Umami-Chaya - New Vendor - UPDATED!

[Intuit]

Just a note: there are teas produced under biodynamic conditions that meet requirements for 'organic' certification, but aren't sold as organic in certain countries because of the requirement hoops (fees, 3-5 years of preparation and paperwork shuffling).

In truth, I would choose teas grown under 'biodynamic' over an 'organic' conditions.

Why? Because of a little issue called 'contaminant carriage' by air and water. Nearby farms can and do heavily spray or apply systemic pesticides and fertilizers in irrigation water.

Comments on the 'taste' of organic versus conventional tea farming are amusing. Before 1950, there were virtually no pesticides in use, save arsenical dusts. Mmmm arsenic. Before 1940, there was no artifical fertilizers, a spin off of the Haber process.

For most of the time that tea has been cultivated, 'organic' WAS the method of production.

[Tead Off]

Chip,

I'm trying to understand your post. What is the difference between 'bio dynamic' and organic? Is bio dynamic grown in a greenhouse where they cannot be exposed to contaminants that are airborn?

[Chip]

Heh, that was Intuit .....

[Intuit]

Organic versus biodynamic, terse explanation:
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature ... 60,00.html

Nothing to do with greenhouses. Biodynamic farming encourages understanding the plant- microbial community interface within soils and encouraging a healthy interaction within the root zone and below it for sustaining natural biogeochemical cycling processes.

Rather than chasing product prettiness, exaggerated crop yield, storage and shipping traits by agrochemicals and manipulating genetics to patent new cultivars, you can manage insects/pathogens, climate change durability, overall plant health and crop taste and storage quality by using sustainable soils technology and 'smart-water' application.

Where tea plantations reside in lowlands, it can be very difficult to farm at high bush density using 'natural methods'.

[Tead Off]

Intuit,

thanks for the explanation of the difference. Here in Thailand, I see products labeled bio-dynamic but didn't know what it was.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but, airborne contaminants will affect both bio dynamic and organic products, right?

[Intuit]

Correct. Airborne contaminants include applied agochemials and aerosol pollutants produced locally and carried over distance that includes organics, acids and mineral dusts (heavy metals).

[teaisme]

deff good to know
never knew bio-dynamic had stricter guidelines then organic
interesting stuff

[Ed]

I opened a bag of "Kurogi Fuka Supreme" yesterday and have been drinking it ever since. This one is my favorite so far from umami-chaya. The leaf appearance is good, with plenty of intact needle shaped leaves and not too dusty. Dry leaf aroma is intoxicating. The brew is clean tasting with lots of umami and a good bittersweet flavor profile. I dig it.

[edkrueger]

Lol. Not only are all of their sencha death steamed, but one of their gyokuro is!

[Ed]

I wouldn't call it death-steamed. It's not excessively dusty. But if you're looking for old school asamushi then this is the wrong thread for you. It would be good if they stocked at least one good asamushi but that doesn't seem to be their style.

[edkrueger]

I have actually had some good asamushi from outside of Uji. It would be nice if more of the shops in other regions sold it. BTW chumushi is death steamed to me.

[Oni]

Although I have a large amount of tea at home, I could not resist ordering umami chaya`s two top gyokuro Kurogi Deluxe and Hoshino Deluxe, I am very curious, the price is fair, although I have very little experience with Yame gyokuro (I only had two), and I know it is made in a diffrent way than Uji gyokuro, but I believe quality speaks for itself, I never believe the superlatives that the vendor states on his site, I talk and listen only to the tea, the tea shows many information about the way it was processed and the way the plants were cared for, the expertise of the taemaster, the only thing one needs experience to read the tea.

[teaisme]

Oni please let me know how they turn out, I am hesitant to shell out the money for them right now, thankfully you did !

[Oni]

I recieved the package today, I won`t open the kurogi for a while, but I already tried the hoshino, next time I will post some pictures, buy with confidance this is high quality japanese tea, nice leaves, strong smell, citrusy aroma, I use tons of leaf, and it is not astringent a bit, it is sweet and intense, I still need to brew it a few times before I take pictures, sofar I have been satisfied with all the tea from Japan, transparent and good market, something I cannot say about the chinese tea market.
I went to our local chinese fast food an the old chinese lady asked me what tea I am drinking, I said japanese gyokuro, she said I should try good Yunnan Pu erh tea, she said now that is good tea...

[thirtysixbelow]

I went to our local chinese fast food an the old chinese lady asked me what tea I am drinking, I said japanese gyokuro, she said I should try good Yunnan Pu erh tea, she said now that is good tea...

Every chinese restaurant I go to disappoints me because no one seems to know anything about tea. If I told them I was drinking japanese gyokuro I would probably get a blank stare.