Gyokuro suggestions

[ummaya]

A bit more than a month ago I tasted my first Gyokuro, the "Kame-Jiru-Shi" from O-Cha and I was hooked by it sweet and mellow taste at the very first sip. Since this gyokuro is relatively more expensive than the Senchas I usually drink ,I agreed with myself to drink it only once or twice a week or on special occasions only but every day I found a new "special occasion" and the 50g pack of gyo did not last very long.

I tried 2 other gyokuro but most cheaper this time:

http://www.yuuki-cha.com/Organic+Gyokur ... kuro+Gokou

http://www.hibiki-an.com/product_info.p ... cts_id/358

The gyukuro from Yuuki-cha and Hibiki-an are not my cup of tea. I tried to brew them in different ways and played with the temperature, amount of leaves and steeping time without any success. They both still have a bit of a bitter taste even when brewed at 50C (especially the Yuuki-cha) and I don't have the feeling of drinking gyokuro but an other brand of sencha; nothing close to the sweetness and smoothness of the "Kame Jiru Shi".

Yesterday I enjoyed an other gyokuro: the sample (good for only one cup ) that I received from Hojo with my order of "Hon Yama Hebizuka Sencha" (which I greatly enjoy ). It is sweet and smooth like the "Kame Jiru Shi".

I have no more gyokuro and I want to order some (I still have the Yuuki-cha and Hibiki-an gyo but I am not very eager to drink it). The sample from Hojo was great but it is quite an expensive tea so I will certainly order again the Uji "Kame-Jiru-Shi" from O-Cha but I am open to your suggestions.

What about the "Gyokuro The Ultimate" from Zencha. Maybe the "Yame Gyokuro" from O-Cha ? It is quite cheap (half the price of the Kame-Jiru-Shi) but I have a bad experience with cheap gyokuro. Have any among you experienced these gyokuros? Maybe something else?

[Chip]

The Kame, well, it is like you started a mountain climbing career with Mt. Everest! Kame is extremely good Gyokuro. Almost anything else will pale by comparison. One thing to do with Kame, is brew smallll steeps, but very rich. This will reduce the overall amount of leaf you use and extend the bag duration. This is common among Gyo drinkers in Japan as well. I typically only brew 2 or 3 ounce steeps, but use 2 grams per ounce, sooo, smalller steeps are best for this method.

The Uji Gyo from O-Cha are all very good IMHO. O-Cha's Yame is very good for the price. I know what you mean about cheap gyo, usually very disappointing. But this Yame is very drinkable and much better than other gyo at this price point that I have had.

Yame the Ultimate from Zencha is very good usually, you have to brew it carefully, really low temps.

I am so focused on Sencha from Spring to around December or January (leading up to Shincha) when I start drinking Gyo as a more seasonal thing, so I am not too aware of others at this point.

[Dreamer]

The only gyokuro that I've had is the Yame from O-cha. I like it a lot. The Kame is next on my list to try. As noted by Chip, since gyokuro is so "dear", I don't drink it often.

Happy shopping,
Dreamer

[Oni]

I suggest trying hibiki-an`s super premium grade, premium is not worth it, if you are searching for a cheaper gyokuro that is very good, try maiko`s gyokuro "Fugenji-Midori", that is very interesting and unique taste, I have nothing to compare it to it is so much diffrent from all gyokuro`s I have tried, definitely worth the price, and of course Horaido`s Kame no Yowai for 3000 Y is stellar, it is as good as his twice as expencieve brethren.

[ummaya]

Since until today I have never been disappointed by any of O-Cha products I decided to order their "cheap" Yame Gyokuro.

Thank you for the recommendations.

[clareandromeda]

Im anxioulsy awaiting my o-cha shipment of gyo... (running low, where is it????!!)
I ordered the Kame-Jiru-Shi and the Tsuru.
I've done all of Ito Ens

I've gotten the impression that o-cha has the best gyo's. Any other sites worth a try beside Ito En and O-cha?

[olivierco]

With the Kame and the Tsuru Jiru Shi you made a very good choice (Be sure to try them at 2/2.5g per oz)
Ippodo Kanro and above are quite nice and the Yume no Ukihashi (Tsuen) too.

[Oni]

Hibiki-an`s Super premium grade and Kuradashi super premium , maiko Fugenji midori and Horaido Kame No Yowai and Rinpou are very good and worth trying, I will try zencha`s gyokuro, and I am waiting for Umamichaya`s yame gyokuro so I can have a nice collection, by the way do you have teaware for gyokuro? Like this>

[clareandromeda]

excellent..... excellent....

If only my o-cha order would get here so I could justify my next order

I do not have a a great set up. I do have the proper banko kyusu and white interior cups. I do not have a proper houhin or a water coolor. I do have a lovely tiny spouted pitcher that I place my therm in. I let the water cool to the proper temp and then pour it into the kyusu. I then brew and pour into the cups... I think if I'm not mistaken I just lack a "houhin" and cups to match it. Am I right?

[Chip]

You don't neeeed a houjin and gyo cups, but if you want them, by all means, they will add to your enjoyment.

Improv is the name of the game for many of us till we have what we want.

[olivierco]

You don't neeeed a houjin and gyo cups, but if you want them, by all means, they will add to your enjoyment.

+1

[Oni]

But it is a handy tool, you do not need to measure everything, it is made for gyokuro, just pour in hot water to the houhin, pour it to the yuzamashi, and cups, wait 2 minutes before each step, and the quantity of water and temperature will be perfect for gyokuro, with other equipment it would need measuring, it really makes the whole deal more easy, the diffrence is like using coffee frother vs matcha whisk when making matcha, both can do the job but the japanese equipment is more handy and designed to acomodate that task better than anything else.

[olivierco]

You can achieve very good results for gyokuro without a houhin (but it is quite difficult to get good results for matcha without a chasen): this is the reason why you don't "need" a houhin.
If you like gyokuro, you will sure get one houhin set or more. By the way I own seven houhins and they don't have the same size (from 2 to 4oz).

[Oni]

If you drink gyokuro alone a small houhin is useful, I need to buy a smaller personalized gyokuro teaware, i will try maiko`s susurica teaware, it is economical to drink gyokuro this way, with large teaware it is very difficult to brew gyokuro, when I first brewed gyokuro it was hard to get right with huge 380 ml kyusu, after that I saw on youtube ogasawararyuu sencha school`s tea ceremony for loose leaf japanese teas, I decided that I need one of those little teaware, and when I got it, I bought hibiki`s super premium gyokuro, the same that I drank with the big kyusu, and it was a diffrent experience, so much easier and better.

[olivierco]

when I first brewed gyokuro it was hard to get right with huge 380 ml kyusu

Of course, but there isn't anything wrong brewing gyokuro in a small kyuusu.