O-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

[Chip]

What are your steeping times, how much leaf for Kabuse? I am getting this in, it has been a while.

Here are my parameters:

5g per 8oz water (1 cup) - 1st: 60 deg. for 90 sec. (excellent brew)
- 2nd: 65 deg. for 30 sec. (nice brew)
- 3rd: 70 deg. for 5+ min. (so-so brew)

I think you like the 1:1 ratio, Chip. Have never tried that much leaf, due to economic reasons. But I have one more day's worth of kabuse to go, so I might try it just to see what happens.

Best wishes,
sherubtse

Thank you sherubtse.

I completely understand your reasoning, economics is big for tea drinkers.

I began with a ratio similar to yours, similar amount of water. Interestingly (to me anyway), my brewing slowly evolved to use less water, not more leaf as I increased the ratio. Now I brew a lot of 3, 4, 5 ounce steeps.

I did not plan it this way, it just happened over the years. I am actually amazed how many sencha drinkers start with a 1:1 ratio right out of the gate. Like I said, it took me quite a while to get there. And I always forget this fact when I tell people how to brew sencha ... I somehow envision there tastebuds exploding at first try.

So, this also makes fiscal cents ... er sense to me.

[sherubtse]

I began with a ratio similar to yours, similar amount of water. Interestingly (to me anyway), my brewing slowly evolved to use less water, not more leaf as I increased the ratio. Now I brew a lot of 3, 4, 5 ounce steeps.

Very interesting. I might emulate you and brew the same amount of leaf in less water. Never thought of that before, but it seems so obvious.

Thanks for explaining more about the evolution of your brews. And please let us know how things work out with the kabuse.

Best wishes,
sherubtse

[Chip]

I began with a ratio similar to yours, similar amount of water. Interestingly (to me anyway), my brewing slowly evolved to use less water, not more leaf as I increased the ratio. Now I brew a lot of 3, 4, 5 ounce steeps.

Very interesting. I might emulate you and brew the same amount of leaf in less water. Never thought of that before, but it seems so obvious.

Thanks for explaining more about the evolution of your brews. And please let us know how things work out with the kabuse.

Best wishes,
sherubtse

We all learn through experimentation. There are clearly some teas that are better with a lower ratio, and others that are better at an even higher ratio. The fun yet often challenging part is to find the sweet spots. I am thinking from my past experiences with Kabuse, it will liven up with more leaf.

[sherubtse]

The fun yet often challenging part is to find the sweet spots. I am thinking from my past experiences with Kabuse, it will liven up with more leaf.

Very true.

And sometimes, even after you have found that supposed sweet spot, someone comes along with a suggestion that forces you to reconsider. As you say, it is a challenging process.

Best wishes,
sherubtse

[SilentChaos]

Just had my first order from o-cha, the sakura sencha and the organic yame kabuse. Sakura sencha was crisp and refreshing. The sencha element was straightforward with a nice tartness from the stems. Pleasant sakura aroma after each sip. The organic yame kabuse has a medium light consistency, no hint of astringency. Was expecting it to have ...hmm...a deeper taste but then again, it is organic. Everything was fresh and indeed lives up to the hype. *gyo ordering time

I can't decide between the yame or the shou-un.....and between the fujitsubo and gyoku-hou the karigane asa-giri looks good too

[Chip]

... I recently received a 2010 Gyoko-Hou from a member who could not handle the caffeine. I was truly surprised how good this was after all this time (and the bag had even been open for at least several months) ... right up there with the Kame, my proclaimed gyo of choice. Fijitsubo, very good, but I give the nod to Gyoko-hou based on 2010 offerings (had both). I brew both relatively strong ... 2.5 grams per 1 ounce water ... so I brew very small steeps of 1.5 - 2.5 ounces.

I also received 2010 Shou-un from this member, quite impressed at this price point! Yame is also good. Hard to go wrong with either at those price points.

[SilentChaos]

Thanks for the tip, chip. Just ordered the Gyoku-hou and the yame. The gyoku-hou and the shou-an seem very similar so thought I'd give yame a try. Asa-giri next time

[bryan_drinks_tea]

I've been drinking sencha since late 2007, but my first order from O-cha was pretty good. I got the Chiran. I'm waiting to see what shincha they have this year.

[Stentor]

*cough* 10% on everything for newsletter and facebook subscribers until March 15th *cough*

[SilentChaos]

Just tasted a first steep of the Yame Gyokuro. 12g, 330ml, 60C, 90sec. Very little astringency, mellow sweetness, relatively rich in umami, smooth, vegetal but not quite grassy. Judging from the after effects, I think it definitely has been shaded and fertilized properly. IMHO probably the best gyo at its price range.

Sipping on Gyoku-Hou Completely blew away the Yame. No astringency, very very mellow, and finally a good clear consistency. This is definitely quality. *hides the gyo deep inside my tea cupboard ....

[robmatys]

What tea offered at o-cha would offer a nice sweet and buttery taste?

[SilentChaos]

What tea offered at o-cha would offer a nice sweet and buttery taste?

Hmmm...can you be a bit more specific? Also, by buttery, are you referring more to the texture?

[Chip]

I was thinking about this since I first read it.

What I came up with was Kame Gyokuro. Though more soupy with a "salty sensation" than buttery ... I say this in a positive way as it is excellent. Many very good gyo's have this soupy/salty sensation.

Lower cost alternative, Yame Gyokuro. Not quite as smooth as the Kame, but similar sensations.

[SilentChaos]

Along Chip's lines, I would highly recommend the Gyoku-Hou as a middle-cost alternative. Was also thinking one of o-cha's kabusechas might just fit the bill too, if steeped accordingly.

....I definitely gotta try this kame that chip raves so much about

[robmatys]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm still fairly new to sencha and gyokuro. I've sample a couple gyokuro teas from my local shop and enjoyed what I consider a smooth, vegetal tea with a buttery sweetness.

So since then I ordered the Kagoshima sencha sae midori and really enjoy the fragrance and taste but it didn't seem to hit the spot like the gyokuro I previously tasted.

I just pre-ordered the uji sencha "aoi" shincha. Hopefully I'll like it.