First O-Cha Purchase

[depravitea]

Any suggestions on where to find a moderately priced kyusu?

Inexpensive kyuusu can be found at Den's, Yuuki-Cha, CDJapan, and even a couple at O-Cha.

Thanks once again, my friend

[Chip]

When using a kyusu, do you strain the tea as it is poured into the cup, or would that filter out ALL the particles?

No, well, the vast majority of kyusu will filter out enough particles, no addtional straining is typically required.

Some fukamushi require some practice in pouring in order to prevent clogging of the screen.

Speaking O-Cha, fukamushi, and kyusu-s. I have the Momiji one which is perfect for fukamushi. I use it for the most fine particle sencha such as Yutaka Midori.

[Tead Off]

The Ooigawa that I bought is terribly bitter. If I lighten the leaf amount, the weakness of the flavor becomes too apparent. Do you think I should complain to O-cha? No one has reviewed this tea.

I prefer asamushi sencha so I haven't tried the Ooigawa.

What temperature and steeping time did you use?

I used O-cha's parameters and when that didn't work, I adjusted temp down and brewed the same way I usually do. No luck. Just bitter, undistinguished tea.

This morning, I went back to the Kagoshima Fukamushi Yutaka from Yuuki-cha. Man, what a difference.

[Tead Off]

The Ooigawa that I bought is terribly bitter. If I lighten the leaf amount, the weakness of the flavor becomes too apparent. Do you think I should complain to O-cha? No one has reviewed this tea.

I prefer asamushi sencha so I haven't tried the Ooigawa.

What temperature and steeping time did you use?

I wish I had this on hand so I could compare first hand.

I know that the owner does a lot of tastings BEFORE he decides to offer a new tea, he does not go to the trouble of offering a bad tea or very bitter tea.

Given your limited experience with Japanese tea (according to you, this would be the 2nd sencha about), I would have to believe there is either something wrong with your brewing technique/parameters or your expectations/palate for Japanese greens.

Please tell us exactly how you are brewing this, and perhaps we can help you get over a hump. You would not be the first person to have problems with sencha. Of course, not everyone is going to like sencha either.

I would suggest using a scale at this point since you are having difficulty. I use a scale almost every time I brew a sencha in order to obtain consistantly very good results. IMHO.

While it's true that I don't have a lot of experience with Japanese greens, I do know how to get a good cup out of the ones I have tried like Gyokuro and the other Sencha from Yuuki-cha. I can intuitively judge whether there is enough leaf or to adjust temp and time. It's not that hard.

With this tea, using your parameters given in another post, using O-cha's parameters, and, using Hojo's parameters, nothing has given me a drinkable cup of Sencha. The taste profile of this tea is radically different than the Kago fuka Yutaka I have been happily drinking. I cannot find any pleasure in this tea. I will write to O-cha telling them about my experience and see what they say. I'm willing to accept that I just don't like this tea. I was curious if anyone else had tasted this and had a different experience. Even on their site, there are no reviews for this.

PS- I always use a scale.

[Chip]

Well, you are going to need to be a bit more specific than that ... Japanese tea is considerably more demanding than Chinese green, generally speaking. Also, Organics often require more leaf than their nonorganic brethren.

Tell us temps, amount of leaf, how long. How did you adjust? What were the results?

Perhaps you do not like this one, it happens. But I still think you are missing the mark some how, nothing personal, it has happened to me many times with sencha. Sometimes requiring pretty many tries til I finally see the light. And sometimes I never do ...

Not everyone wants to go to that extreme, albeit. I just happen to not give up on a selection so easily since I am quite fanatical about brewing.

[t4texas]

Speaking O-Cha, fukamushi, and kyusu-s. I have the Momiji one which is perfect for fukamushi. I use it for the most fine particle sencha such as Yutaka Midori.

Which one is the Momiji one, Chip, and why is it perfect for fukamushi?

[Chip]

Momiji Kyusu, click here!

It has a 270* wrap around screen that is virtually impossible to clog to the extent of limiting flow. Very fast and efficient pours result.

And Momiji is possibly my fave teaware motif.



I have more expensive kyusu-s, but this is simply very approachable and carefree. I am using this one as much as if not more than any other right now.

[Tead Off]

Well, you are going to need to be a bit more specific than that ... Japanese tea is considerably more demanding than Chinese green, generally speaking. Also, Organics often require more leaf than their nonorganic brethren.

Tell us temps, amount of leaf, how long. How did you adjust? What were the results?

Perhaps you do not like this one, it happens. But I still think you are missing the mark some how, nothing personal, it has happened to me many times with sencha. Sometimes requiring pretty many tries til I finally see the light. And sometimes I never do ...

Not everyone wants to go to that extreme, albeit. I just happen to not give up on a selection so easily since I am quite fanatical about brewing.

I appreciate the help but am too lazy to write all the parameters. One of the methods was yours, Chip, in another thread, can't remember.

I've written to O-cha so let's see what they say. This has only happened to me once before with a Dancong. I just couldn't get anything out of it that gave me any pleasure. This one happens to be the most bitter with no sweetness that I can find. It does put me off of buying more from them for the time being.

Because I drink organics almost exclusively, I usually have no adjustment issues. I find struggling with a tea is never rewarding. I prefer to walk away and let it go. You can't be friends with everyone.

[Smells_Familiar]

I appreciate the help but am too lazy to write all the parameters. One of the methods was yours, Chip, in another thread, can't remember.

I've written to O-cha so let's see what they say. This has only happened to me once before with a Dancong. I just couldn't get anything out of it that gave me any pleasure. This one happens to be the most bitter with no sweetness that I can find. It does put me off of buying more from them for the time being.

Because I drink organics almost exclusively, I usually have no adjustment issues. I find struggling with a tea is never rewarding. I prefer to walk away and let it go. You can't be friends with everyone.

you can't recall the perameters? or you're too lazy? what do you expect o-cha's response to be?

personally, to me, it sounds like you're brewing too hot. could be something else though...

[Tead Off]

I appreciate the help but am too lazy to write all the parameters. One of the methods was yours, Chip, in another thread, can't remember.

I've written to O-cha so let's see what they say. This has only happened to me once before with a Dancong. I just couldn't get anything out of it that gave me any pleasure. This one happens to be the most bitter with no sweetness that I can find. It does put me off of buying more from them for the time being.

Because I drink organics almost exclusively, I usually have no adjustment issues. I find struggling with a tea is never rewarding. I prefer to walk away and let it go. You can't be friends with everyone.

you can't recall the perameters? or you're too lazy? what do you expect o-cha's response to be?

personally, to me, it sounds like you're brewing too hot. could be something else though...

Their response was very friendly. He opened a bag himself and tested the tea. His method, the same as mine, but, different than the instructions that they send with the tea, is about 5g in a small kyusu, 170F, 1 minute. I use about 120ml-140ml pot. When I brew like this, the flavor is very light with no umami. If I want to deepen the flavor, the bitterness begins to come across. He did say it had a tad more bitw than others, but, I find that an understatement. He said if I tried this and still felt unsatisfied, he would extend a credit to me on my next purchase.

Perhaps there are some whose taste can appreciate a tea like this. Not mine.

[Chip]

Is that 170* in a preheated kyusu or non preheated?

[Tead Off]

Is that 170* in a preheated kyusu or non preheated?

He didn't mention heating the kyusu but I did not heat it first. This is the only method that gave any sense of the tea being 'drinkable'. Hotter or more time would bring out the bitterness quickly. But, even when you get this tea just right, there is still not enough to keep me interested. Not what I would have expected from a fuka.

[Chip]

If you were in the USA, I would say let's swap. I would like to try it. I have never had a sencha from O-Cha that did not work for me in about 4 years.

You should try another ...

Personal experience, If I do not preheat the kyusu, I usually pour in 175ish* water. If I do preheat the kyusu, then I am typically pouring in water that is 155-165*.

Just my 2 Yen worth ...

[Tead Off]

If you were in the USA, I would say let's swap. I would like to try it. I have never had a sencha from O-Cha that did not work for me in about 4 years.

You should try another ...

Personal experience, If I do not preheat the kyusu, I usually pour in 175ish* water. If I do preheat the kyusu, then I am typically pouring in water that is 155-165*.

Just my 2 Yen worth ...

I tried it both ways, Chip. This tea needs cooler water but the flavor is very light. Some may like that. I prefer that rich umami that I get out of the Kagoshima fuka Yutaka. Can this be a regional difference or a varietal difference? This sencha is a Yabukita.

I will try another one.

[Chip]

So, you like the more specialty breeds it seems. YM is a good one and is only grown in Kagoshima I think. There are a couple other breeds worth trying.

O-Cha just added a new Limited Edition section as well, though they have not added any teas yet. Could be interesting to see what they have up their sleeves.