Xell, Zenhodo, Japanese green tea and teaware

[Bef]

Is this sale on all of your teas?

[Xell]

Yes, but as i've mentioned only what is left right now. Most teas are sold out.

Here what is left:
Yame gyokuro and sencha No. 1 10+
Hojicha Mare - 6
Fukamushi kabusecha Tsubaki - 3
Kabusecha Mokuren - 2
Sencha Ran - 2

Most likely won't be getting this year Yame gyokuro and sencha No. 1. Will be focusing on more affordable teas, top competition grades only after i can grow a bit.

[Bef]

Yes, but as i've mentioned only what is left right now. Most teas are sold out.

Here what is left:
Yame gyokuro and sencha No. 1 10+
Hojicha Mare - 6
Fukamushi kabusecha Tsubaki - 3
Kabusecha Mokuren - 2
Sencha Ran - 2

Most likely won't be getting this year Yame gyokuro and sencha No. 1. Will be focusing on more affordable teas, top competition grades only after i can grow a bit.

Thanks. Nice sale!

Just pulled the trigger on 2 x Sencha #1 and 1 x #1 gyokuro. Never tried japanese teas that were of such high quality, so I'm quite curious to try that out!

[Chip]

These are great deals on teas that were already good values at regular prices.

[Xell]

Yes, but as i've mentioned only what is left right now. Most teas are sold out.

Here what is left:
Yame gyokuro and sencha No. 1 10+
Hojicha Mare - 6
Fukamushi kabusecha Tsubaki - 3
Kabusecha Mokuren - 2
Sencha Ran - 2

Most likely won't be getting this year Yame gyokuro and sencha No. 1. Will be focusing on more affordable teas, top competition grades only after i can grow a bit.

Thanks. Nice sale!

Just pulled the trigger on 2 x Sencha #1 and 1 x #1 gyokuro. Never tried japanese teas that were of such high quality, so I'm quite curious to try that out!

Thank you and everyone else who joined, hope to see some feedback too

Slept through most of the weekend, got plenty of energy now. Most likely will go to Yame this week to check some things, hope i won't forget camera again. Well, more like i try to make a bit of free time to explore. I'll share here, it's always interesting how tea is grown in different parts of the world.

[demonyc]

I just picked up a Sencha #1 and Gyokuro #1 on sale. Quite excited to try them out, Xell!

[Balthazar]

Just placed an order for 2x the Yame sencha No. 1 and 1x the Yame gyokuro.

Couldn't resist the prices, and I've been meaning to branch out a bit (I've never tried other vendors than O-cha for Japanese teas, not that I've ever been disappointed).

Especially excited to try the gyokuro, as it's my first. How much of a difference does a houhin or shiboridashi make for brewing, compared to a kyusu? I have two kyusus, one for light steamed teas and one for deep steamed (the latter, according to the vendor, "suitable for all green teas including gyokuro"). But if a houhin or shiboridashi is more appropriate I might just wait with opening the gyokuro until I've acquired one of those...

[Peacock]

Kyusu's work perfectly. Houhin's and shiboridashi's are usually smaller and that makes them perfect for gyo when you're using a lot of leaf.

[Bef]

Xell which brewing parameters would you recommend for your sencha and gyokuro #1?

[Xell]

Sorry, a bit slow with answers.

Taste won't really change if you use houhin/hobin or shiboridashi. It depends a lot more on your technique, brewing parameters and of course quality of water. They are just more easy to use with small amount of water, i.e. perfect for high quality teas. Since most likely you will be using small amount of water, pay attention to temperature and definitely pre-heat your vessel. Also you can see tea a lot better with shiboridashi, temperature might drop little bit faster with open lid, but i really enjoy watching first brew

Brewing parameters.

If you want to get most out of those teas make sure you have enough time to go through full session, don't let wet tea leaves stay for long. Don't forget to pre-heat your brewing vessels, both kyusu and cup.

I would recommend starting with 1-1.5g/30ml for sencha and 1.5-2g/30ml for gyo if you started with japanese teas recently and 2g/30ml for both if you're drinking for a while. Won't be able to go much higher anyway, after first infusion simply can't cover all tea leaves with less water Temperature for sencha about 60C with slight increase every infusion, for gyo start from 50C. Time 1-1.5min/10-15sec/40sec-1min and increase further.

p.s.
And a small tip, don't forget to open lid near your nose after first infusion and sniff generously

Edit:
Forgot to add, that you can try susuricha brewing method with gyokuro. I.e. using enough water to get just few drops of tea. It's worth trying at least once, taste and experience itself is quite a bit different from usual brewing.

[Xell]

Small update, since things going rather slow. Shincha will definitely come at the end of May along with some special offers. Our moving got delayed quite a bit, more like it's hanging in the middle now and sadly we can't make it faster. We already finished what we could. I'm currently staying most of the time in temporal apartment without internet connection, that's why no news or forum activity.

[Xell]

Finally shincha is here! Better late than never Updated photos of leaves, used color passport camera profiles this time for better accuracy.

Page was also updated, added mobile compatibility with few other improvements. Some of information pages still need updating, but mostly done.

Will be adding testimonials page and to motivate there is a reward available, 15% discount coupon.


And regarding our moving, we're still in temporal apartment, but already decided. Simply waiting for people to move out from house. Turned out a lot better that expected! Feels like finally all not so good things are behind and everything just getting better Once we move in our long term house will be working on Kagoshima and Ureshino teas, along with more teaware.

[Chip]

That is all GREAT

I will check the teas out tomorrow.

[Xell]

Will be taking a break until shincha season and hope for a great comeback with Kagoshima and Saga teas. There is simply way too much to do and get used in our new home, i wanted to update page long time ago but did only now, at most could read TeaChat time to time. Only recently i got my pc working area set up. Got tired of waiting when i could receive my old desk, bought new.

So i'm selling out current stock of teas, discounts added!

Oh, here is a photo where we are living now, basically a dream came true. To begin with, one of biggest reasons why started online tea shop was to be able to live away from large cities. I'll post more photos (bigger size too) and some info about this island in here http://www.teachat.com/viewforum.php?f=73

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[Balthazar]

Looks beautiful! I couldn't resist some of those prices, made an order just now. Look forward to seeing your spring selection