The Official Shincha Review Topic of 2008

[kongni]

Hey everyone, thanks so much for your informative shincha reviews. I have tried quite a few shinchas based on recommendations here.

This is my last organic shincha review. Here is a breakdown of the four organic shinchas I have tried:



There was an organic uji gokujo that I missed from the Japanese Green Tea Shop and an organic uji shincha that I did not try from Ryu Mei. Maybe next year

The two organic shinchas on the left were traditional style shinchas and the two on the right were farmer's tea or fukamushi style shinchas. Both are VERY good and the organic sayama is still available from The Japanese Green Tea Shop. I think the tea by Hibiki-an makes a wonderful iced tea as does the one from Japanese Green Tea Online.

If anyone has heard of other organic varieties, please post or PM me. Thanks!

[joelbct]

Ignore the guy with the lawnmower...he is just our groundskeeper.

lolol

[bi lew chun]

Hmm. I opened my fukamushi supreme today. I'm not sure why I expected it to behave like a guricha. Next time I will go with more leaf and more time.

[BryanP]

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Green Tea Review Description:

* Tea name: Gyokuro Suimei
* Distributor: Den's Tea
* Harvest: First Harvest ( Shincha leaves 2008 )
* Origin: Asahina, Shizouka
* Packaging: Silica Gel pack
* Net Weight: 2oz (56 grams)
* Distributor Description: "Gyokuro Suimei is our highest quality tea. Den's Gyokuro Suimei is made from only the youngest top part of tea leaves picked by hand and carefully processed into an ultra fine needle. Its super natural sweetness promotes a mellow state of mind."

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So it has been a week, and I finally got a taste of premium gyokuro. This particular one I am reviewing is from Den's Tea, a reputable tea distributor of high quality Japanese green tea. The tea I will be reviewing is their Gyokuro Suimei, the highest quality tea Den's Tea can offer. It is also a from the first harvest of 2008, meaning it's a Shincha. Therefore, this should be some good stuff.

Aroma

* This particular gyokuro's aroma is strong. Meaning, right when you open it from it's bag, you will get a strong "green/veggie" smell. This is a characteristic of premium gyokuros. The aroma is very defined. Compared to the senchas I've been drinking, this gyokuro's aroma tops them both in terms of strength.

Appearance (Leaves)

* The leaves were dark green, slender and pointy. They look high quality (as you would find with premium gyokuros). Basically, you're paying for the freshest here.

Taste

* Compared to senchas, this is probably closest to the Fukamushi senchas. It has a rich veggie flavor to it, that it carries somewhat of a green tasting "creaminess" to it. It's not some watered down feeling off your tongue, you can literally feel the heaviness of this particular tea. The astringency varies by temperature, but I noticed that brewing towards 160F (I was around 140-150ish), will make the drink more astringent, and this is apparent.
* The after-taste stays on your tongue for a good amount of time.
* The flavor is quite complex. It hits my tongue rich and creamy at first with sweetness, rolls off into a veggie-type flavor from the tea, then leaves with a slight astringency.

Brewing Parameters Used

* Water amount: 3 oz
* 1st infusion: 150 second steep, 143F water temperature. Generated an extremely rich, green, veggie flavor. Astringency was very low. This infusion was actually extremely overwhelming for me. I probably should have steeped it for 120 seconds for my taste.
* 2nd infusion: 90 second steep, 153.8F water temperature. Generated a smooth, veggie taste. Astringency is mild. This felt like the most balanced infusion. This was a pleasantful experience.
* 3rd infusion: 180 second steep, 140.1F water temperature. Generated a taste similar of that of the second infusion. This was also pleasing.

Conclusion

Other than the first infusion (which was my first time brewing this particular gyokuro), the experience was much different from any other green tea I've tasted. Rich, veggie, and sweet are dominant terms for this experience. I've realized that gyokuro can be an acquired taste. One who likes more "lighter" teas may find this a bit too rich. One who loves flavors though will definitely enjoy this experience. It's PACKED with flavors. The green taste is extremely defined compared to any daily sencha I've tasted. I haven't tried any high-end senchas, but I don't think they will come close anyways. It was a pleasure drinking it, and I would definitely recommend it to my girlfriend and to any green tea lover out there.

This tea is worth the buy. I recommend it.

[Chip]

Awesome job!!! Thanx for sharing with us Bryan. Now could you review the O-Cha Yutaka Midori that I have been really enjoying the last several days.

I will have to get busy on that asap before Fall.

Anyway, a question. I was not aware Den's sold nitro flushed bags. Every bag I opened had a deox packet inside for preservation. I think I even asked them also.

Perhaps the gyokuro is packaged differently? Is it in their normal bag?

Thanx again!

[BryanP]

Awesome job!!! Thanx for sharing with us Bryan. Now could you review the O-Cha Yutaka Midori that I have been really enjoying the last several days.

I will have to get busy on that asap before Fall.

Anyway, a question. I was not aware Den's sold nitro flushed bags. Every bag I opened had a deox packet inside for preservation. I think I even asked them also.

Perhaps the gyokuro is packaged differently? Is it in their normal bag?

Thanx again!

You're right! Sorry but I got this confused with my other stuff and yes, unfortunately it is NOT nitro-filled. Don't worry though, the rest of the information is accurate.

This kind comes with a silica gel packaging. I wish they did nitro-fill their bags though.

I made the note on my site.

[Chip]

OK, thanx for clarifying that, Bryan!

I usually stop at 120 seconds for most gyokuro as well, btw.

I would be curious also if you would try for comparison an alternate parameter for 2nd and 3rd steeps. I generally up the temp by 10*F and brew for 20-30 seconds for the second. 3rd, I then again raise the temp and brew for 40-60 seconds. I will continue this process for 5 steeps usually, then in the case of high quality gyokuro, I will eat the leaves warm with soy sauce (and rice if I have some made). This is a tradition of not wasting the precious gyokuro leaves.

Also, fyi,...and tmi, I recently tried a gyokuro from Yame Prefecture which produces some outstanding gyokuro and a lot of it. The seller, Zencha, recommendeds a very concentrated infusion of around 2 grams leaf for 1 ounce water (a good reason to do very small steeps). Also brewing the first steep in water around 100-120* for the first steep. I tried it this way and must say, I was sooo blown away. But I was buzzed for a few hours as well.

[BryanP]

OK, thanx for clarifying that, Bryan!

I usually stop at 120 seconds for most gyokuro as well, btw.

I would be curious also if you would try for comparison an alternate parameter for 2nd and 3rd steeps. I generally up the temp by 10*F and brew for 20-30 seconds for the second. 3rd, I then again raise the temp and brew for 40-60 seconds. I will continue this process for 5 steeps usually, then in the case of high quality gyokuro, I will eat the leaves warm with soy sauce (and rice if I have some made). This is a tradition of not wasting the precious gyokuro leaves.

Also, fyi,...and tmi, I recently tried a gyokuro from Yame Prefecture which produces some outstanding gyokuro and a lot of it. The seller, Zencha, recommendeds a very concentrated infusion of around 2 grams leaf for 1 ounce water (a good reason to do very small steeps). Also brewing the first steep in water around 100-120* for the first steep. I tried it this way and must say, I was sooo blown away. But I was buzzed for a few hours as well.

Dude, gyokuro blew me away with the mellowness. I haven't had any Shincha leaves in my life so I guess trying that for the first time was worth it.But yeah, I felt this "buzz" for quite awhile afterward. Didn't know green tea could do such a thing.

Anyways, I was about to try some as well from Lupicia USA. In fact, this particular one: http://www.lupiciausa.com/product_p/12407406.htm .

I will try those alternate parameters and see how it tastes. I will do it sometime next week when I drink the tea with my girlfriend.

I will also try the rice and soy sauce afterwards with the leaves. Sounds good actually!

Definitely. At those prices per gram, it's definitely not worth wasting.

[Chip]

O-Cha has some really good gyokuro offerings.

You can eat the gyokuro leaves because they are shade grown and more tender...quite tasty actually. I felt a little funny first time I tried it...like "look how insane I have become, now I am eating the leaves."

Secha leaves would be tougher, if you feel so inclined to eat sencha leaves, which I have not at this writing, they recommend a little vinegar to help break down the fibers.

Gyokuro has more caffeine and other components that contribute to the buzzzz. I use less water and less leaf so I am not tooo buzzed.

But yeah, gyokuro is da bomb, but I still like to enjoy it only once a week or so. It is a special occasion for me this way.

[devites]

I finished the last of my shinchas today and thought I would do a final ranking.

1. o-cha fuka supreme
2. o-cha hatsumi
3. maiko kinari
4. hibiki-an shincha fukamushi
5. dens fuka-midori
6. dens hashiri
7. hibiki-an shincha premium (blah tasting)
I thought all had something to offer except the traditional.

[Salsero]

I finished the last of my shinchas today ...

Well, I guess that means it's time to break out the Kirameki! It will go out in Monday's mail, though I don't know if it will still be shincha this late in the game!

Ranking teas is always a little scary, but I think there is something to be gained from the exercise. Thanks for sharing.

[Ed]

W00t, devites is a believer! Fukamushi Supreme rules.

[Salsero]

Just broke open the Kirameki (after it sat in my refrigerator for almost 2.5 months). Wow is it light! I did 3.75 gr in not quite 6 oz of water at about 160° for 1.5 minutes, roughly replicating Bambooforest's instructions to Stargazer. The wet leaf pieces are enormous by sencha standards. I find a nice oily feeling on my lips from it and there is an aftertaste that is almost floral, but really too earthy to be floral. Quite a unique and classy sencha. I will probably try increasing the leaf next time I go for it.

[Chip]

Yeah, Kirameki is asamushi that will brew up nicer with more leaf. I used 5-5.5 grams per 6.8 ounces (200ml).

It is a classy brew.

[Salsero]

Yeah, Kirameki is asamushi that will brew up nicer with more leaf. I used 5-5.5 grams per 6.8 ounces (200ml).

It is a classy brew.

Sort of clean and classy. I am on a sixth infusion, with water sitting in the kyusu in contemplation of a seventh! This may be the bao zhong of the sencha world.