Light-Steamed Sencha

[aKnightWhoSaysNi]

So I am no stranger to medium and deep steamed sencha. In fact, I am drinking a lovely Kagoshima Sencha Yutaka Midori right now. However, I have never ventured into the realm of light-steamed sencha. I want to hear about other people's experience with light-steamed sencha, what to expect, reccomendations, etc.

[fnord]

check out this thread,which i started some time ago.
lots of recommendations.
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10491

i can recommend you teas from marukyu-koyamaen,horaido,ryuoen and tsuen.These are the ones i tried,but i think there are some other great vendors out there like maiko,ippodo etc...,which are selling great light steamed tea.
Difficult to pick my favorite vendor,because they where all great.

[thirtysixbelow]

the difficulty I have is that almost no vendors really specify the steaming level of their teas. Most people label fukamushi so I guess I'm to assume that if it's not labeled fuka that it's asamushi?

[Chip]

... or possibly Chumushi. And there can be levels of steaming in between asa and chu, and in between chu and fuka. I would venture a guess that most are more in the realm of chu with leanings towards fuka.

Regarding Asamushi, light steamed. I may favor the deeper steamed sencha, but Asamushi helps me to appreciate Fukamushi ... and Fukamushi helps me to appreciate Asamushi.

I generally find asa to be more veggie, but I just had Den's Zuiko that was mellow, sweet, veggie with faint cinnamon and floral notes. But this is a high end sencha. A less expensive one would more likely be mellow and/or veggie and quite approachable.

[thirtysixbelow]

... or possibly Chumushi. And there can be levels of steaming in between asa and chu, and in between chu and fuka. I would venture a guess that most are more in the realm of chu with leanings towards fuka.

Regarding Asamushi, light steamed. I may favor the deeper steamed sencha, but Asamushi helps me to appreciate Fukamushi ... and Fukamushi helps me to appreciate Asamushi.

I generally find asa to be more veggie, but I just had Den's Zuiko that was mellow, sweet, veggie with faint cinnamon and floral notes. But this is a high end sencha. A less expensive one would more likely be mellow and/or veggie and quite approachable.

I definitely understand this, but steaming level is an important aspect. I just wish more vendors labeled it clearly. It gives me a good idea of what the flavor profile will be. "highest quality tea of all time with lots of flavor and umami" doesn't really help me out

[Chip]

I agree with you 100%. I want to know steaming level, breed, origin, harvest info, etc.

Some vendors do an excellent job of this, in fact O-Cha for one.

[aKnightWhoSaysNi]

I have my eye on this Asamushi Sencha from o-cha: http://www.o-cha.com/green-tea/asamushi-sencha.html

Have you ever tried it before, Chip? I tend to not spend that much on Sencha, so I hope it's extremely palatable.

[Chip]

I have my eye on this Asamushi Sencha from o-cha: http://www.o-cha.com/green-tea/asamushi-sencha.html

Have you ever tried it before, Chip? I tend to not spend that much on Sencha, so I hope it's extremely palatable.

I have had Kirameki (shincha version of this sencha) each year since it was introduced. Excellent and beautiful. It is great to have this as a special treat.

[aKnightWhoSaysNi]

Ah, then you have twisted my arm. I shall try it, I have never had a tea that I did not like from o-cha. This tea will officially be my next sencha. I still have a few unopened bags of sencha; so maybe by the time I'm done with those it will be spring time once more and I'll go ahead and get this tea in it's shincha form I just hope they will still offer it by then.