Finally back to enjoying my morning staple of Sae Midori from all last year into this one, Kagoshima Seicha’s Organic Sencha (Smile Tea by Birouen Tea House). I enjoy its brothy rich and smooth profile. Luckily I have several packs in the refrigerator. 10g/230ml /155f/1.30min in Maekawa Junzo Kobiwako clay kyusu. Finally not dripping as I pour more slowly and don’t fill all the way.
And I’m happy to say I’ve finally finished all of my 2013 refrigerated sencha. While many mellowed out nicely, and were pretty tasty they lacked that fresh snap that a Shincha and Sencha can have.
What Green Are You Drinking
Actually next up are a few from 2016, then onto 2019
More Ippodo Tokusen gyokuro this morning.....contemplating Victoria's comments in the tasting topic....and this morning enjoying the depth of the rich vegetal flavors on my second steep. Floral notes are not yet opening up, but the deep rich flavor is not overwhelming in the umami. Feels like I nailed my own personal sweet-spot on this round. Next infusion defninitely will benefit from a companion nibble of chocolate.
Trying out Ippodo’s Kuki Gyokuro made from gyokuro stems left over after processing. This was a gift from a friend who visited the Kyoto store in mid 2017. The bag was opened and clipped all this time, so not sure if it has lost any fresh green notes, most likely it has. It seems one can steep these stems in a variety of ways from; more leaf/cooler water/longer steep, to less leaf/boiling water/30sec steep. So far I’ve tried 10g/ 200ml/ 212f (100c)/ 30sec in Hokujo 210ml shudei twisted spout. The dry leaf aroma is sweet and woodsy. The liquor is thick and viscous, with sweet, smooth, vegetal asparagus notes, and a warming umami, with a woody essence of stems. Leaves a pleasant aftertaste and salivation typical of gyokuro. It also has a strange soapy taste which is weird. Anyone else ever taste soapy notes? Next time I’ll try more leaf and cooler temp at 10g/ 80ml/ 140f (60c)/ 1.30min 
Continuing with Sinensis Yukkaichi gyokuro, after a tasty Sae Midori Kagoshima Seicha session. I do think it has improved after a year of refrigeration. It is richer, deeper and super silky smooth. Using more leaf also works really well. 10g/100ml/108f/2.30min in Shigaraki 140ml Tachi Masaki, using Chrystal Geyser, Olancha, Ca.
I have some 2019 Gyokuro I'll be opening soon and will comment here afterwards. I've heard this as well so I'm hoping everyone is on point!
Honestly, I think it depends on the gyokuro. I don’t think long term (more than a two years) is a sure bet, although one year refrigeration has always been fine. With sencha, shincha and gyokuro some were delicious after long term refrigeration, others not better, although still drinkable.
Allowing another bag of gyokuro to warm up so I can do another minor tasting....so Kabuse sencha from Obubu this morning. This year's offerings were sent in 5 gram packages, which for me are usually two morning sessions, so I'm changing up sencha mornings more often. Kabuse is their partly shaded sencha, and it is a sweet, vegetal, slighty floral tea. Mmm.
I've never brewed Gyokuro using that much water; usually I'm closer to 50ml (and about 5g of leaf). Have you tried the same tea using 1/2 the water/tea? Would be interested to hear how it compares.Victoria wrote: ↑Thu Jul 23, 2020 1:40 pmContinuing with Sinensis Yukkaichi gyokuro, after a tasty Sae Midori Kagoshima Seicha session. I do think it has improved after a year of refrigeration. It is richer, deeper and super silky smooth. Using more leaf also works really well. 10g/100ml/108f/2.30min in Shigaraki 140ml Tachi Masaki, using Chrystal Geyser, Olancha, Ca.
Halfway through a bag of 2019 Sencha from Yame, Yabe-mura, Yabukita cultivar, from Thes Du Japon. Yummy!
I had been having some lighter Sencha's; larger leaves and lighter liquor. As soon as I opened this package I new it was closer to a Fukamushi (can't recall if it is in fact). Very intense aroma--when I first opened the package, every time I open the tea tin, in the pot before and after brewing, and the liquor itself. And the taste closely matches the aroma, sweet, marine-like and very refreshing. had to use a larger Kyusu I bought years ago that has a metal screen.
What I'm most excited about though is we're able to go back into our office to collect belongings from our desks as we'll be out of the office for quite a while longer. My favourite kyusu is awaiting me as is a nice yunomi. Going to be a special session when I use it again, after close to 5 months of being abandoned in a desk drawer.
I had been having some lighter Sencha's; larger leaves and lighter liquor. As soon as I opened this package I new it was closer to a Fukamushi (can't recall if it is in fact). Very intense aroma--when I first opened the package, every time I open the tea tin, in the pot before and after brewing, and the liquor itself. And the taste closely matches the aroma, sweet, marine-like and very refreshing. had to use a larger Kyusu I bought years ago that has a metal screen.
What I'm most excited about though is we're able to go back into our office to collect belongings from our desks as we'll be out of the office for quite a while longer. My favourite kyusu is awaiting me as is a nice yunomi. Going to be a special session when I use it again, after close to 5 months of being abandoned in a desk drawer.
So I just steeped Sinensis Yukkaichi gyokuro using 5g/50ml/108f/2.30min in Shigaraki Tachi Masaki, using Chrystal Geyser, Olancha, Ca. Tastes delicious, perfect as well. Don’t think there is a difference from using 10g/100ml everything else the same.Noonie wrote: ↑Sun Jul 26, 2020 11:20 amI've never brewed Gyokuro using that much water; usually I'm closer to 50ml (and about 5g of leaf). Have you tried the same tea using 1/2 the water/tea? Would be interested to hear how it compares.Victoria wrote: ↑Thu Jul 23, 2020 1:40 pmContinuing with Sinensis Yukkaichi gyokuro, after a tasty Sae Midori Kagoshima Seicha session. I do think it has improved after a year of refrigeration. It is richer, deeper and super silky smooth. Using more leaf also works really well. 10g/100ml/108f/2.30min in Shigaraki 140ml Tachi Masaki, using Chrystal Geyser, Olancha, Ca.
I’ll add that with certain Japanese greens in the past, I have noticed that proportional changes in parameters do influence steep results. I guess it depends on the tea and steeping vessel.
Really enjoying my morning routine now that I’m back with organic Kabusecha Sae Midori from Kagoshima Seicha. It’s brothy thick, sweet, and savory coating the mouth with lingering pop pop pop sensations
I tend to think of Chinese greens as having a brief shelf life once opened. I just found a small amount of Ming Qian An Ji Bai Cha that had been sitting in a foil bag in my non-AC kitchen since April. There was just enough tea for two sessions in a 110 ml pot. I decided to experiment with brewing it in a Kobiwako Kyusu. It came out fresh, sweet and “gentle” and lasted for 8 steeps. It actually was better than I recall the tea tasting several months ago.
Is there any tea this clay can’t improve?
Is there any tea this clay can’t improve?