What Green Are You Drinking

[Chip]

Yerterday I receive my order from o-cha of the Satsuma sae midori sencha. It has been quite timely.

Thank Victoria for your coments and photos. In particular, I love the Taisuke Shiraiwa cup.

Oh, it is so smooth, umami good. I’m wondering how it is processed differently than O-Cha’s other much greener Sae Midori, and if it’s slightly aged (even though it’s sold as shincha), leading to warm yellow liquor. I hope you let it rest a few days after it’s travel, and then after opening, and resealing with clip, let it rest another 24 hours. It will taste a lot better doing this.

Very simply, the Satsuma version is light steamed, asamushi. Light steamed varietals are always less green (or not green at all) compared to deep steamed, fukamushi, of the same varietal.

O-cha's standard Sae Midori is fukamushi and fuka SM is always among the greenest of greens.

It is often not simply a case of the liquor being that much more green, however. It is likely more a case of the seemingly infinite suspended, intensely green particles floating in the liquor. Think of another Japanese green, matcha ... similar effect.

I generally find asamushi to be more elegant, contemplative, while fukamushi of the same varietal to be much more assertive ... a flavor explosion ... no thinking required.

[tealifehk]

O-Cha's cheapest organic matcha!

https://www.o-cha.com/uji-organic-match ... gory_id=27

This stuff isn't bad at all and is very good value. Less interesting than their supreme, but great effect and only mildly bitter. I bought one of their mid-grade organic matchas as well for comparison. I'm surprised how good this stuff is for the money! I've been starting every morning off with matcha since I first tried it a few months ago.

Curious that matcha is working well with you Jay, since it is very high in caffeine. Do you notice this as well?

No, it actually seems fine to me! Matcha is how I wake up in the morning, but I always need more tea after that

[Victoria]

Yerterday I receive my order from o-cha of the Satsuma sae midori sencha. It has been quite timely.

Thank Victoria for your coments and photos. In particular, I love the Taisuke Shiraiwa cup.

Oh, it is so smooth, umami good. I’m wondering how it is processed differently than O-Cha’s other much greener Sae Midori, and if it’s slightly aged (even though it’s sold as shincha), leading to warm yellow liquor. I hope you let it rest a few days after it’s travel, and then after opening, and resealing with clip, let it rest another 24 hours. It will taste a lot better doing this.

Very simply, the Satsuma version is light steamed, asamushi. Light steamed varietals are always less green (or not green at all) compared to deep steamed, fukamushi, of the same varietal.

O-cha's standard Sae Midori is fukamushi and fuka SM is always among the greenest of greens.

It is often not simply a case of the liquor being that much more green, however. It is likely more a case of the seemingly infinite suspended, intensely green particles floating in the liquor. Think of another Japanese green, matcha ... similar effect.

I generally find asamushi to be more elegant, contemplative, while fukamushi of the same varietal to be much more assertive ... a flavor explosion ... no thinking required.

Aa! Sou? ...So I’m understanding correctly; it’s the deep steeming that makes the delicate leaves more brittle and broken up, leading to greener liquor. I know you’re a fuka kinda guy, so this is right up your green allée. One of the benefits of sticking to one country, one type of tea, is you go deeper into that particular wormhole. Myself having wandered off a few years ago to Taiwan, I might have a broader reach, but may have sacrificed singular depth

[Jo]

Almost 100 degrees right now. Chip and I are enjoying Chiran teabags from O-Cha in an ice cold water bottle, perfectly refreshing

[Victoria]

Almost 100 degrees right now. Chip and I are enjoying Chiran teabags from O-Cha in an ice cold water bottle, perfectly refreshing

That sounds crazy good. I see there is a super heat wave on east coast. Annapolis 98/ feels like 113f glad I’m out west right now...

[Jo]

This morning, Chip and i enjoyed an Asamushi shincha, a gifted tea from Hoshino Village in Yame. Our senses were greeted with a deep, deep dry leaf aroma typical of Yame.

This is an unknown cultivar to Chip, but he suspects it is not yabukita. perhaps YM or asatsuya ... could be SM. Or maybe a blend. However, it was interestingly flavorful.

[Pedro_lres]

Oh, it is so smooth, umami good. I’m wondering how it is processed differently than O-Cha’s other much greener Sae Midori, and if it’s slightly aged (even though it’s sold as shincha), leading to warm yellow liquor. I hope you let it rest a few days after it’s travel, and then after opening, and resealing with clip, let it rest another 24 hours. It will taste a lot better doing this.

Very simply, the Satsuma version is light steamed, asamushi. Light steamed varietals are always less green (or not green at all) compared to deep steamed, fukamushi, of the same varietal.

O-cha's standard Sae Midori is fukamushi and fuka SM is always among the greenest of greens.

It is often not simply a case of the liquor being that much more green, however. It is likely more a case of the seemingly infinite suspended, intensely green particles floating in the liquor. Think of another Japanese green, matcha ... similar effect.

I generally find asamushi to be more elegant, contemplative, while fukamushi of the same varietal to be much more assertive ... a flavor explosion ... no thinking required.

Aa! Sou? ...So I’m understanding correctly; it’s the deep steeming that makes the delicate leaves more brittle and broken up, leading to greener liquor. I know your a fuka kinda guy, so this is right up your green allée. One of the benefits of sticking to one country, one type of tea, is you go deeper into that particular wormhole. Myself having wandered off a few years ago to Taiwan, I might have a broader reach, but may have sacrificed singular depth

I let the tea rest 24 hours but I did not have the patience to wait another 24 hours. As you suggested the first day tje tea was good and the second "awesome". Would your reccomend steeping it a lower temperature?

[Victoria]

I let the tea rest 24 hours but I did not have the patience to wait another 24 hours. As you suggested the first day tje tea was good and the second "awesome". Would your reccomend steeping it a lower temperature?

Glad to hear you got great results the next day. With the Satsuma Sae Midori I originally steeped at 7gr/207ml (7oz)/160f/60,.50,90sec., with very good results. Later I tried adding more leaf, but it was more brassy, less elegant. Looks like I’m steeping as recommended (1:1/160f/60sec.,30sec,90sec) except adding more time. Maybe to experiment next time I can try adding more leaf, lowering the temp. and reducing time also to reach a new balance. 7.5gr/7gr/155f/50sec. although I’m not sure I want to tweak a good thing. How are you steeping it?

[Victoria]

Enjoying Kagoshima Co Roasted Sencha even though we are in the middle of a heat wave and my AC isn’t working. Silky smooth sweet roasted chestnut and yam notes, yet the liquor is light and elegant, similar to LiShan in consistency. Steeping in Emu kyusu with a wall filter that never gets clogged and pours expertly every time.

Roasted Sencha Kagoshima w Emu Hoya L1010033.jpg (595.4 KiB) Viewed 12401 times

[Pedro_lres]

I let the tea rest 24 hours but I did not have the patience to wait another 24 hours. As you suggested the first day tje tea was good and the second "awesome". Would your reccomend steeping it a lower temperature?

Glad to hear you got great results the next day. With the Satsuma Sae Midori I originally steeped at 7gr/207ml (7oz)/160f/60,.50,90sec., with very good results. Later I tried adding more leaf, but it was more brassy, less elegant. Looks like I’m steeping as recommended (1:1/160f/60sec.,30sec,90sec) except adding more time. Maybe to experiment next time I can try adding more leaf, lowering the temp. and reducing time also to reach a new balance. 7.5gr/7gr/155f/50sec. although I’m not sure I want to tweak a good thing. How are you steeping it?

Sorry for the delay in replying. I've been disconected for a little while.

These are my steeping conditions at present 2,5-2,7 g / 60 ml/ 70º-73º C /50 sec, 30 sec, 90 sec. The first cup is consistently very good, but I haven't achieved consistency with my seconds and thirds. I shortened the steeping time to 50 sec from 60 sec by mistake, but shortening the steeping time I found a slight sweetness I could not appreciate with longer steeping.

I must try lowering the leaf to water ratio, I may be overdoing it.

[Victoria]

Finally opened O-Cha's Nagasaki Organic Guricha, a kamairi (pan fried, not steamed) shincha. I'm pacing myself not have more than one shincha open at a time, so as to not loose freshness. This shincha is excellent both in quality and price (very low). I’m impressed by the unique flavor profile; a rich seaside umami sweetness, slightly nutty, with a savory lingering palate. It has notes of the seaside, as if a breeze had passed by a bed of sweet seaweed. Really interesting. Definitely want more of this goodness.

Steeped in Shimizu Ken kyusu : 5.8gr/6.7oz (200ml)/170f/90,50,60sec. I might even go for less leaf next time. O-Cha recommends .6gr:1oz ratio

The pan fired leaf is curled and more broken up than steamed leaf that is then rolled into needles.

Nagasaki Organic Guricha leaf L1010081.jpg (739 KiB) Viewed 12204 times

Nagasaki Organic Guricha w Shimizu Ken L1010087.jpg (720.77 KiB) Viewed 12204 times

[Chip]

Finally opened O-Cha's Nagasaki Organic Guricha, a kamairi (pan fried, not steamed) shincha. I'm pacing myself not have more than one shincha open at a time, so as to not loose freshness. This shincha is excellent both in quality and price (very low). I’m impressed by the unique flavor profile; a rich seaside umami sweetness, slightly nutty, with a savory lingering palate. It has notes of the seaside, as if a breeze had passed by a bed of sweet seaweed. Really interesting. Definitely want more of this goodness.

Steeped in Shimizu Ken kyusu : 5.8gr/6.7oz (200ml)/170f/90,50,60sec. I might even go for less leaf next time. O-Cha recommends .6gr:1oz ratio

The pan fired leaf is curled and more broken up than steamed leaf that is then rolled into needles.

Nagasaki Organic Guricha leaf L1010081.jpg


Nagasaki Organic Guricha w Shimizu Ken L1010087.jpg

Hrmm, I always thought "Guricha" aka Tamaryokucha was steamed unlike its pan-fired cousin Kamairicha ...

Further guricha was very akin to sencha but was not rolled into needles ... thus the commas.

Live and learn. I will have to ask ...

So what is the difference between guricha and Kamairicha?

Last guricha I purchased from o-cha had a dry leaf aroma that reminded me (and other tcers) of cotton candy. Likely 10 years ago.

[Victoria]

Hrmm, I always thought "Guricha" aka Tamaryokucha was steamed unlike its pan-fired cousin Kamairicha ...

Further guricha was very akin to sencha but was not rolled into needles ... thus the commas.

Live and learn. I will have to ask ...

So what is the difference between guricha and Kamairicha?

Last guricha I purchased from o-cha had a dry leaf aroma that reminded me (and other tcers) of cotton candy. Likely 10 years ago.

This Guricha is pan fried, not steamed, it is a Kamairicha. The leaves are not rolled into needles as they are when steamed. Yes right, the broken leaves have a comma type shape. I have never had steamed Guricha so can’t compare. My next purchase

[debunix]

Have been drinking tea but not visiting the forum for a while, too busy. But now drinking such a lovely tea that I want to share. This is from Morning Crane's TeaBuyKorea 2018:

Jungjak Tteokeumcha from Dosim Dawan, known for coming from very old tea trees.

Prepared with 180 degree water in a fully glazed Petr Novak pot and about a 30 second infusion, did not weigh leaf but went if anything a little light: sweet, delicate, vegetal tea. Second infusion, same temp but flash infusion, and in addition to delicate sweet peas there is a floral note coming out, nectar-sweet as well as vegetal-sweet. Really nice. Looking forward to several more infusions--expect I should get at least 5 at this rate.

I also drank some of this yesterday as sparkling tea--allowed to infuse several hours in sparkling water in the refrigerator. Very refreshing!

[d.manuk]

Morning Crane's TeaBuyKorea

Thanks so much for this info, I have been wanting a Korean tea source that has some more niche offerings and this looks promising. I'll be placing an order this week!


Also, cold brewed tea made in sparkling water is an amazing idea -- I'm going to make some for my boyfriend since he loves sparkling water!