Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?

[Chip]

O-Cha "Festivus for the rest of us" ... round two. Joining us are George, Estelle, Jerry, Kozmo, and Frank ... to name a few.

O-Cha 2012 Kame Jirushi Gyokuro ... really da bombe!

[Noonie]

O-Cha "Festivus for the rest of us" ... round two. Joining us are George, Estelle, Jerry, Kozmo, and Frank ... to name a few.

O-Cha 2012 Kame Jirushi Gyokuro ... really da bombe!

Seinfeld references never get old

[William]

Organic Uji Gyokuro Yabukita from yuuki-cha .. Delicious! Great body and lingering aftertaste. The flavours reminds me of something sweet, marine, without astringency nor bitter notes, while it has a fragrance that incredibly reminds me of seaweeds.

[Chip]

Nice Kyusu and tray, William.

Began the day with Sae Midori from O-Cha ...

[William]

Nice Kyusu and tray, William.

Thanks Chip!
These Japanese green teas are simply delicious ..

Can I ask you if that is a Japanese lacquered wooden tray? If yes, is comfortable to use?

[William]

Organic Miyazaki Kamairicha Minekaori from yuuki-cha.

Again today ..

[Chip]

Nice Kyusu and tray, William.

Thanks Chip!
These Japanese green teas are simply delicious ..

Can I ask you if that is a Japanese lacquered wooden tray? If yes, is comfortable to use?

Yes, it is vintage "Kamakura-Bori Obon" ... aka wood tray from Kamakura. To say Kamakura is kind of like saying Tokoname or Hagi as it refers to origin and the style for which the region is famous.

I generally collect used pieces as finding true wood versions that are new or newer is challenging, much of what is sold today is referred to by sellers as "lacquerware." In reality many of these are simply plastic. I have been burned more than once, and sometimes sellers swear they are truly wood ... NOT. While plastic is OK, it is not the same "feel" as wood. Placing authentic Tokoname and Hagi on a piece of plastic just feels... unnatural and wrong.

I quite enjoy using Obon from Japan, and these have replaced the cheap Chinese bamboo tea table I used for several years (still have but it is sitting idle). Look for more as I am trying to get back into taking photos again, though I lack the skills and patience and equipment that many members exhibit here.

[William]

Nice Kyusu and tray, William.

Thanks Chip!
These Japanese green teas are simply delicious ..

Can I ask you if that is a Japanese lacquered wooden tray? If yes, is comfortable to use?

Yes, it is vintage "Kamakura-Bori Obon" ... aka wood tray from Kamakura. To say Kamakura is kind of like saying Tokoname or Hagi as it refers to origin and the style for which the region is famous.

I generally collect used pieces as finding true wood versions that are new or newer is challenging, much of what is sold today is referred to by sellers as "lacquerware." In reality many of these are simply plastic. I have been burned more than once, and sometimes sellers swear they are truly wood ... NOT. While plastic is OK, it is not the same "feel" as wood. Placing authentic Tokoname and Hagi on a piece of plastic just feels... unnatural and wrong.

I quite enjoy using Obon from Japan, and these have replaced the cheap Chinese bamboo tea table I used for several years (still have but it is sitting idle). Look for more as I am trying to get back into taking photos again, though I lack the skills and patience and equipment that many members exhibit here.

Thanks for the explanation Chip!

There may be some problem if the lacquer comes in contact with boiling water?

[Chip]

Thanks for the explanation Chip!

There may be some problem if the lacquer comes in contact with boiling water?

Seemingly so, but I have not experienced any problems with "whiting" that I expected. Still, I do not pour boiling water onto the tray. This lacks a reservoir so water goes in the pot versus all over the place.

Also, I keep a cloth next to the tray to the right ... creature of habit I am. For pouring the hottest water right after the boil, I place whatever I am going to pour into onto the cloth. Then I resume using the tray. Maybe an unnecessary step ... I don't know.

[eyvind]

Started the day with an old favorite: Yutaka midori It is a fukumushi made of the Yutaka midori cultivar from Kagoshima.

I opened it a few days ago and have been playing with the brewing parameters a bit:

Generally with asamushi or chumushi sencha I do three steeps 60s at 158F, 30s at 165F, and 90s at 172F. Sometimes if I increase the leaf ratio I will do a fourth pouring ~100s at 180F. This used on this tea definitely brought out the bitter, more cocoa powder taste. I rarely measure the amount of tea but judge on the volume of leaf in the bottom of the pot. I use a 160mL (~5oz) kyusu. Guessing I usually use a 0.8 to 1.2 g/oz, which is a little higher than vendor's recommendation.

For fukamushi, usually I brew three steeps 45s at 158F, 20s at 165F, and 60s at 172F. If there is a fourth it would be 90s at 180F. On this tea I found the first steep had a nice umami taste with a distinctly lower bitterness.

However I have also brewed with an intermediate amount of steep time, slightly lower temp (less about 3-5 deg F), and less leaf. This method brought out more of the sweet taste in the tea. I made this one a bit weaker since I was sharing with my honey, who is more sensitive to bitter tastes than I am. Sencha isn't her favorite tea but she found this acceptable.

I definitely enjoyed everyone one of these brews. It is amazing the differences of experience that one tea can bring. By adjusting the parameters I can adjust the one sencha to my mood. This keeps the tea fresher by only having one or two greens in canisters and the rest in the sealed packages.

(once I resize some images I will put up photos one of these days)

[William]

Thanks for the explanation Chip!

There may be some problem if the lacquer comes in contact with boiling water?

Seemingly so, but I have not experienced any problems with "whiting" that I expected. Still, I do not pour boiling water onto the tray. This lacks a reservoir so water goes in the pot versus all over the place.

Also, I keep a cloth next to the tray to the right ... creature of habit I am. For pouring the hottest water right after the boil, I place whatever I am going to pour into onto the cloth. Then I resume using the tray. Maybe an unnecessary step ... I don't know.

I hope to buy one soon!

[Chip]

I hope to buy one soon!

Awesome!

... Asatsuyu "high-test" fukamushi, second steep. Yeah, it is that green. And tastes and smells as good as it looks!

[William]

I hope to buy one soon!

Awesome!

... Asatsuyu "high-test" fukamushi, second steep. Yeah, it is that green. And tastes and smells as good as it looks!

Hi Chip,

I tried some Sencha yesterday that was a middle way between Chumushi/Fukamushi .. Why are the brews so green?

Ps. Nice kyusu!

[Chip]

Some of it is the varietal selections used for deeper steamed sencha.

But likely the biggest cause is suspension of particles is quite substantial in fuka and chumushi.

Also, with the smaller particles more of the natural green pigment in the leaves are more readily released.

[eyvind]

Indeed- some nice pots! I have been eyeing those Hokujo kyusu for a while. It's those mokage- seaweed patterned pots that I would like.

That green. That's the fukamushi magic.
I would agree most of it has to be the fine suspended particles of tea. There could be something to do with the longer streaming breaking down more of the oxidizing enzymes. Fukamushi should be the drink of St. Patrick's Day.