A case for older (cheaper) tea?

[a.serrao]

I will check his settings.

He might have opted to not receive PMs at some point and does not realize it ... likely due to not enough FF Sencha. Or too much Bancha.

Too much catechins
I've modified the settings. Try now, teaisme...

[Kevangogh]

My friend Yuusuke from Tsuen tea contacted the Kyoto tea research center to ask about catechin levels today. When it comes to obscure facts about green tea, even a 24th generation tea master has to check into these things. Now when I did my research, I am sure I read that first harvest green tea was higher in catechins, but perhaps I confused it with something else - it's been 9 years since I researched this topic. Regardless, catechin levels as per the Kyoto tea research center:

First Harvest: 14.2%
Second Harvest: 19.8%
Third Harvest: 19.7%

They said it varies significantly depending on growing conditions, amount of fertilizer used, etc. The reason: Tea growers put maximum effort into the first harvest which without doubt is considered the best, at least for taste purposes. Growing conditions are a little different - they do tend to shade more down here in Uji. Shizuoka - could be a different story. The bottled green tea makers use 2nd and 3rd harvest tea so that they can brag about the catechin levels. 2nd and 3rd harvest tea, while it may be higher in catechins, is not considered to be on the same level as first harvest quality-wise. If all you care about is catechins and don't want to drink an extra 1/3 of a cup to make up for it, then you should stick with 2nd flush.

Practically speaking what does this mean? It means if you drank a 300 ml cup of 1st flush green tea, in order to reach the same level of catechins that are in 2nd flush green tea you would have to drink an additional whopping 16.8 ml of it!

So a.serrao - Congratulations, you were actually right on this detail. Unfortunately, since you stated that you won't drink green tea from 2011 based on (still) faulty logic regarding the radiation danger of Japanese green teas, your catechin levels from Japanese green tea will be exactly "zero" this year.

[a.serrao]

So a.serrao - Congratulations, you were actually right on this detail. Unfortunately, since you stated that you won't drink green tea from 2011 based on (still) faulty logic regarding the radiation danger of Japanese green teas, your catechin levels from Japanese green tea will be exactly "zero" this year.

You're right Kevin.
BUT (there is always a "BUT")...
I'll drink chinese, indian, taiwanese and vietnamese green teas...
You know, Kevin, green tea is NOT ONLY japanese green tea...
So, also this year it appears that I'll get my share of catechins (on the verge of being intoxicating (see above) - I'm kidding of course).

[Tead Off]

Now I want to know which first flush green teas rank highest in catechins:
Japanese
Korean
Chinese
??

[sherubtse]

My friend Yuusuke from Tsuen tea contacted the Kyoto tea research center to ask about catechin levels today. When it comes to obscure facts about green tea, even a 24th generation tea master has to check into these things. Now when I did my research, I am sure I read that first harvest green tea was higher in catechins, but perhaps I confused it with something else - it's been 9 years since I researched this topic. Regardless, catechin levels as per the Kyoto tea research center:

First Harvest: 14.2%
Second Harvest: 19.8%
Third Harvest: 19.7%

They said it varies significantly depending on growing conditions, amount of fertilizer used, etc. The reason: Tea growers put maximum effort into the first harvest which without doubt is considered the best, at least for taste purposes. Growing conditions are a little different - they do tend to shade more down here in Uji. Shizuoka - could be a different story. The bottled green tea makers use 2nd and 3rd harvest tea so that they can brag about the catechin levels. 2nd and 3rd harvest tea, while it may be higher in catechins, is not considered to be on the same level as first harvest quality-wise. If all you care about is catechins and don't want to drink an extra 1/3 of a cup to make up for it, then you should stick with 2nd flush.

Practically speaking what does this mean? It means if you drank a 300 ml cup of 1st flush green tea, in order to reach the same level of catechins that are in 2nd flush green tea you would have to drink an additional whopping 16.8 ml of it!

Thanks for looking into this, Kevin. It makes for interesting reading.

Best wishes,
sherubtse

[Chip]

Good, now that we have this cleared up, can we get back to drinking tea?

Hm ... but wait, I am conducting a tasting of all FF Japanese greens! AND one is Kabuse!!! Hopefully the participants are not reading this topic!!!

[Nathaniel87]

We all are I'm sure, but anyone who loves tea enough to participate in an online forum and send money over the internet for 10g samples of a handful of Japanese green teas likely have some other motivation for tea drinking beyond health benefits.

Nonetheless, this was an interesting discussion...

[bryan_drinks_tea]

and a happy ending! whoo! I was afraid that a few threads on here were secretly being posted on by members of parliament. (meant in jest, of course).



Now lets go enjoy some good green tea!

[a.serrao]

Now I want to know which first flush green teas rank highest in catechins:
Japanese
Korean
Chinese
??

Impossible to answer, and you know it.

[teaisme]

Thanks for looking into this, Kevin. It makes for interesting reading.

Yeap ditto thanks for putting in the extra effort/time for this. I bet your friend Yuusuke gave you a raised eyebrow look when you asked him to look into this

[bambooforest]

These are very interesting findings, thank you Kevin.

Now to the matter at hand...

I have a few hundred grams of bancha that's as fresh as can be. Knowing many tea drinker's proclivity to getting the most optimal health benefits possible, after much consideration, I've concluded I'd like to do, what they call around here, a "good deed."

I have 300 grams of truly fresh bancha, 2nd flush.

I'm willing to trade these 300 grams of unopened tea for 3 bags of first harvest sencha, preferably harvested in Uji or Kagoshima. Though, I am flexible on this.

If you'are interested, send me a pm and we can get the ball rolling.

Yours,

Bamboo Forest

[teaisme]

I can't tell if your being serious

[Chip]

I can't tell if your being serious

+1 ... do you have a bridge to sell as well?

[a.serrao]

I have 300 grams of truly fresh bancha, 2nd flush.

I'm willing to trade these 300 grams of unopened tea for 3 bags of first harvest sencha, preferably harvested in Uji or Kagoshima. Though, I am flexible on this.

Yes, if you pay the difference in price between FF and SF.

P.S.: I have got Shizuoka FF sencha. Do you mind it because of radiation issues?

[j-z]

wow what a funy thread, maybe it should be called 'an inconvenient truth' lol. hey so now what do i do with my 1st grade dragon well oh i guess i better trade it to someone for their 3rd grade dragonwell lol. so to be serious now does this mean then that i dont have to take so much caffeine or spend so much tons of ($$$$$) and i get just as healthy amount of stuff from green tea, thats awesome.