First O-Cha Purchase

[depravitea]

I'm tempted to try matcha, but I'm not sure I'm ready to by a whole slew of specialized equipage...
I often find myself having to make a choice between tea and tea stuff. I usually go for the tea.
I...must...have...leaf...

[scruffmcgruff]

I'm tempted to try matcha, but I'm not sure I'm ready to by a whole slew of specialized equipage...
I often find myself having to make a choice between tea and tea stuff. I usually go for the tea.
I...must...have...leaf...

Just buy a cheap chasen (regular kitchen whisks haven't worked well for me) and use a cereal bowl, you don't need all the other stuff just to try it.

[depravitea]

Just buy a cheap chasen (regular kitchen whisks haven't worked well for me) and use a cereal bowl, you don't need all the other stuff just to try it.

Oh, so now I need a cereal bowl TOO?!
It's NEVER ENDING, this tea stuff!!

J/k.
Good idea.

[Chip]

Just buy a cheap chasen (regular kitchen whisks haven't worked well for me) and use a cereal bowl, you don't need all the other stuff just to try it.

Oh, so now I need a cereal bowl TOO?!
It's NEVER ENDING, this tea stuff!!

This is exactly how I started. Well, the Chasen was a gift from my niece who was looking for the perfect gift for her fave uncle when visiting Japan. So my initial Matcha teaware set up was $0.

[JPX]

YM is my fave sencha over the last 4 years. Very good IMHO. O-Cha's FS is excellent. TBH, The Chiran was the best value tea I had in the 2008 harvest, have not had it this harvest yet.

I find it hard to rank them since all the ones I listed I enjoy. Depends on my mood.

Sae Midori and Kabuse are the more mild on this list and are certainly good for anyone new to Japanese tea.

i just got myself the YM.

Care to explain how you brew it ? (temp, how much water used and time for each steep)
I feel like the tea is really good but im not brewing it right.
Thanks i would appreciate it alot!

[JPX]

Just buy a cheap chasen (regular kitchen whisks haven't worked well for me) and use a cereal bowl, you don't need all the other stuff just to try it.

Oh, so now I need a cereal bowl TOO?!
It's NEVER ENDING, this tea stuff!!

J/k.
Good idea.

i just started matcha and here is what i used

a cheap 10$ chasen, a hong kong rice bowl, matcha, water and something to calculate it...

with the experience its gonna get more pretty and fancy but so far it was really nice. Even my girlfriend that tasted matcha in some dessert and latte (in a starbucks like cafe... EWWW!) and that was pretty opposed to tasting the matcha i made since it reminded her of a bad experience, really enjoyed it. So, moral of the story? You dont need a fancy set up, you need tea and good brewing instructions!

[Chip]

YM is my fave sencha over the last 4 years. Very good IMHO. O-Cha's FS is excellent. TBH, The Chiran was the best value tea I had in the 2008 harvest, have not had it this harvest yet.

I find it hard to rank them since all the ones I listed I enjoy. Depends on my mood.

Sae Midori and Kabuse are the more mild on this list and are certainly good for anyone new to Japanese tea.

i just got myself the YM.

Care to explain how you brew it ? (temp, how much water used and time for each steep)
I feel like the tea is really good but im not brewing it right.
Thanks i would appreciate it alot!

Hmm, do you have a scale? I am so dependent on one for Japanese greens. I approach 1 gram per ounce water. 175* in a NON preheated pot. I do this for this years, seems to jolt to leaves awake. 40 to 60 seconds for the first steep.

2nd steep around 170* for 10-20 seconds, 3rd 175* for 30-45 seconds, 4th 190ish* for 2 minutes, 5th near boiling to boiling for however long you want.

If you do not have a scale, I am guessing 1.5-2 slightly rounded teaspoons per 6ish ounces water.

[JPX]

YM is my fave sencha over the last 4 years. Very good IMHO. O-Cha's FS is excellent. TBH, The Chiran was the best value tea I had in the 2008 harvest, have not had it this harvest yet.

I find it hard to rank them since all the ones I listed I enjoy. Depends on my mood.

Sae Midori and Kabuse are the more mild on this list and are certainly good for anyone new to Japanese tea.

i just got myself the YM.

Care to explain how you brew it ? (temp, how much water used and time for each steep)
I feel like the tea is really good but im not brewing it right.
Thanks i would appreciate it alot!

Hmm, do you have a scale? I am so dependent on one for Japanese greens. I approach 1 gram per ounce water. 175* in a NON preheated pot. I do this for this years, seems to jolt to leaves awake. 40 to 60 seconds for the first steep.

2nd steep around 170* for 10-20 seconds, 3rd 175* for 30-45 seconds, 4th 190ish* for 2 minutes, 5th near boiling to boiling for however long you want.

If you do not have a scale, I am guessing 1.5-2 slightly rounded teaspoons per 6ish ounces water.

thanks

i think 1 teaspoon is like 4 grams (according to ocha at least). So, using 1 1/2 should do the trick.

i will try it out this way tomorow and i will let you know!

[sriracha]

The matcha virus scores another victim...

[JPX]

chip, thanks again. so different than the first time i brewed it!

[Chip]

chip, thanks again. so different than the first time i brewed it!

... cool! The most important thing is to be willing to experiment, adjust.

[Tead Off]

I have not tried any of the new organics, but some possibilities there as well.

I also put in and received an order from O-cha. After trying Yuuki-cha's Kagoshima Fukamushi Yutaka, I wanted something to compare it to from another prefecture, and, organic as well. I ordered the Ooigawa Aoba Sencha, not the Premium. I am sorely disappointed in the quality of the tea. So much so, that I can barely taste the relationship to the Kagoshima sencha. The astringency is much higher, the flavor and aroma, much weaker and undistinguished. I hate to say it but even the bancha I buy at my local supermarket has more flavor than this and it only cost $2.75/100g. I have tried brewing it with a number of variations but feel at this point, there is no pleasure there.

I also ordered their Organic Uji Matcha which is okay but not as good, IMO, as the Yuuki-cha Yame Matcha, which is nuttier and more flavorful with better aroma.

I'm sure O-cha does carry some good teas, but, which organic ones are really good? I know I'm limiting myself by only buying organic, but, that is my choice.

[olivierco]

You can try the Organic Asamushi Sencha "Warashina Supreme"

[Tead Off]

You can try the Organic Asamushi Sencha "Warashina Supreme"

Is it really good? Really, really, really, good?

[Chip]

You can try the Organic Asamushi Sencha "Warashina Supreme"

Is it really good? Really, really, really, good?

I am anxious to try this one. OK, very anxious.

I just saw O-Cha added a Limited Edition page to their site, though it is currently empty. Looks like Kevin is up to something good.