Shincha 2008 Lineup

[Chip]

How are the rest of youse guys finding it?

My problem is that I am not finding it.

Not at all!

It is not here!

I have crumbs of leftover sencha...period. If my shincha arrives tomorrow, I will look like a genius. Any later than that and I begin to lose face exponentially.

Sal, I think my leaf ratio was a little higher, but you are in the ballpark. Hmm, generally, each of your numbers is a little lower then what I was using for nonshincha.

I am wondering if I need to contact Kevin to make sure mine was shipped. I cannot determine this from my order history. He refers to an order being "complete" but that does not equate to it being shipped. I think he means it is fully entered into his system and the finances are all cleared.

[Ed]

I brew it hotter, Sal - 175F or so. I don't do the scale thing (like CHIP ) so I don't know how much 3.25 grams is, I use a good level tsp to 100ml. 1 min.

[bambooforest]

OK, O-Cha's Fuka Supreme: I going 3.25 gr to 6 oz 160° 1 m, 20 s, 30 s, and on.

Am I in the ballpark? Tastes great, really different from the Yutaka Midori I have been drinking lately and from Den's Maki I was drinking before that.

I haven't received my o-cha order yet. Generally, I always start off with .6 grams per ounce when it comes to sencha. So, I think your measurements are valid. I usually, however, never go below 165 F. Nor do I go above 170 F for the first infusion (usually). Your temp is slightly low, however this is shincha... And I usually always steep (for first infusion) at least 1:30. Thats my methodology at least. 2nd steep 30 seconds... 3rd 1 minute.

[Salsero]

Thanks guys for all the help. Yes I am brewing less leaf and less time than usual, because the O-Cha directions say to for shincha. I will bump it up for my next session just to see what happens.

I have gotten to groove on the low temps for all sencha, it just seems more brothy and thicker to me at that temp. What am I missing by not moving up 15° or so on the first infusion? Does the higher temp make it more fruity or what...?

Signed,

Green to the Eyeballs in Gainesville

[Cinnamon Kitty]

For the Fukamushi Sencha Supreme from O-cha, I actually followed the directions on the package and the paper that was in the box. It suggested 1 tsp of leaves (4g) for 10oz of water. Considering my kyusu is 10oz, it sounded like a good idea to me. The recommended brewing time was 1.5 to 2 minutes. I started with 1.5 minutes for the first steep, then 30s for the second and 1 minute for the third. I did a fourth and fifth steep, but I don't know the exact times for them beyond that it was longer than the third steep. I started with 160*F water since the recommended steeping time was longer than what I would normally do and increased it from there.

My result was a lovely, cloudy green tea that tasted sweet and slightly tangy. It was not overly grassy or vegetal, but well balanced. There was only a slight astringency to it. There was a slight fishy smell in the first steep, but it was very faint and took a bit to pick out. After the first steep, it just smelled fresh.

In all, I was happily surprised with how good this tea tasted. With all the hype about O-cha and having never ordered from there before, I was hoping not to be let down by the tea. It was definitely worth it and if other teas from O-cha are this good, I can see exactly why everyone praises the teas from there.

[Salsero]

For the Fukamushi Sencha Supreme from O-cha, I actually followed the directions on the package

Wow, CK, I was also tempted to follow the directions on the paper, but that just seemed so wrong! Besides, I didn't want to do the math to convert from their 10 oz to my 6 oz.

Nevertheless, your description matches my own almost exactly, except you said slightly fishy in first infusion and I observed (after the third), no marine. The Yutaka Midori I have been drinking (also from O-Cha) can have a fairly pronouced marine taste and very brothy. After that, this one is pretty close to no marine.

Isn't shincha fun!

[Ed]

The directions posted on the Fukamushi Supreme are so very wrong! I think they just wanted to thin the tea down so it wouldn't scare off newbies. Fukamushi is generally brewed with the normal leaf to water ratio, but with a shorter steep (45 seconds to 1 min or so). But having said all this, nobody can tell you how to brew your tea, ya know? It's all about making the tea taste the way you like it.

[Victoria]

It's all about making the tea taste the way you like it.

Nice philosophy. I'm starting to get the "Wish I had ordered shincha blues". I must stop reading these posts!

In all, I was happily surprised with how good this tea tasted. With all the hype about O-cha and having never ordered from there before, I was hoping not to be let down by the tea. It was definitely worth it and if other teas from O-cha are this good, I can see exactly why everyone praises the teas from there.

CK, that is not helping!

[Salsero]

No special technique just because of shincha then?

[Ed]

I had to lower the leaf amount with Hatsumi from o-cha. This is some really potent tea. I managed to get two really good sessions this morning, though. It is not sold as fukamushi, but that's what it is. I am brewing o-cha's Fukamushi Supreme with the standard parameters (1 level tsp to 100ml). It has turned out great each time. The aroma and the sense of freshness are awesome.

[bambooforest]

I love that sencha sometimes has what can be interpreted as a, "marine" like taste. I find this to be one of the great assets of Japanese green tea. For a nation that consumes as much fish as it does, I suppose this only makes sense. Oceany sencha, all the way!

[joelbct]

o-cha's Fukamushi Supreme with the standard parameters

Standard parameters Sometimes I think we are on a spaceship around here....

[Ed]

Heck, I'm old school! No scale, no thermometer (have one but no longer use it).

[chamekke]

I have crumbs of leftover sencha...period. If my shincha arrives tomorrow, I will look like a genius. Any later than that and I begin to lose face exponentially.

How many other teas did you order, Chip?

I too am waiting for my Fukushima Sencha Supreme. In my case, however, I'm sure the order is delayed because it also includes Shincha - Kagoshima Yutaka Midori, which the webpage says is "due in stock May 10, 2007"...

Ohhh...

Let's hope that is just a typo!!

[Chip]

Injunction filed on behalf of the shincha deprived.

Cease and desist til we (or at least me) get mine and can play with all the other kool kidz.