Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?

[mlafranc]

Matcha Kiku Mukashi from O-cha. Smooth, creamy, and rich-tasting -- kind of like drinking hot cocoa.

[NOESIS]

Just opened my last bag of Hosen Sencha from Ippodo.. Placed my order with them yesterday, and along with my usual order (sencha, gyo, hojicha) I'll be giving the Uji Shincha a try.

[verus]

Longjing!

I get it from a pretty soulles, often disappointing tea chain here in my home country...but their Long Jing is usually good. This time it's even more than good, it's brilliant.

[tortoise]

YM Fukamushi Shincha from O-Cha.

More asamushi yet to come. Nice to have Sencha back in the house. First experience with shincha too.

[vacuithe]

I'm currently drinking an Ureshino's Tamaryokucha, from "Thés du Japon" (http://www.thes-du-japon.com).

I'm a huge noob in japanese teas, but I can say that this tamaryokucha is the best japanese green I ever drank up to now (or the first one I brewed correctly)...

[sebpassion]

last grams of warashina supreme..waiting for my shincha-order to arrive..

[debunix]

Just finished a session with the same Huang Shen Mao Feng that was rather unpleasant a few days back. This was a gorgeous brewing start to finish, 6 infusions of mellow sweetness, and the only thing that might have been significantly different was the leaf to water ratio. I again used water about 150 degrees, in the same glass teapot, but every infusion was more reminiscent of my favorite An Ji white tea than of the deeper toasty notes I was picking up in the earlier session, and there was zero bitterness. It's taken a 180 degree turn in my estimation from a tea that I would avoid in the future to one I want to keep on hand always.

[Stentor]

It's taken a 180 degree turn in my estimation from a tea that I would avoid in the future to one I want to keep on hand always.

Yeah, that happens So did you use more or less leaf?

[debunix]

Less leaf.

[Drax]

Enjoying o-cha's "shou-un" gyokuro, as I mentioned in TeaDay.

I actually haven't had too much gyokuro in my exposure to tea. Rather than ask questions about brewing parameters (which I've seen plenty of recommendations), I'd rather ask -- what *output* do you usually aim for?

Keep in mind that I've had a lot of sencha lately, with second steeps that might strip paint (in a good way, in a good way!).

My experience w/ gyokuro has usually been a nice mellow output. What do you shoot for?

[Chip]

Please define output?

[Drax]

Please define output?

*laugh* but that's what I want you to define! What taste do you aim for in your cup? Strength, flavors, etc.

I want you to describe your elephant, so that I can compare it to my elephant.

Or something like that...

[entropyembrace]

Enjoying o-cha's "shou-un" gyokuro, as I mentioned in TeaDay.

I actually haven't had too much gyokuro in my exposure to tea. Rather than ask questions about brewing parameters (which I've seen plenty of recommendations), I'd rather ask -- what *output* do you usually aim for?

Keep in mind that I've had a lot of sencha lately, with second steeps that might strip paint (in a good way, in a good way!).

My experience w/ gyokuro has usually been a nice mellow output. What do you shoot for?

thick and soupy with lots of umami

[Chip]

thick and soupy with lots of umami

+1, for a good gyokuro there is a salty sensation at times, sometimes quite a sweet sensation. Sometimes balanced magnificently between the two! The mouth feel is quite viscous, coating the mouth. Not bitter, not really astingent either. Mild aroma.

A low quality one will often have an off taste to it and will NOT take to the 2 grams per ounce recommendation that many of us follow for higher quality gyokuro.

[Drax]

Thanks, ee and Chip! I think I'm pretty close, then. Although I don't know that 'thick' would have leapt to mind, it has certainly has a 'present' quality. Every time I've ever brewed gyokuro, it has always yielded a very pleasant cup of tea; never overpowering.

I will vary around my parameters and see what I get.

I should also 'calibrate' my scoops... I don't have a scale at work, so I'm going by instinct on amounts. I think I've hit it pretty well given the results, but I have a nagging desire to at least check once (: haha