Chip... This is an excellent point you make. Thanks for pointing it out. It needed to be said and now I know.Chip wrote:
There is room for gyo and there is room for kabuse in world of Japanese tea, but misleading vendor information, there is never room for IMHO.
Vendor: O-cha.com --- Sae Midori Shincha --- from Kagoshima Japan
The dry leaf has a nice grassy aroma. Once brewed the color is a luscious green.
It has that characteristic tropical flavor that teas hailing from Kagoshima do, but in addition there is a prominent grassy flavor to accompany it.
Thick and soupy flavor... not a thin tea to be sure.
I rate this very good and one of a kind.
parameters: 3.2 grams / 6 ounces / 2 minute steep / 170 F
But the shincha gyokuro I tried was from maiko,
"This is truly delicious Gyokuro that was cultivated in our Oishita-chaen (covered tea garden). Each leaf is hand chosen and hand plucked with extreme care.
A tea with a clean aftertaste that leaves a delightful balance of astringency and subtle sweetness in your mouth. "
They don`t mention that it is covered less or it is kabusencha, Oishita-chaen are covered by the way of tana, that would be too much work to make kabusencha and cover it like gyokuro, kabusencha is covered directly. And maiko offers an expencieve shuppin version too. And the brewing guide on the packs says it should be brewed at 50 C and 10 grams of leaves and 60 ml water, if it were kabusencha it would be extremly bitter by this method, but this had the sweetnes, but it was too wild.
"This is truly delicious Gyokuro that was cultivated in our Oishita-chaen (covered tea garden). Each leaf is hand chosen and hand plucked with extreme care.
A tea with a clean aftertaste that leaves a delightful balance of astringency and subtle sweetness in your mouth. "
They don`t mention that it is covered less or it is kabusencha, Oishita-chaen are covered by the way of tana, that would be too much work to make kabusencha and cover it like gyokuro, kabusencha is covered directly. And maiko offers an expencieve shuppin version too. And the brewing guide on the packs says it should be brewed at 50 C and 10 grams of leaves and 60 ml water, if it were kabusencha it would be extremly bitter by this method, but this had the sweetnes, but it was too wild.
Kumamoto Yabe Supreme from Yuuki Cha arrived today, review to follow shortly! 
My tea pics...
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2 ... =223801330
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2 ... =223801330
Ocha order is in !!!
On the fouth steep
of YM.
Not a hint of soggy leaf syndrome.
This will be the first time ever getting a 5th.
Time to clean the house
Fuka is in the fridge for a rainy day
On the fouth steep
of YM.Not a hint of soggy leaf syndrome.
This will be the first time ever getting a 5th.
Time to clean the house
Fuka is in the fridge for a rainy day
“Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I ca’n’t take more.”
“You mean you ca’n’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.”
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I ca’n’t take more.”
“You mean you ca’n’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.”
May 20th, '09, 01:14
Posts: 5151
Joined: Dec 20th, '06, 23:33
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Gainesville, Florida
I got a taste of some Ippodo Uji Shincha from Cinnabar Red. I've over-brewed the third infusion a bit, but the second was fabulous. Very fresh and shincha like. It might be their only shincha as such, but it is a great example of the concept of shincha: fresh, strong, heady, asamushi. Hypnotic and enduring aftertaste!
I'm getting a hint of mint in the 4th steep.
I light refreshing lip smacking coolness.
Anyone else getting that in later pressings?
I light refreshing lip smacking coolness.
Anyone else getting that in later pressings?
“Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I ca’n’t take more.”
“You mean you ca’n’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.”
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I ca’n’t take more.”
“You mean you ca’n’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.”
May 23rd, '09, 01:43
Posts: 199
Joined: Dec 30th, '08, 14:07
Location: Boston, MA
Contact:
guitar9876
O-Cha organics
Anyone ready to give some reviews on the new organic shincha offerings from O-Cha? I'd love to order some, but I've been holding out to see some reviews...
***This organic blend is earthy & spicy, with a fragrant aroma & smooth flavor to captivate the senses. Naturally sweetened in the Kentucky sunshine & infused with natural energy. Equally delicious when served piping hot or crisply chilled.***
May 23rd, '09, 11:50
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
The rise of the organics?????
The Magokoro is indeed very good organic sencha. Before the recent wave of organics, I never had a desire to try more organic Japanese tea after trying one, they had in the past left me less than excited about repeating the experience.
It seems there is a new wave in organics. Yuuki-Cha's offerings have been very good, I am certainly excited to try more organics!
Next stop, Yabe, and O-Cha!!!
The one organic downer I had during the same time is Ryu Mei. The matcha is not ground fine enough and the one was olive drab/tan in color (most unappealing I can assure you), and the one sencha I had left me rather listless ...
It seems there is a new wave in organics. Yuuki-Cha's offerings have been very good, I am certainly excited to try more organics!
Next stop, Yabe, and O-Cha!!!
The one organic downer I had during the same time is Ryu Mei. The matcha is not ground fine enough and the one was olive drab/tan in color (most unappealing I can assure you), and the one sencha I had left me rather listless ...
Re: Zencha Kiwami Shincha
After having 8+ sessions with this tea I have to say that it is quite good. I have gotten some pretty spectacluar cups out of it. The problem was with the brewer not the tea as it was my first shincha and all. Worth $25? Probably. Yum.puerhking wrote:Zencha Kiwami Shincha
This is my first Shincha and second session with this tea
Approx 5g - 120ml water
1st brew is a clear bright light green. Hints of grass and very vegetal with no astringency. Fantastic aroma. Pleasant.
2nd brew is a cloudy neon green. More vegetal notes with hints of the sea along with a bit of astringency. A bit more complex than the first. The vegetal notes and astringency vie for attention. A tea high is setting in.
3rd brew is slightly cloudy and not as neon. Probably could have brewed it a little longer. Vegetal notes are more subdued and the aroma is minimal. A bit of sweetness is creeping in. Cleaner and more subtle.
4th brew looked like the first. No aroma at this point and flavor is waning. Mere remnants of vegetal flavor hover in the background with a slight sweetness. A full on tea high is being enjoyed.
Didn’t see a reason to try a fifth infusion. I am certain a veteran shincha brewer could have gotten more out of this tea. While enjoying this tea I did not think that it was spectacular. I do love the thought that this was on a tea bush in Japan a couple of weeks ago and is now in my cup. Worth the experience? Yes. Would I purchase it again? Probably not for $25.
I wanted to try a shincha this year and since there was a lot of buzz about the Sae Midori I figured I'd give it a try. After reading several reviews on brewing it I decided to modify between what Cherylopal and serok37C did.
The opening aroma was very intense - grassy but not vegetal. I did remember to let the bag rest after opening. I went with 4gr and 8oz of water at 170 degrees. First brew one minute/2nd brew 30 second/3rd brew 2 minutes ... and I kept going. I was very surprised to find it quite mild with no astringency. Definitely one of the best I have had, I quite enjoyed it and it was actually fun to take the time and get out all the needed equipment including my scale and thermometer, strainer, etc. I was pretty impressed with myself, an oolong girl getting it right getting the first time, DH didn't quite understand my triumph.
The opening aroma was very intense - grassy but not vegetal. I did remember to let the bag rest after opening. I went with 4gr and 8oz of water at 170 degrees. First brew one minute/2nd brew 30 second/3rd brew 2 minutes ... and I kept going. I was very surprised to find it quite mild with no astringency. Definitely one of the best I have had, I quite enjoyed it and it was actually fun to take the time and get out all the needed equipment including my scale and thermometer, strainer, etc. I was pretty impressed with myself, an oolong girl getting it right getting the first time, DH didn't quite understand my triumph.
i'm not sure if i should post this here or in the ordering thread...here i guess.
a heads up, i just received my order of organic sinchas from ocha which included the Okitsugawa Miyabi 100 gram. o-cha.com says it's supposed to be 100 grams of sincha, but the bag is labled 70 grams...30% less. i weighed it to confirm the bag wasn't misprinted and it isn't..a bit over 70g. i just sent the o-cha CS people a message via their contact form requesting they send me the other 30 grams with my next order. i await their reply. i'll let everyone know how it works out, i'm sure they'll hook me up.
Just thought people would like to know that if you order the Okitsugawa Miyabi, you may only receive 70g instead of 100g.
P.S. i'd really like to see the o-cha contact form page be encrypted. imo, this is a big mistake to have this page not encrypted, especially since the customer is forced to inter their entire name, address, telephone #, and email address in order to send a message to customer service.
*edit: kevin has now changed the discription to show the item weighs 70g.
a heads up, i just received my order of organic sinchas from ocha which included the Okitsugawa Miyabi 100 gram. o-cha.com says it's supposed to be 100 grams of sincha, but the bag is labled 70 grams...30% less. i weighed it to confirm the bag wasn't misprinted and it isn't..a bit over 70g. i just sent the o-cha CS people a message via their contact form requesting they send me the other 30 grams with my next order. i await their reply. i'll let everyone know how it works out, i'm sure they'll hook me up.
Just thought people would like to know that if you order the Okitsugawa Miyabi, you may only receive 70g instead of 100g.
P.S. i'd really like to see the o-cha contact form page be encrypted. imo, this is a big mistake to have this page not encrypted, especially since the customer is forced to inter their entire name, address, telephone #, and email address in order to send a message to customer service.
*edit: kevin has now changed the discription to show the item weighs 70g.
Last edited by Smells_Familiar on May 23rd, '09, 22:38, edited 1 time in total.