TeaChat

I thought the Rishi inclusion on my shicha list might raise a few eyebrows.

I never know what Rishi will do. Often shincha arrives via the slow boat or they bypass it completely ... but they have remained strongly committed to bringing in good and fresh Japanese greens and have the harvest info listed ...

I reward these steps taken by including their teas each year, even if it is ichiban versus shin.

This year, they appear to be airshipping as they already have a 2012 shincha YM from Kagoshima. I will be talking to my contact there asap!

(The Hinshu Bai Hao was really outstanding!!!)

blairswhitaker wrote:@ seeker, What are you going to try this year?

@Alex, Magokoro is a great tea did you have the sencha version of it? I didn't go with any for shincha season this year because I am not a huge fuka fan and I wanted to try some other fukas that I hadn't had before or in a long while.

Yeah I did. I liked it. I loved the Kagoshima Sencha Asatsuyu but that's not available yet.

I really need to get some good Asu though. Havent had any for the last 500 grams of tea drinking.

OK. Newbie question time ....

From everything that I have read, shincha seems to be limted to senchas. Are there shincha versions of tencha/matcha or gyokuro?

Thanks.

Best wishes,
sherubtse

I know Maiko offers shincha gyokuro every year ... I have never had it. I have seen it a few other places as well.

Chip wrote:I know Maiko offers shincha gyokuro every year ... I have never had it. I have seen it a few other places as well.

Thanks for the info, Chip. I have looked at the Maiko shincha page and, sure enough, there it is.

Best wishes,
sherubtse

Chip wrote:This year, they appear to be airshipping as they already have a 2012 shincha YM from Kagoshima. I will be talking to my contact there asap!

Interesting YM shincha they have, but a tad pricey perhaps at $34 for 100g. Interesting video too on kyusu brewing.

Thanks for the reference to Rishi, Chip.

Best wishes,
sherubtse

A few minor errors on the video though ... IMHO.

Chip wrote:A few minor errors on the video though ... IMHO.

Such as ....

Best wishes,
sherubtse

... such as pouring into cups. In the video: cups 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4, etc. versus cups 1,2,3,4 - 4,3,2,1 - 1,2,3,4, etc. Reversing direction will give a more even distribution of flavor, particles, etc. (using a pitcher is a good alternative)

Though I am sure I do things that would make most experienced Japanese tea brewers laugh.

Yes, you can get shincha gyokuro, but it will have a "green" taste to it. It tastes better in the fall...

I'm going to try some new shinchas (to me) this year....

- Maiko (Kinari)
- Ippodo (shincha, and probably a gyo and houji)
- Thes du Japon (maybe, I may have too much shincha and will have to wait until later)
- O-cha (YM) - I had YM shincha last year, but I've been hearing that it was different from the "classic" in previous years, so want to try it again.

And, I just couldn't get shincha, but not also get a few that have become "classic" for me:

- Den's Tea / Shirakata Denshiro Shoten (Hashiri Shincha / Houryoku / Kunpu)

sherubtse wrote:OK. Newbie question time ....

From everything that I have read, shincha seems to be limted to senchas. Are there shincha versions of tencha/matcha or gyokuro?

Thanks.

Best wishes,
sherubtse

Marakyu Koyamaen sells shin matcha, it might also be known a their gold and silver matcha. I picked some up last May in Kyoto. You can order directly from them, just check their website http://www.marukyu-koyamaen.co.jp/english/index.html.

Buzz Fledderjohn wrote:Marakyu Koyamaen sells shin matcha, it might also be known a their gold and silver matcha. I picked some up last May in Kyoto. You can order directly from them, just check their website http://www.marukyu-koyamaen.co.jp/english/index.html.

Thanks for the link.

The site looks intesting, as do some of their teas. I have sent an inquiry asking for further info.

Best wishes,
sherubtse

Preorders Hibiki-an

http://www.hibiki-an.com/default.php/cPath/36

Traditional shincha in Kyoto Style

or this

http://www.japantea.org/yame_88nights_2012

someone order?

chado.my.teaway wrote:Preorders Hibiki-an

http://www.hibiki-an.com/default.php/cPath/36

Hibiki-an is offering aracha shincha. Never had aracha, must less the shin version. Anyone have this before?

Thanks.

Best wishes,
sherubtse