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Today I was really pleased to realize I still have one bag of O-Cha’s 20th Anniversary Sae Midori. It’s such an interesting sencha, it has many layers. Sipping on it makes me think of a candy store, but not a sweet one, more subtle fruity pink cotton candie-ish. Doesn’t sound like something I would gravitate towards but it’s really excellent. It is also very different from the award winning kabusecha Sae Midori from Kagoshima Co (Birouen Tea House) I’ve been enjoying all summer. Same cultivar, same prefecture, with very different profiles, although both are smooth, rich flavored and lacking any bitterness (at least for me )

A few differences between these two Sae Midori is Birouen’s is shaded for a few weeks prior to picking and it has larger formed needles. O-Cha’s needles are super small and fine.

Wonder if anyone knows where I can get bag sealer clips in USA that are +-5cm, 8cm, 10cm, 12cm? not huge. Here is a big one.

Sipping on O-Cha’s stellar anniversary limited edition Sae Midori shincha steeped in a Chitoshi Morita (b.’31), Koudou Studio kyusu w mogake seaweed effect.
With a little bit of heat coming off the lid the Yakushima yakusugi (cedar) sake cup used as a lid rest gives off a wonderful aroma. These cedar cups are so special coming from a now protected Yakushima Island a World Heritage site with 1,000+ year old growth yakusugi trees.

Finishing a pack of Thes du Japon sencha from Hon.yama, Tamakawa, Tôbettô. It is a handpicked Futsumushi sencha (normal-steamed) and Yabukita & Ômune cultivar. Pretty pricy at 1buck per gram. A generous gift from a special tea friend . I dumped all remains leaves into a preheated shudei kyusu using very cool water and a long steep. Results were great. Sometimes just using more leaf really works out well.
In this case I went for 13g/190ml/112f/1.30min in Emu 250ml backhandle shudei kyusu. This sencha has a unique mouthfeel. It’s very interesting with a kind of fruity and dry palate. Does get bitter though if steeped too long or too hot.

Victoria wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 23, 2019 4:38 pm

Wonder if anyone knows where I can get bag sealer clips in USA that are +-5cm, 8cm, 10cm, 12cm? not huge. Here is a big one.

Sipping on O-Cha’s stellar anniversary limited edition Sae Midori shincha steeped in a Chitoshi Morita (b.’31), Koudou Studio kyusu w mogake seaweed effect.
With a little bit of heat coming off the lid the Yakushima yakusugi (cedar) sake cup used as a lid rest gives off a wonderful aroma. These cedar cups are so special coming from a now protected Yakushima Island a World Heritage site with 1,000+ year old growth yakusugi trees.


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That looks lovely! I’m in the Caribbean on a family vacation and brought some green tea bags. I do miss my tea sessions (but a good break stirs the passion, as do lovely photos!).

Noonie wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2019 7:34 pm

That looks lovely! I’m in the Caribbean on a family vacation and brought some green tea bags. I do miss my tea sessions (but a good break stirs the passion, as do lovely photos!).

I also like using quality sencha tea bags. A kabusecha from Birouen Tea and O-Cha’s Chiran Kagoshima green tea bags. Great when traveling and on the go

Virtually every morning, Chip and I get up early enough to enjoy tea before work. Since our tea of choice is sencha, at any given time it is normal to have 1 bag, 2 at the very most open for our enjoyment.

Chip will use a different kyusu every morning of the week and switch out our guinomi as he chooses. This morning we enjoyed the last of bag of Sae Midori, brewed in a Hokujo 200ml kyusu using a set of Naotomi Naoko cups.

The flavor profile, finer particles due to the bottom of the bag, was a little sharper than usual. Pleasing balance of umami, sweetness, hint of bitterness and zero or no noticeable astringency.

Enjoying Ippodo Shincha, cold brewed throughout my work day.
Tasty and refreshing!!!

This morning we enjoyed O-cha's Sae Midori 20th Anniversary Tea, in one of our AO Yamada Sou kyusu, 250ml.

The tea was a bit softer than in April and May, however still delightful.

Miyabi Sencha from Kettl.

Super sweet, smooth...really wakes me up in the morning.

Purchased from their store in NYC, after sampling it (recommendation of the young lady who works there). Just ordered more online (free shipping over $125).

"Wind" sencha from Obubu. Slightly coarser leaves than some of their senchas, but a lovely morning starter, delicate but with just enough substance.

Enjoying it as usual from my Petr Novak kyusu and a Shawn McGuire 'Secret Shino' teacup, which is getting a rare outing with tea (it gets used so often for other things, like morning hot chocolate, that its rarely on the shelf at morning sencha time). I'll have to feature this cup in photos later, as I can't find any right now in my flickr, a shocking omission.

Noonie wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 07, 2019 4:34 am

Miyabi Sencha from Kettl.

Super sweet, smooth...really wakes me up in the morning.

Purchased from their store in NYC, after sampling it (recommendation of the young lady who works there). Just ordered more online (free shipping over $125).

@Noonie, I just looked at their web site, seems Kettl opened in 2016 in Brooklyn. Did you try several of their teas when you visited? Did you find the overall character light, medium, or on the heavy side generally, as compared to O-cha or sim? Each vendor I find curates teas based on their own personal preferences. @chofmann your take ?

I haven't had the Miyabi Sencha specifically, but generally I find Kettl's gyokuro and matcha to have strong umami, smooth taste, and just generally good quality. Some are 'heavier' and some are 'lighter' than others, but hte clean/smooth taste is consistent.

Chip and I have been enjoying Miyabi first flush sencha from O-Cha.

We found a some toastiness when brewed at a little over a minute. Chip then backed down on the time and brewed it more like a fukamushi, for 40-45 seconds now just a hint is dicernable.

This has been a bit of an enigma, we are not getting the grassiness as described. Mildly sweet, low umami, definately astringent. It is enjoyable, not my fave.

Historically, Miyabi has not been one of Chip's favorites. He decided to revisit per Kevin's recommendation ... still not a fave.

Jo wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 07, 2019 4:00 pm

Chip and I have been enjoying Miyabi first flush sencha from O-Cha.

We found a some toastiness when brewed at a little over a minute. Chip then backed down on the time and brewed it more like a fukamushi, for 40-45 seconds now just a hint is dicernable.

This has been a bit of an enigma, we are not getting the grassiness as described. Mildly sweet, low umami, definately astringent. It is enjoyable, not my fave.

Historically, Miyabi has not been one of Chip's favorites. He decided to revisit per Kevin's recommendation ... still not a fave.

I would love to get your thoughts on Kettl Miyabi for comparison.

Noonie wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 07, 2019 5:44 pm

I would love to get your thoughts on Kettl Miyabi for comparison.

Noonie, we have not yet tried any tea from Kettl