Sencha disaster
Ok, so I was making some sencha today... turned out bad. I cooled the water in cups first, then in the pot, then in the pitcher. Used about a tablespoon for 100 ml of water. I didn't even brew it for the 1-2 minutes suggested on most websites. If i did it would be so much worse. Is the temperature wrong, or should i use less tea, like 1/2 tablespoon.. I did once and it seemed to have a weak flavor. Any tips are greatly appreciated
Re: Sencha disaster
I use about 1 teaspoon per 80 -100 ml. 1 Tablespoon for 200ml is a lot I think. Try to get a cheap thermometer - 160 to 170F is best.
Oct 13th, '09, 20:43
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Re: Sencha disaster
Maybe the water cooled too much? Even if you are not going to use a thermometer regularly, it would be a good idea to check temps after each step of the way.
Of course, you have not told us what sencha it was, could be the sencha.
Of course, you have not told us what sencha it was, could be the sencha.
Re: Sencha disaster
Well, unless it was a typo 1 tablespoon per 100ml is a lot of leaf. I use about a heaping TEAspoon per 200ml (roughly 1/5th what you used). Also it depends on the tea. Fukamushi sencha will usually only require 40 seconds. If you brewed 1tbps/100ml of fuka for 2 minutes, that is your problem. more details 
Re: Sencha disaster
No typo there... 
I'll try to use a teaspoon with the same water cooling technique..see what happens
I'll try to use a teaspoon with the same water cooling technique..see what happens
Re: Sencha disaster
I don't think one tablespoon of sencha leaves for 100ml of water is necessarily to much - the recommendations from ippodo is to use about two tablespoons of their tea for 210 ml, and to use the same amount of tea for 100 ml of water too.
I have tried that and it taste fine, though I think a little less tea leaves will taste just as good.
It is possible that I and some other people would like the brew you made, and that you might start to like it with time. In what way did your brew turn out bad?
But all sencha could not be brewed in the same way - for example fukamushicha would need less tea leaves and less steeping than asamushicha (such as the tea from ippodo).
There is even sencha which is impossible to get a good brew from.
What is the sencha you are using?
I have tried that and it taste fine, though I think a little less tea leaves will taste just as good.
It is possible that I and some other people would like the brew you made, and that you might start to like it with time. In what way did your brew turn out bad?
But all sencha could not be brewed in the same way - for example fukamushicha would need less tea leaves and less steeping than asamushicha (such as the tea from ippodo).
There is even sencha which is impossible to get a good brew from.
What is the sencha you are using?
Re: Sencha disaster
Ok, i'm a little confused now. I was under the impression that 1 tsp was around 4 grams of tea. 1 tbsp = 3 tsp so a tbsp is 12 grams of tea? Am I following correctly or is this some western teaspoon imperial/metric disaster 
I have a scale so I don't really deal in volume measurements anymore. I use about 5 grams for 200ml. Something tells me 12 grams for 100ml will taste a lot different, though I have never tried it.
I have a scale so I don't really deal in volume measurements anymore. I use about 5 grams for 200ml. Something tells me 12 grams for 100ml will taste a lot different, though I have never tried it.
Re: Sencha disaster
Battra,
The tea just turned out bitter and not very tasty. I guess I have to experiment with weight/volume ratios to get the flavor..I used premium sencha from indigo-tea.com. BTW they have a lot of good teas, not expensive at all and the owner of the store is really nice, i've spoken with him a lot since i'm from Minnesota, where the store is located
The tea just turned out bitter and not very tasty. I guess I have to experiment with weight/volume ratios to get the flavor..I used premium sencha from indigo-tea.com. BTW they have a lot of good teas, not expensive at all and the owner of the store is really nice, i've spoken with him a lot since i'm from Minnesota, where the store is located
Re: Sencha disaster
Using a teaspoon and tablespoon as a guideline for measuring teas doesn't work for the simple reason that they vary in size, plus, is it a heaping teaspoon, a level teaspoon, a slightly round teaspoon of leaves.thirtysixbelow wrote:Ok, i'm a little confused now. I was under the impression that 1 tsp was around 4 grams of tea. 1 tbsp = 3 tsp so a tbsp is 12 grams of tea? Am I following correctly or is this some western teaspoon imperial/metric disaster
I have a scale so I don't really deal in volume measurements anymore. I use about 5 grams for 200ml. Something tells me 12 grams for 100ml will taste a lot different, though I have never tried it.
When I measure out a teaspoon using my tableware, a level teaspoon will be just over 2g. But, not all teas weigh in at the same volume. The best way is to use a scale to check what YOUR teaspoon or tablespoon is.
Re: Sencha disaster
I would contact the store for specific brewing instructions and to discuss the unhappy results of your experience with their tea.
Which of their teas are you referring to specifically:
http://www.indigo-tea.com/japangreenteas.shtml
Which of their teas are you referring to specifically:
http://www.indigo-tea.com/japangreenteas.shtml
Re: Sencha disaster
I agree, it sounds like you used waaay too much tea.
How much to use depends on the type, too. I tend to use less tea with sencha than with other kinds of green tea--I'll typically use less than a teaspoon of leaves for a single cup. I once bought a very high grade of sencha (supersencha kamakura) from Upton tea once, and while I enjoyed it, it was insanely strong. Like...you only really need a pinch of that stuff to make a very strong cup of tea, and if you add too much it would just be overwhelming.
Some of the cheaper sencha I've tried, I've found to be outright harsh no matter how it is brewed. People often think of sencha as a "normal" or "typical" green tea and I don't find this to be true at all--I think it's one of those varieties of tea that can be excellent, but it can also be terrible, and even when it's good, some people just don't like it. It tends to be more bitter and much more vegetal (often seaweed-like) relative to other green teas.
How much to use depends on the type, too. I tend to use less tea with sencha than with other kinds of green tea--I'll typically use less than a teaspoon of leaves for a single cup. I once bought a very high grade of sencha (supersencha kamakura) from Upton tea once, and while I enjoyed it, it was insanely strong. Like...you only really need a pinch of that stuff to make a very strong cup of tea, and if you add too much it would just be overwhelming.
Some of the cheaper sencha I've tried, I've found to be outright harsh no matter how it is brewed. People often think of sencha as a "normal" or "typical" green tea and I don't find this to be true at all--I think it's one of those varieties of tea that can be excellent, but it can also be terrible, and even when it's good, some people just don't like it. It tends to be more bitter and much more vegetal (often seaweed-like) relative to other green teas.