Sat Aug 01, 2020 9:12 pm

Very interesting. I love An Ji Bai Cha, and it is wonderful in tolerating some neglect and a bit of age and still being marvelous, mmm.
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Victoria
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Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:38 pm

Sipping on a mystery green tea that a friend gifted me after a trip to Tokio in 2017. Translating the package it says 釜妙茶 Kamairicha ( 釜炒り茶 ) green tea, produced by Uogashi Meicha in Shizuoka.

Looking at the dry leaf I can see it is lightly pan-fried (not steamed and then rolled into needles) and has the curly shape, Guri ぐり, of a Tamaryokucha / Kamairicha/ Kamairi-Yamaryokucha. Pan-frying was brought over from China to northern Kyushu in the early 15th century and is still being done in Japan, although much less common than Japanese signature steaming. Kama is the iron pot used to pan-fry.

Kamairicha (pan fried)_DSC1715_sm.jpg
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I'm really enjoying this unique tea's sweet nutty aroma with hints of lemon, and smooth buttery liquor. 7.4g/150ml/142f/1.30min in reduction Gyokuren kyusu, filtered tap. Chrystal Gyser would be better, more neutral. I also see this tea can take more heat close to 195f, although using lower temp allowed me to get five rich steeps. Fourth steep pictured here;

Kamairicha (pan fried)_DSC1730_sm.jpg
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The company Uogashi Meicha, was founded in 1931 and now has tea shops in Tokyo. They have their own tea farms and have a production facility in Shizuoka, which is south of Tokyo. Some of the graphics on their packaging is nice too; https://teashop.uogashi-meicha.co.jp/co ... ular-items
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Victoria
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Mon Aug 10, 2020 12:43 pm

Reached for another one of my ‘aged’ Japanese shincha packs, this one has been in cold storage since 2016. Maeda-en’s 2016 Shin-cha Hachijyuhachiya (88th Night). It is very good; brothy and thick, tastes like walking through a meadow with the sweet scent of young buds and drying grasses. Sweet. Not being precious with it either 10g/ 250ml/ 155f/ 1min using a modified version of Yo-Yo SS strainer in glass pitcher for quick steeps while I multi-task.

p.s. I just read an old tasting note for this tea from 2016. Fresh it was super grassy green, so refrigeration mellowed it out quite a bit, becoming sweet without bold green fresh cut grass aspects.
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debunix
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Tue Aug 11, 2020 11:23 am

A fine start to the day with the Sinensis Yokkaichi Gyokuro from last year's tasting:
200811 Morning Gyokuro DEB_6044 ppd.jpg
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Prepared in Shimizu Ken lefty kyusu and enjoyed from a copper red pinch-work Kazuwa guinomi by 3rd Toichi / Yoshi Yamane. This tiny cups invites contemplation because with streaks of color, sparkling microbubbles of light, and tiny as it is, these little galaxies show it contains a universe....

Image
Prod7
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Wed Aug 12, 2020 4:34 pm

For many years I have tried many green teas both loose leaf and pre-bagged but for the last decade have enjoyed St. Dalfour Original Organic Green Tea. It is pre-bagged in box of 25 and was imported through Le Maison Delan Et Cie in Philadelphia from France. For the last month, I have been unable to find it anywhere online or at a brick and mortar retailer. I called them and was sent to voice mail where left several messages with no response. Does anyone have any news regarding this or could advise me where I could continue to get it or suggestions on something as a replacement?

Thanks,

Tim
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Victoria
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Wed Aug 12, 2020 8:12 pm

Prod7 wrote:
Wed Aug 12, 2020 4:34 pm
For many years I have tried many green teas both loose leaf and pre-bagged but for the last decade have enjoyed St. Dalfour Original Organic Green Tea. It is pre-bagged in box of 25 and was imported through Le Maison Delan Et Cie in Philadelphia from France. For the last month, I have been unable to find it anywhere online or at a brick and mortar retailer. I called them and was sent to voice mail where left several messages with no response. Does anyone have any news regarding this or could advise me where I could continue to get it or suggestions on something as a replacement?

Thanks,

Tim
Welcome to TeaForum @Prod7. Looks like this particular tea in bags is discontinued. A great opportunity to start exploring loose leaf green teas from Japan and China. In the USA most cities have tea shops where you can sample different teas before buying. With covid19 you might be limited to chatting with the owner to learn more about the differences in green teas. I recommend you start sampling loose leaf teas, a whole world will open up for you 🍃
faj
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Wed Aug 12, 2020 8:16 pm

Prod7 wrote:
Wed Aug 12, 2020 4:34 pm
For many years I have tried many green teas both loose leaf and pre-bagged but for the last decade have enjoyed St. Dalfour Original Organic Green Tea. It is pre-bagged in box of 25 and was imported through Le Maison Delan Et Cie in Philadelphia from France. For the last month, I have been unable to find it anywhere online or at a brick and mortar retailer. I called them and was sent to voice mail where left several messages with no response. Does anyone have any news regarding this or could advise me where I could continue to get it or suggestions on something as a replacement?
I really do not know the tea you are referring to, or how much it costs. I am sure there are others, but Camellia Sinensis sells an organic Chinese loose leaf tea in bags.

https://camellia-sinensis.com/en/huimin ... abags/3215

If comes down to about 0,20 USD per gram (0,50USD per bag). It is not a mass-produced green tea : they also sell the same tea in bulk, just a bit cheaper.

https://camellia-sinensis.com/en/huiming-organic/2301

Of course everything is a matter of taste, but I have purchased this tea on more than one occasion, and found it to be of a very decent quality. It requires a bit of care (water in the 75C-80C range, not boiling).

They ship for free in the USA for orders above 50 CAD (say 40 USD).
Prod7
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Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:24 am

Thank you for your comments and suggestions.
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debunix
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Sat Aug 15, 2020 1:57 am

I had drunk pretty much exclusively SeaDyke red-label Ti Kuan Yin (the kind that comes in the red tins) for 10 years when I suddenly couldn't get it any more. I've since reconnected with adequate supplies, but....shopping to fill that void brought me in touch with puerh, Bao Zhong, and ultimately to a much wider world of tea. I'm a much happier camper thanks to that interruption.
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Balthazar
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Sat Aug 15, 2020 2:47 am

debunix wrote:
Tue Aug 11, 2020 11:23 am
Prepared in Shimizu Ken lefty kyusu and enjoyed from a copper red pinch-work Kazuwa guinomi by 3rd Toichi / Yoshi Yamane. This tiny cups invites contemplation because with streaks of color, sparkling microbubbles of light, and tiny as it is, these little galaxies show it contains a universe....
Amazing cups!
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Victoria
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Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:48 pm

Had a few tasty sessions with Maiko’s Shincha Kinari refrigerated since 2016. It is still very good, probably mellowed out in storage. It’s an Asamushi (lightly steamed) and Yabutika cultivar. Very smooth, sweet and thick, macadamia nuts warming profile. When I had another pack fresh in 2013 and 2016 I also noted smooth, sweet and creamy umami notes, but also fresh green harvest profile, so that has mellowed out.
Not treating this one as precious, in the morning going for 10g/200ml/145F/1.40min in Emu back handle pear skin shudei kyusu. Getting two rich steeps, the third still good, the fourth just letting it sit overnight.
Noonie
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Tue Aug 18, 2020 7:12 pm

Victoria wrote:
Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:48 pm
Had a few tasty sessions with Maiko’s Shincha Kinari refrigerated since 2016. It is still very good, probably mellowed out in storage. It’s an Asamushi (lightly steamed) and Yabutika cultivar. Very smooth, sweet and thick, macadamia nuts warming profile. When I had another pack fresh in 2013 and 2016 I also noted smooth, sweet and creamy umami notes, but also fresh green harvest profile, so that has mellowed out.
Not treating this one as precious, in the morning going for 10g/200ml/145F/1.40min in Emu back handle pear skin shudei kyusu. Getting two rich steeps, the third still good, the fourth just letting it sit overnight.
@Victoria I love your posts about aged Sencha’s. Who would’ve thought you can go 2, 3, 4 or more years cold stored. I have some 2019 and 2020 and I’m going to keep a bag of each indefinitely! Even though I store mine in a fridge I always feel under pressure to not let it sit too long before consuming, usually so I can buy more.
Last edited by Victoria on Tue Aug 18, 2020 8:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Victoria
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Tue Aug 18, 2020 7:28 pm

Noonie wrote:
Tue Aug 18, 2020 7:12 pm
Victoria I love your posts about aged Sencha’s. Who would’ve thought you can go 2, 3, 4 or more years cold stored. I have some 2019 and 2020 and I’m going to keep a bag of each indefinitely! Even though I store mine in a fridge I always feel under pressure to not let it sit too long before consuming, usually so I can buy more.
Even though I seem to be having success with unplanned long term refrigerated storage, ideally I think it’s better to have Shincha fresh. Gyokuro keeps well for a few years, Sencha just for two years refrigerated, although I’ve had success with quite a few sencha stored longer :) . If you prefer less fresh green profile then cool storage is OK.
polezaivsani
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Wed Aug 19, 2020 9:42 am

The greens i've been dreaming to cherish on the hot summer days are finally showing up and i still have some hot days to live up to those dreams :) This one's about Shi Feng Long Jing from Jing Tea Shop.

Leaves smell of chicken broth and young and slightly bitter nuts. A savory floral soup having a mild body quickly turning into budding bushes and slight cooling sensation for a dozen seconds more.

Empty cup on the first rinses smell of cereals and dried strawberry, unless it's a cup akin to a fried chicken stand with the longest queues being shut down to find that the oil has never been replaced.

For a pu erh head, these don't have as long of an aftertaste, but it's nice to be able to finish the whole thing in under half an hour without falling into meditative state.
faj
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Wed Aug 19, 2020 10:24 am

polezaivsani wrote:
Wed Aug 19, 2020 9:42 am
This one's about Shi Feng Long Jing from Jing Tea Shop.

Leaves smell of chicken broth and young and slightly bitter nuts. A savory floral soup having a mild body quickly turning into budding bushes and slight cooling sensation for a dozen seconds more.
Would care to share your brewing parameters?
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