Asa vs. Chu

[Pentox]

I never could tell the difference between an asamuchi leaf and chumushi leaf very well. How do you guys tell the difference? Unfortunately they don't have as distinctive a leaf as a fukamushi.

[Chip]

Asamushi seems to be more consistantly needle like in appearance. Fukamushi is generally finer and smaller particles. Chumushi seems to have more of a mix of the two and the needles are not as long, more broken than asamushi.

This is a generalization and from limited experience, albeit.

There are gradations between even these levels of steaming. One vendor mentioned to me "shikkarimushi" which was a steaming process that was longer than Chu, and shorter than fuka, a term he said was derived by the grower to describe his one sencha, which from the looks of it is pretty appropriate.

[Pentox]

Yeah, that's about as good of a scaling as I could tell as well, but other questions come to mind from that.

Like how would you differentiate between an asamushi where the grower was a bit quick with the shears and cut the leaf shorter than a chumushi that's just regularly processed.

The fluid motion of fukamushi is always a dead giveaway though.

[Chip]

Yeah, that's about as good of a scaling as I could tell as well, but other questions come to mind from that.

Like how would you differentiate between an asamushi where the grower was a bit quick with the shears and cut the leaf shorter than a chumushi that's just regularly processed.

The fluid motion of fukamushi is always a dead giveaway though.

Also, how does the tin of leaf react to a spoon, does it offer much resistance? Fuka seems to invite the spoon, Chu less so, and asa seems to repel the spoon.

How dense is the leaf? Fukamushi is much denser based of volume to weight ratio most of the time. 1 teaspoon of fuka can weigh 50% more than a teaspoon of asa. So it stands to reason that chu would fall somewhere between the 2, density wise.

[Pentox]

Also, how does the tin of leaf react to a spoon, does it offer much resistance? Fuka seems to invite the spoon, Chu less so, and asa seems to repel the spoon.

How dense is the leaf? Fukamushi is much denser based of volume to weight ratio most of the time. 1 teaspoon of fuka can weigh 50% more than a teaspoon of asa. So it stands to reason that chu would fall somewhere between the 2, density wise.

Hm good point about the spoon resistance. I didn't think about that since I normally don't actually force a spoon in. I normally turn the can so it piles on the spoon.

Maybe i'll have to run some density tests to put some numbers behind the differences.

[Salsero]

The fluid motion of fukamushi is always a dead giveaway though.

Huh? The dry leaf?

[Chip]

I am thinking Pentox is refering to how dry fuka leaf can pour rather fluidly, while asa leaf will pour like long logs off the back of a dump truck (think Tai Ping Hou Kui).

[Salsero]

Ah, thanks, Chip, for the instant translation from Californiese.

[Pentox]

The fluid motion of fukamushi is always a dead giveaway though.

Huh? The dry leaf?

Exactly as Chip said. When you have fuka leaf in a bowl you can swirl it around and it behaves very much like a liquid. Asa/Chu leaf however, the long needles intertwine with one another so much that it behaves more like a dust bunny when you swirl it around in a bowl. Another comparison would be like a bowl of sand vs a pile of toothpicks.

[Chip]

The fluid motion of fukamushi is always a dead giveaway though.

Huh? The dry leaf?

Exactly as Chip said. When you have fuka leaf in a bowl you can swirl it around and it behaves very much like a liquid. Asa/Chu leaf however, the long needles intertwine with one another so much that it behaves more like a dust bunny when you swirl it around in a bowl. Another comparison would be like a bowl of sand vs a pile of toothpicks.

"Pick Up Sticks"
.

[Pentox]

"Pick Up Sticks"
.

Heh, that's temomicha.