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Posted: May 8th, '08, 23:14
by Chip
joelbct wrote:Interesting aside, after drinking koicha (thick tea)for a month, I just opened a tin of O-Cha's organic kaoru usucha (thin tea), the first matcha I tried 5 months ago.
I can certainly tell the difference! I still *like* the organic kaoru, but not as much as the koicha's I've been drinking, which one can drink it at higher concentrations without the bitterness....
Methinks this is a good sign- My matcha taste buds are developing...
Methinks this is a bad sign for your wallet!
Posted: May 8th, '08, 23:46
by joelbct
Matcha-Banreki No Mukashi
Sublime, irresistably delicious, bright, sweet, succulent, full. I cannot say I have tasted a matcha better than this.
Posted: May 11th, '08, 12:02
by joelbct
Posted: May 11th, '08, 12:21
by chamekke
Posted: May 11th, '08, 12:25
by chamekke
P.S. "Mukashi" is used in most if not all koicha tea names. My tea sensei told me that it means "ancient times" or "olden days". (In fact, the phrase "mukashi mukashi" means something like "once upon a time".)
If I understood my teacher correctly, the idea of using "mukashi" in the name is to indicate that the tea is of classical quality, i.e. good enough to meet the approval of the great tea masters of yesteryear... something like that.
Posted: May 11th, '08, 13:33
by scruffmcgruff
chamekke wrote:P.S. "Mukashi" is used in most if not all koicha tea names. My tea sensei told me that it means "ancient times" or "olden days". (In fact, the phrase "mukashi mukashi" means something like "once upon a time".)
If I understood my teacher correctly, the idea of using "mukashi" in the name is to indicate that the tea is of classical quality, i.e. good enough to meet the approval of the great tea masters of yesteryear... something like that.
So that's why we keep you around...
Thanks for the info, chamekke!
Posted: May 11th, '08, 16:28
by Salsero
joelbct wrote:Matcha-Banreki No Mukashi
Joel that is so stunning! A real joy to look at it, too pretty to drink!
Posted: May 11th, '08, 17:27
by olivierco
joelbct wrote:Matcha-Banreki No Mukashi
Sublime, irresistably delicious, bright, sweet, succulent, full. I cannot say I have tasted a matcha better than this.
Nice picture. Did you also brew it as koicha?
Posted: May 11th, '08, 23:28
by joelbct
olivierco wrote:joelbct wrote:Matcha-Banreki No Mukashi
Sublime, irresistably delicious, bright, sweet, succulent, full. I cannot say I have tasted a matcha better than this.
Nice picture. Did you also brew it as koicha?
Not yet, the above pictured is thicker than usucha, but not
quite the level of koicha. Close though. I usually brew matcha in between usucha and koicha, playing around with the temperature/concentration. It's amazing how many different tastes one can get out of a particular type of matcha...
Posted: May 11th, '08, 23:41
by chamekke
Is it possible that you've invented...
usukoi ?
Or maybe
han-koicha (half-koicha) ... although that sounds too much like handkerchief, maybe
Either way, you've created a new tea drink, and one of these days I'm going to try making it at home myself. It looks delicious!
Posted: May 13th, '08, 01:33
by inspectoring
joelbct wrote:olivierco wrote:joelbct wrote:Matcha-Banreki No Mukashi
Sublime, irresistably delicious, bright, sweet, succulent, full. I cannot say I have tasted a matcha better than this.
Nice picture. Did you also brew it as koicha?
Not yet, the above pictured is thicker than usucha, but not
quite the level of koicha. Close though. I usually brew matcha in between usucha and koicha, playing around with the temperature/concentration. It's amazing how many different tastes one can get out of a particular type of matcha...
You sir are the man...I was thinking of giving it a try and now you have convinced me...once I get my dens hashiri tea - I am going to go for this one.
I will appreciate you input on two things -
1. How servings of thick tea/thin tea will this provide?
2. How long do you keep this on shelf/refridgerator once you open it?
I mean I know that itoen recommends that this be in a refridgerator for no longer than 3-4 months unopened and no longer than 1 month opened.
3. How does it compare to Matcha-Koto no Tsuki ? I have one can open that I am using right now but would love to experiment.
4. Are you not concerned about the possibility of this having pesticides etc?
5. I know this has been discussed to death - is this good for a everyday use?
Posted: May 13th, '08, 01:47
by inspectoring
chamekke wrote:Further to the "thickness of thick tea" question, I found a webpage that illustrates the difference in consistencies rather well - I think!
http://www.wanogakkou.com/culture/01000 ... motto.html
Go to the bottom to see photographs of both types. Or, heck, I'll see if I can simply piggyback them here.
On the left is koicha or thick tea (enough to be shared amongst two or three people, looks like).
On the right, usucha or thin tea (with one bowl being consumed per person):
Again, this is
as prepared in Chadou. Your personal preferences may dictate otherwise!
Will stop now, as I don't want to be a
complete tea ceremony bore
Actually I am curious - it seems like there is just more than 3-4 matcha spoon tea in the thick tea. Can anyone actually confirm the exact amount of tea and water?
Thanks...
Meanwhile - I have discovered an excellent way to consume matcha while I drive in the morning.
I will soon post pictures and etc....
Posted: May 13th, '08, 01:54
by inspectoring
btw - check out this matcha bowl....AMAZING!...
Posted: May 13th, '08, 03:15
by chamekke
inspectoring wrote:chamekke wrote:Further to the "thickness of thick tea" question, I found a webpage that illustrates the difference in consistencies rather well - I think!
http://www.wanogakkou.com/culture/01000 ... motto.html
Go to the bottom to see photographs of both types. Or, heck, I'll see if I can simply piggyback them here.
On the left is koicha or thick tea (enough to be shared amongst two or three people, looks like).
On the right, usucha or thin tea (with one bowl being consumed per person):
Again, this is
as prepared in Chadou. Your personal preferences may dictate otherwise!
Will stop now, as I don't want to be a
complete tea ceremony bore
Actually I am curious - it seems like there is just more than 3-4 matcha spoon tea in the thick tea. Can anyone actually confirm the exact amount of tea and water?
Thanks...
It is just a guess, since I didn't make this tea and it's really hard to gauge exactly how much is in this chawan. But, it looks to me as though this
might be enough koicha for about 3 people.
In that case, you're probably looking at around 12 scoops of koicha total, and... only enough water to make a very very thick mixture. I'm not sure how much hot water that is, exactly, since I always use a hishaku (bamboo ladle) and measure/mix by sight, but - perhaps two tablespoons of water? I doubt that it would be much more, and in fact it might be a little less.
Posted: May 13th, '08, 06:25
by olivierco
I have just ordered a
Chasen for Koicha from o-cha
