Moving on to Sencha

[JRS22]

Last year my favorite Japanese tea was kukicha. I've tried a number of vendors and this year's inexpensive kukicha is much less flavorful than last year's. Adagio's is the best, to my taste, but still not as good as last year. I've tried the 2 kariganes that O-Cha had at the time, and they were delicious. At that price point, though, I'd like to move on to good Sencha.

So I bought a top of the line sencha from an American tea vendor from whom I've bought wonderful Chinese green teas. I tried different brewing parameters but no matter what I did the tea was unbelievably bitter (the company gave me a full refund).

I'd like to try O'Cha sencha this time so I'm looking for recommendations for sencha with the least possible bitterness. Assume that price is no object - at the rate of one cup per day I can afford a top of the line sencha.

TIA,
Janice

[AdamMY]

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11658

Is a good place to start if you are looking at O-cha. I have only tried three of their teas, but they were all good. Sadly the Vendor Pages are in their infancy and just getting tested out, if you asked this question in say a Year, hopefully there would be more information about that vendor, and all the others to best assist you in your ordering.

But that being said The Yutaka Midori is a classic and I am not sure I've heard of someone that brewed it close to properly and didn't like it. but Oku Yutaka and Miyabi I can also give my approval. I have not tried any others. If he is still offering it and you are short on nifty double lidded Japanese Tins, you may wish to try the Green tea gift set, that comes with the Yutaka Midori, and Miyabi with two tins.

I hope I didn't give to much information.

[Chip]

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... 58&start=0 Official O-Cha topic
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11556 Japanese tea vendor guide

O-Cha is a great vendor for newbies and more expeienced Japanese tea aficionados.

Can't argue with Adam ... My fave for 4+ years running is the Yutaka Midori (I call it "classic" affectionately as it was the first YM available to gringos), Miyabi is right up there, and Oku Yutaka is an organic that is devoid of bitterness and astringency ... and an excellent value.

I am also quite smitten with Sae Midori (another non bitter offering), Chiran, and also Organic Fuushun.

Based on your last experience, I mention these since they are less astringent and bitter than most sencha ... sencha is typically astringent and slightly bitter. But it should have a balance, and should not be overly bitter.

I am wondering if you are using water that is too hot? Just a thought ...

[JRS22]

I am wondering if you are using water that is too hot? Just a thought ...

I learned from reading posts on this board to try lower and lower temperatures. I started at 170 and eventually went down to 150, or possibly 140. I think initially I brewed the tea for 90 seconds but I also tried 75 seconds. If there was any flavor to the tea then there was bitterness.

It's the first time I've complained to a vendor about a tea. This sencha was at the extreme end of the bitterness scale, and should have been described as such on the web site. Or maybe my tea just came from a bad batch.

I know from experience with tea and other foods that I'm more sensitive than the average person to the bitter taste component. I think if I try a tea that seems to other people to have no bitterness it'll have just a hint of bitterness to me - a baseline for trying different teas.

So I need a place to begin - the gift set? the Sae Midori? the Organic Fuushun?

[Chip]

Seriously, you just have to jump in with O-Cha. Any of the ones I listed have my vote, though Sae Midori is a safe bet!!!

Well, many domestic tea vendors simply cannot figure Japanese teas out, they are clueless it seems. Poor sourcing, poor storage, just poor ...

Been there and done that for the first 5+ years of drinking tea going back to 1998, a time when good Japanese tea was virtually impossible to find in the USA ... the times have changed drastically.

[JRS22]

Seriously, you just have to jump in with O-Cha. Any of the ones I listed have my vote, though Sae Midori is a safe bet!!!

All the teas sound so good. In the end I was won over by the canisters in the gift set so I decided to start with that.

Well, many domestic tea vendors simply cannot figure Japanese teas out, they are clueless it seems. Poor sourcing, poor storage, just poor ...

But their copywriters make the tea sound so good..........

[Chip]

All the teas sound so good. In the end I was won over by the canisters in the gift set so I decided to start with that.

Great choice X 2

But their copywriters make the tea sound so good..........

true true ... don't drink the Sench-aid! I am sure we have all been conned by vendor sweet talk.

[edkrueger]

true true ... don't drink the Sench-aid! I am sure we have all been conned by vendor sweet talk.

Two words: Fukamushi and you can guess the other.
That said, the OP may find fuka to her liking. It you be easier to make a recommendation if I knew what was the American vendor and tea that the OP was talking about.

[JRS22]

It you be easier to make a recommendation if I knew what was the American vendor and tea that the OP was talking about.

I chose not to name the vendor because every other tea I purchased from them was excellent, and they refunded my money w/o a fuss. After all, it could have been my brewing botching an appropriately bitter tea or my tastebuds perceiving more bitterness than was really there.

After I drink the O-Cha Yutaka Midori and Miyabi if I ask for more recommendations I'll be able to frame my questions in relation to teas that are popular here.