Good every day green teas

[bambooforest]

Hey gang...

I have discovered a really good every day green tea. Bancha from Den's. Though it's bancha... I still think it is 2nd flush.

In fact... I like the bancha from Den's more than I like their fukamushi-sencha special which is a first flush fukamushi-cha.

I brew it, 4 grams to 8 ounces at around 180-190F at 1.5 minutes.

Surprisingly good and very satisfying.

[Odinsfury]

I haven't tried the bancha from Den's yet, but I really liked their genmaicha and fuka-midori from the sampler.

[silvermage2000]

Genmaicha seems like a good everyday green though I have not tried it yet.

[Victoria]

I would really like to find a good and MILD and NON-ASTRINGENT, everyday, easy to brew green that is non-vegetal. Does that even exist? Den's says this is "somewhat more astringent" than sencha which is already too astringent for me. Before I read that statement, you had me.

[bambooforest]

Victoria:

I actually don't find it astringent. I also don't use boiling water as they suggest.

It's hard to gauge the flavor of tea, however.

Moreover, I was always under the impression that the earlier flushes were more astringent.

[Victoria]

Well it's definitely that way with Darjeeling. Funny, but I love astringency in DJ, by the way. It's all about the FF. Most second flushes are too smooth too plain for me.

Perhaps I'll try this one then when I re-order my matcha, thanks.

[teashionista]

I would really like to find a good and MILD and NON-ASTRINGENT, everyday, easy to brew green that is non-vegetal. Does that even exist?

Victoria, what you're looking for is a Chinese green Two famous teas that come to mind: Long Jing (even the first of the season) has no astringency, more toasty than vegetal, and is mild. Bi Lo Chun is not as toasty, but still non-astringent and mild. Lower grades of both are easy to brew... I like Japanese greens when I'm in the mood for them, but on a daily basis Chinese greens do it for me

[Beidao]

There is astringent Bancha but there also very non-astringent, easy-to-brew Bancha. So they do exist though I sadly can't point you toward any from American tea sellers.

[silverneedles]

im with sencha, or matcha (not the standard method of infusion tho).
i really like to see that green happy color as opposed to the yellow of chinese greens...
cool water 60C or less usually helps with keeping astringency/tannin low

[bambooforest]

i really like to see that green happy color as opposed to the yellow of chinese greens...

Haha... Yes, this is indeed one of the marvelous aspects of tea that hails from Japan: its color can be exceedingly green and vibrant.

Even the yellowish tending Japanese greens still have a greenish vividness to them, somehow.

[olivierco]

Kaboku sencha is a great everyday sencha at about 1$ a day (perhaps less if you use less leaves than I do).

[Victoria]

I would really like to find a good and MILD and NON-ASTRINGENT, everyday, easy to brew green that is non-vegetal. Does that even exist?

Victoria, what you're looking for is a Chinese green Two famous teas that come to mind: Long Jing (even the first of the season) has no astringency, more toasty than vegetal, and is mild. Bi Lo Chun is not as toasty, but still non-astringent and mild. Lower grades of both are easy to brew... I like Japanese greens when I'm in the mood for them, but on a daily basis Chinese greens do it for me

Yes, I agree, I do have a couple of Chinese ones that are very good. I'm just looking to round out - so to speak - my tea drinking experience to include Japanese greens. I have found them quite challenging and I'm seeking a victory even if it means leaving the world of sencha.

[joelbct]

I would really like to find a good and MILD and NON-ASTRINGENT, everyday, easy to brew green that is non-vegetal.

Funny, your criteria for a good green are about the exact opposite of mine :p to each his/her own of course!

For those who like the bright green, intense vegetal taste of Japanese Green Tea: I always suggest Megami and Chiran from Ito En, which are my everyday staples... Kawane is good too.

Enjoying some Megami right now actually, yum...

[Victoria]

Thanks Joel, I'll be sure to stay away from those, ha!

Nice pic!