so glad to her you are enjoying the brothy Satsuma 
. Re Jozan III spout, mine does not dribble at all. A masterful pour everytime.
What Green Are You Drinking
Are you using any special water with the Satsuma? Every once in a while I’m getting slightly more bitterness, even though I’m always using same parameters, so other than changes in ambient humidity, and my own body, I’m thinking fluctuations in my filtered city water might be the culprit (coming from different sources). So far Nice! Icelandic Spring water from Walgreens has worked well for me.
Victoria, we use a myriad of waters selections, but have been using the same for our experiment. I am honestly not sure which one it is. I am at work, I will ask Chip to comment here. Icelandic is definitely in our rotationVictoria wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 5:52 pmAre you using any special water with the Satsuma? Every once in a while I’m getting slightly more bitterness, even though I’m always using same parameters, so other than changes in ambient humidity, and my own body, I’m thinking fluctuations in my filtered city water might be the culprit (coming from different sources). So far Nice! Icelandic Spring water from Walgreens has worked well for me.
I have not used pots by jozan IV or Yamada Sou... the Jozan III does not dribble. I don't really have enough of his pots to tell how much variation there is.pedant wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:42 pmsteanze, have you used or owned pots by jozan iv or his son, sou?
what do you think of the spout of your jozan iii pot(s) from a functional standpoint compared to to those of his son's/grandson's? will the jozan iii dribble either in normal use or by trying to force it?
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Chip
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Likewise. It is more elegant than their fuka version yet very flavorful.
A nice bonus with most Sae Midori, you can really amp up the leaf to water ratio with positive results. I used to shy away from SM cultivar selections because they seemed ... too soft to me until I realized this.
I also increase brew time for this cultivar. For this asamushi, about 75-90 seconds for the first steep.
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Chip
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Funny, I have a bottle of Icelandic Spring sitting here on the tea table, but I use that for "water drinking" and it is nice.Victoria wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 5:52 pmAre you using any special water with the Satsuma? Every once in a while I’m getting slightly more bitterness, even though I’m always using same parameters, so other than changes in ambient humidity, and my own body, I’m thinking fluctuations in my filtered city water might be the culprit (coming from different sources). So far Nice! Icelandic Spring water from Walgreens has worked well for me.
Just using gallon jugs of relatively local sourced spring water available as private label through a local super market chain. It is not too hard. Nothing special, but it works well and does not have excessive minerals.
I tried another private label from a similar source and it was very hard and extremely minerally ... could see the mineral residue floating on the water surface ... stopped using that right away to avoid the dreaded white staining on clay teaware. That was Walmart.
I just try to keep water selection ... simple. And once something is working, I tend to stick with it until I sense a change is warranted.
A really great smooth sweet pea brothy session this morning with Satsuma Sae Midori, and I forgot to use my bottled Iceland Spring water, just used filtered local tap. I’m thinking my local water source must have gone back to a more favorable location. 75% is of the city’s water supply, originates from groundwater in and around Santa Monica.
Sounds tasty!Victoria wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 2:10 pmA really great smooth sweet pea brothy session this morning with Satsuma Sae Midori, and I forgot to use my bottled Iceland Spring water, just used filtered local tap. I’m thinking my local water source must have gone back to a more favorable location. 75% is of the city’s water supply, originates from groundwater in and around Santa Monica.
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noumaminolife
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Sencha from Hoshu Kagoshima
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Teachronicles
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Might be hard to believe, but after two years of tea drinking, I just had my first proper sencha. It's kagoshima sencha yutaka midori, from o-cha. The smell of the dry and wet leaf reminded me of Chinese green tea, I had only ever had Japanese restaurant sencha before 
. I definitely didn't do correct leaf ratio or timing, as it was pretty bitter, but overall, I really liked it.
. I definitely didn't do correct leaf ratio or timing, as it was pretty bitter, but overall, I really liked it.With Japanese greens you need to be extra vigilant with water temperature, or it will become bitter. A thermometer is very useful. The liquor should be vegetal and sweet, not bitter.Teachronicles wrote: ↑Wed Jan 30, 2019 12:25 pmMight be hard to believe, but after two years of tea drinking, I just had my first proper sencha. It's kagoshima sencha yutaka midori, from o-cha. The smell of the dry and wet leaf reminded me of Chinese green tea, I had only ever had Japanese restaurant sencha before
O-Cha recommends .6gr:1ml ratio
.6g per /1oz (30ml) water/170F (77C)/ 45 seconds
I backed off on heat and increased leaf ratio and time, 1.125gr:1ml ratio at 162f/90sec;
4.5gr/4oz/162f/90sec.
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Teachronicles
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My water was too hot I think, 175F. I had 4g in 4oz. The first two infusions were a bit bitter, but the third turned out very nice, vegetal and sweet.Victoria wrote: ↑Wed Jan 30, 2019 3:39 pmWith Japanese greens you need to be extra vigilant with water temperature, or it will become bitter. A thermometer is very useful. The liquor should be vegetal and sweet, not bitter.Teachronicles wrote: ↑Wed Jan 30, 2019 12:25 pmMight be hard to believe, but after two years of tea drinking, I just had my first proper sencha. It's kagoshima sencha yutaka midori, from o-cha. The smell of the dry and wet leaf reminded me of Chinese green tea, I had only ever had Japanese restaurant sencha before
O-Cha recommends .6gr:1ml ratio
.6g per /1oz (30ml) water/170F (77C)/ 45 seconds
I backed off on heat and increased leaf ratio and time, 1.125gr:1ml ratio at 162f/90sec;
4.5gr/4oz/162f/90sec.
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Chip
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Funny how perceptions can differ from one person to another. I would never have likened YM to Chinese green, dry leaf or otherwise. ... like night and day to me. 
A good sencha might have a balance of elements including sweet, vegetal, umami, bitter, astringency, sometimes even a saline-like sensation reminding me of a tropical island breeze.
Sometimes improper brewing brings the less desirable elements into dominance. Learning to modify our brewing technique to bring out the best elements while maintaining some balance requires a bit of practice along with a suitable water and brew vessel.
Yutaka Midori fukamushi while not a particularly difficult to brew sencha can still easily be messed up. Even after 1000s of sessions with this selection, I can still mess it up ... usually too much leaf ... after finishing off a bag of more forgiving Sae Midori. Then I remember to back off a bit in the leaf to water ratio, and it begins to sing.
My parameters ...
1.25 or more grams per ounce water
I am guessing 160° or a tad lower
Time I find to be critical for YM fuka, 40-45 seconds
First steep has the most "must sit down" umami and sweet going on
2nd steep
Similar temp for 30 seconds or less.
2nd steep is most brothy
3rd and beyond
Can increase time and temp a bit with each successive steep ... too drastic an increase can result in "bitter brew face"
A good sencha might have a balance of elements including sweet, vegetal, umami, bitter, astringency, sometimes even a saline-like sensation reminding me of a tropical island breeze.
Sometimes improper brewing brings the less desirable elements into dominance. Learning to modify our brewing technique to bring out the best elements while maintaining some balance requires a bit of practice along with a suitable water and brew vessel.
Yutaka Midori fukamushi while not a particularly difficult to brew sencha can still easily be messed up. Even after 1000s of sessions with this selection, I can still mess it up ... usually too much leaf ... after finishing off a bag of more forgiving Sae Midori. Then I remember to back off a bit in the leaf to water ratio, and it begins to sing.
My parameters ...
1.25 or more grams per ounce water
I am guessing 160° or a tad lower
Time I find to be critical for YM fuka, 40-45 seconds
First steep has the most "must sit down" umami and sweet going on
2nd steep
Similar temp for 30 seconds or less.
2nd steep is most brothy
3rd and beyond
Can increase time and temp a bit with each successive steep ... too drastic an increase can result in "bitter brew face"
Having opened my yutaka midori right after my sae midori I can relate 100%, the yutaka was far easier to extract bitterness especially being used to the high ratio I used with sae midoriChip wrote: ↑Wed Jan 30, 2019 8:32 pm
Yutaka Midori fukamushi while not a particularly difficult to brew sencha can still easily be messed up. Even after 1000s of sessions with this selection, I can still mess it up ... usually too much leaf ... after finishing off a bag of more forgiving Sae Midori. Then I remember to back off a bit in the leaf to water ratio, and it begins to sing.