First O-Cha Purchase

[olivierco]

You can try the Organic Asamushi Sencha "Warashina Supreme"

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

Yes it is a good one. Not as good as Kirameki or Kaboku though, but so far the best organic sencha I had. (I had the shincha version).
15$ for a 50gr package.

Greenisgood liked it very much too:
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... 75#p117175

[Maitre_Tea]

Just chiming in with my experience with O-Cha's selection of organic teas.
I bought the following:

Kabusecha
Uji Sencha

I have limited experience with Japanese greens, and these are amongst the first Sencha I’ve tried, so just keep that in mind.

Out of all of these I really like the Kabusecha. I really like the umami flavor which provided a nice kick to the tea. I haven’t tried Gyokuro yet, but because of my experience with Kabusecha I can’t wait. I think the Kabusecha is more forgiving in brewing than Gyokuro, which is what I’ve heard. I didn’t care for the Uji Sencha, it seemed a little pedestrian when compared to the Kabusecha. It was an okay tea, but nothing to write home about IMO.

[olivierco]

I think the Kabusecha is more forgiving in brewing than Gyokuro, which is what I’ve heard.

Gyokuro is easy to brew, as long as you don't use too hot water.

[Tead Off]

You can try the Organic Asamushi Sencha "Warashina Supreme"

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

Yes it is a good one. Not as good as Kirameki or Kaboku though, but so far the best organic sencha I had. (I had the shincha version).
15$ for a 50gr package.

Greenisgood liked it very much too:
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... 75#p117175

Appreciate the tip. You might want to try the Yuuki-cha Kagoshima Fuka Yutaka. I think it's a good tea with deep umami. The Ooigawa that I bought is terribly bitter. If I lighten the leaf amount, the weakness of the flavor becomes too apparent. Do you think I should complain to O-cha? No one has reviewed this tea.

[depravitea]

Well, it finally arrived yesterday! I shouldn't say finally though, it took only 6 days to get here.

It is EXCELLENT! I can honestly say it's the best green tea I've ever had. Which is sad, a little, since I was trying to focus mainly on the teas of China.
Oh well, a broadening of my horizons.
I know more today than I did yesterday.





I found that the bag had several small particles of leaf, is this typical, or is it damage due to traveling?
Is this tea typically strained prior to drinking? I couldn't keep all the particles out using my gaiwan, like normally do.

[Maitre_Tea]

I assume that you used a Gaiwan? Did you use a strainer or did you not have problems with the leaf falling through the lid and the Gaiwan?

[olivierco]

The Ooigawa that I bought is terribly bitter. If I lighten the leaf amount, the weakness of the flavor becomes too apparent. Do you think I should complain to O-cha? No one has reviewed this tea.

I prefer asamushi sencha so I haven't tried the Ooigawa.

What temperature and steeping time did you use?

[depravitea]

No, I had several particles escape from the gaiwan.
I found that the bag had several small particles of leaf, is this typical, or is it damage due to traveling?
Is this tea typically strained prior to drinking?

[olivierco]

No, I had several particles escape from the gaiwan.
I found that the bag had several small particles of leaf, is this typical, or is it damage due to traveling?
Is this tea typically strained prior to drinking?

Typical of deep steamed sencha.
Usually you don't get as many particles in your cup if you brew it with a kyuusu with mesh screen.

[Maitre_Tea]

No, I had several particles escape from the gaiwan.
I found that the bag had several small particles of leaf, is this typical, or is it damage due to traveling?
Is this tea typically strained prior to drinking?

Don't bother straining, because it can led to "Red Alert" situations, which for me means over-brewing. I was on my 2nd steeping of a fukamushi, and I was using a fine mesh strainer in addition to the one in my kyusu. The particles clogged up the strainer, and there was a back flow of tea because of the clog. I had to find another container quick before the tea would overbrew...but alas, the brew was bitter and astringent (but beautifully green though).

The moral of this story? Learn to love the leaf in your tea...think of it as a bonus to the brew

[Chip]

Thanks for the report depravitea!

You actually do want some particle in your brew, very typical of fukamushi.

I would say it is not easy to brew with a gaiwan, pick up a kyusu soon.

BTW, much of the thick green color is not the brew itself, but suspended particle (similar to matcha), and if you let it sit for a bit, it will actually settle, but you want to drink it while it is fully suspended.

[Chip]

The Ooigawa that I bought is terribly bitter. If I lighten the leaf amount, the weakness of the flavor becomes too apparent. Do you think I should complain to O-cha? No one has reviewed this tea.

I prefer asamushi sencha so I haven't tried the Ooigawa.

What temperature and steeping time did you use?

I wish I had this on hand so I could compare first hand.

I know that the owner does a lot of tastings BEFORE he decides to offer a new tea, he does not go to the trouble of offering a bad tea or very bitter tea.

Given your limited experience with Japanese tea (according to you, this would be the 2nd sencha about), I would have to believe there is either something wrong with your brewing technique/parameters or your expectations/palate for Japanese greens.

Please tell us exactly how you are brewing this, and perhaps we can help you get over a hump. You would not be the first person to have problems with sencha. Of course, not everyone is going to like sencha either.

I would suggest using a scale at this point since you are having difficulty. I use a scale almost every time I brew a sencha in order to obtain consistantly very good results. IMHO.

[depravitea]

Yet you actually do want some particle in your brew, very typical of fukamushi.

I would say it is not easy to brew with a gaiwan, pick up a kyusu soon.

BTW, much of the thick green color is not the brew itself, but suspended particle (similar to matcha), and if you let it sit for a bit, it will actually settle, but you want to drink it while it is fully suspended.

Thanks for the tips. I was drinking it before it settled, I really like it a lot , even if I'm getting more partical than is typically tried for.
Is Yutaka Midori considered a fukamushi?
Any suggestions on where to find a moderately priced kyusu?
When using a kyusu, do you strain the tea as it is poured into the cup, or would that filter out ALL the particles?

[Chip]

Yutaka Midori is a breed. Looking at your brew, I would have to say it is fukamushi. O-Cha usually will indicate this on their site ... going to take a gander ...

So, this is the regular YM? The package changed I think. If it is the regular, it is fuka. I do not remember the Kaoru designation either. I am feeling like I am in a recuring dream I have about showing up to High school after "knocking off" for months and not having a clue what is going on.

[Salsero]

Any suggestions on where to find a moderately priced kyusu?

Inexpensive kyuusu can be found at Den's, Yuuki-Cha, CDJapan, and even a couple at O-Cha.