2009 Shincha Review Topic

[Salsero]

got some Kama Jiru Shi, but haven't been that into it. I find it subtle, soft, rather than rich. I'm followign the instructions O-cha gives - 1g per 1oz and 140F.

This is a gyokuro and demands special brewing. Olivierco's famous directions are the sznit:

• 8gr 80-100ml 55°C (130°F) 90s 5s 15s 30s 60s is a good starting point

In other words, you need to use at least 2 gr per oz and keep that water temp very cool. I think you may be surprised at how different it is from sencha ... or any other tea for that matter!

[Chip]

... and Sal posted before I could submit ... +1.

For really premo Gyo, it should brew up an amazing cup with this seemingly outlandish 2:1 ratio. Kame handles this perfectly.

Also, smaller steeps, I usually go around 2-4 ounces for the really good stuff, otherwise you will either go broke or suffer severe bodily harm from bouncing off the walls from toooo much caffeine.

And, PREHEAT everything!!!

[Seeker]

Thanks!!!
I actually brewed some Kame today in my Deishi Houhin .
I was much more meticulous, using a digital scale, digital thermometer,
and lo, I had great results.
I will tomorrow try the instructions forwarded shared from olivierco.

How about ideas for awesome buttery organic sencha and gyo?

[Tead Off]

Thank you each so much for your responses!
I hope I may ask another question about these teas, given that I like the primary buttery essences/mouth feel/aromas/flavors, is there an organic sencha and/or gyo that would be good?

ALL of Yuuki-cha's teas are organic.

[Seeker]

Thank you Tead.

I figured Yuuki's stuff was all organic as I'd read that yuuki means organic. However, the intent of my request was to inquire about which of the organic japanese senchas and gyos are more buttery and vegetal forward.

I'm trying to avoid purchasing a sencha or gyo (as I have in the past) and being stuck with a tea that is all about the seaweed and grassy notes, which I really don't like as primary flavors.

Know of some organics that are buttery, vegetal primary?

Thx!

cheers.

ps - based on a comment by Chip, I wonder if fukamushi is more likely to impart the flavor notes/profile I'm speaking of?

[Chip]

ps - based on a comment by Chip, I wonder if fukamushi is more likely to impart the flavor notes/profile I'm speaking of?

Yeah, better chances of Fuka filling the bill versus Asa, IMHO.

I am in catch up mode regarding Organics. I had a few from Yuuki-Cha and have wanted to get to O-Cha's longggg and very new menu of organics. This is a priority for me

There are other vendors' organics as well, but these two have clearly set the pace this year as far as introducing new and vastly improved organics.

[Seeker]

Thanks Chip!
You just, quite simply, ROCK!

Thank you also Salsero for passing along oivierco's gyo guidelines.
Very helpful. Just now enjoying infusions of Kame with these guidelines, and I'm really enjoying it. I think I will be purchasing some more.

This humble tea padawan bows in thanks to you many jedi-tea masters.

May the force be with you.

ps - any other great buttery gyos you recommend?

[Intuit]

The talk about organic sencha/gyo got me thinking about Japans stringent controls on pesticide reside in teas. Japan and the EU pushed China towards registration of tea estates that requires them to meet unified pesticide residue standards for export.

The US, strangely, doesn't have these safeguards, and the FDA certainly does not have the manpower nor financial resources for rigid testing and certification of tea imports from China.

And then a bad thought crossed my mind..

China exports sencha to Japan. Japan exports sencha to North America.

http://www.teacoffeeasia.com/news.asp?id=869

Maybe buying organic sencha isn't such a bad idea.

[Chip]

And then a bad thought crossed my mind..

China exports sencha to Japan. Japan exports sencha to North America.

http://www.teacoffeeasia.com/news.asp?id=869

Maybe buying organic sencha isn't such a bad idea.

Perhaps this is an issue with some vendors, but it is not likely for the best of the best. O-Cha for one will adamently proclaim "no Chinese tea in our tea!"

There are likely vendors who would cut corners in this way, but I think you are more likely to find this in domestic USA vendors who buy through middle men, who bought from brokers, who bought from who knows who.

Too many hands in the "pot" and too many opps for unscrupulous greed to come into play.

FACT: most domestic USA vendors' Japanese teas suck because they lack the ability and/or inclination to properly source Japanese teas and are dealing with tea that has simply passed through too many hands for it to be any good. These vendors are dumping grounds for old stale low quality Japanese tea.

In the Spring, the giant TeaFridges of Japan are purged of last year's harvest and sold off cheap. Til a domestic USA vendor stocks it, it might be 2 years since harvest.

There are a few domestic USA vendors who are going to Japan to make sure they are buying the real deal, Rishi for one.

[Seeker]

Very informative guys.
As many we are strong.
Props to you both.

[Tead Off]

The talk about organic sencha/gyo got me thinking about Japans stringent controls on pesticide reside in teas. Japan and the EU pushed China towards registration of tea estates that requires them to meet unified pesticide residue standards for export.

The US, strangely, doesn't have these safeguards, and the FDA certainly does not have the manpower nor financial resources for rigid testing and certification of tea imports from China.

And then a bad thought crossed my mind..

China exports sencha to Japan. Japan exports sencha to North America.

http://www.teacoffeeasia.com/news.asp?id=869

Maybe buying organic sencha isn't such a bad idea.

I wouldn't worry about the Japanese online vendors like O-Cha and Yuuki-Cha selling Chinese sencha. It defeats their raison d'etre.

Seeker: Your best bet is to buy Fukamushi from both O-Cha and Yuuki-Cha. The best organic Fuka from O-cha that I have tasted is the Warashina Supreme. And, from Yuuki, the Kagoshima Yutaka. These are 2 very different Fukas both in flavor and look. My preference is for the Yuuki Yutaka.

[Intuit]

>I wouldn't worry about the Japanese online vendors like O-Cha and Yuuki-Cha selling Chinese sencha. It defeats their raison d'etre.

I specifically said, buying from the Japanese organic tea vendors wouldn't be such a bad idea- agreeing with previous statements about their quality, but from a different perspective. I didn't say they were suspect - quite the contrary.

[Tead Off]

>I wouldn't worry about the Japanese online vendors like O-Cha and Yuuki-Cha selling Chinese sencha. It defeats their raison d'etre.

I specifically said, buying from the Japanese organic tea vendors wouldn't be such a bad idea- agreeing with previous statements about their quality, but from a different perspective. I didn't say they were suspect - quite the contrary.

I got it.

[Chip]

I do see what you are saying, Intuit, but your statement was broad in some aspects, perhaps not intentionally so, but it could have been interpreted incorrectly to imply beware of anyone selling Japanese tea.

I therefore shared some information that I have received and learned over the years as clarification.

By the same token, there are sellers of "suspect" organic tea whether it is from China or Japan. You still need to go to reputable sellers!!!

But I am not here to argue, simply adding what I know to the discussion already started.

[olivierco]

The best organic Fuka from O-cha that I have tasted is the Warashina Supreme.

which is an asamushi sencha.