The first tea seeds planted in Japan, were originally acquired by Japanese monks visiting China during the 9th century, who brought them back as a gift for their Emperor. At that time in Japan, tea was solely enjoyed by monks, aristocrats and royalty, for the belief that it allowed one to experience a more pure and sage-like life; it soothed and reduced the distractions of the day.

Eventually, tea was consumed by everyone in society and grew in popularity so much that it was enjoyed with every meal and even used in cooking. Though tea originated in China, the Japanese developed their own methods for processing and drinking tea, including an elaborate ceremony for drinking the powdered tea called Matcha.  In tea growing regions, the plants are grown and harvested in the most efficient, space saving way possible. The Japanese process all of their teas by steaming the fresh leaves, which brings out the brilliant green color and perhaps imparts a more grassy flavor and aroma. During our most recent Japanese tea tasting, on an unusually sunny and warm Seattle day, we all relished in the teas an aroma of fresh cut grass on a hot summer day.

We tasted most of the 10 types of Japanese tea: ceremonial grade Matcha, Gyokuro Suimei, two types of Sencha, Kukicha, Genmaicha and Hojicha. Japan is the only country that grinds green tea into fine Matcha powder for use in a traditional tea ceremony. Matcha is made from Tencha, a shade grown tea (discussed later under Gyokuro). It is possible that they learned this style from the Chinese, but no records or current usage in China can verify this. The Japanese tea ceremony is not elaborate in appearance, though it can take several hours to perform. At our tasting we enjoyed whisked Matcha, served somewhat traditionally, from a bowl with cool water to preserve the fresh and delicate tea.

Gyokuro, one of the finest Japanese teas, is shade grown for the last 20-30 days before plucked. The shades, called Tana, block the sunlight from reaching the fresh sprouts which are hand plucked in early Spring. The result is a dark, almost pine green, needle-shaped leaf that is unusually sweet and milky. The brew is cloudy and chartreuse in hue, and there is no astringency at all. Gyokuro, though higher in caffeine than other Japanese teas, has a greater amount of theanine, the relaxing chemical found in tea leaves.

Sencha is the most widely consumed tea in Japan and comprises about 80% of the tea grown there. The Japanese have developed fine machinery that can mimic a hand pluck and gather 200-300 pounds of tea leaves per day (the average worker plucks 20-30 pounds per day). Due to the large quantities of Sencha produced, most is machine plucked and processed and quality varies widely from highly prized to low-grade everyday tea. The Senchas we tasted were grassy, slightly astringent and/or bitter, had hints of sweetness, and appeared cloudy and bright green.

Kukicha, produced in Spring, is also known as ‘twig tea’. It is made from Sencha leaves and twigs. Historically, ‘twig tea’ was consumed by tea farmers and made from the low grade remnants of the crop. Today many people like Kukicha because of its low caffeine content and slightly sweet taste.

Genmaicha may be the best known of Japanese teas because it is popular in sushi restaurants. Also called ‘toasted rice green tea’, it is comprised of fine needle-like tea leaves, popped and toasted brown rice, and occasionally Matcha powder. We steeped this tea several times and noticed the depths of flavor that arose with each brewing, including the strong brown rice flavor, subtle astringency from the Matcha, and an overall sweetness caused by the melding of these two flavors.

Hojicha is the most unusual of Japanese teas, with a brown and stick-like appearance. This roasted green tea has the aroma and flavor of chocolate, wheat, bamboo and earth. Because it is very low in caffeine, it is often served to children in Japan.
Drinking Japanese teas on a sunny spring day felt right, like we were cleansing our bodies and minds of winter dullness. The beauty of many teas can be seen through the country of origin and the culture created for their enjoyment; while drinking Japanese teas we told stories and discussed the history and culture of this nation of 3,000 islands. The refinement of Japanese culture steeped into our group as we tasted and enjoyed the simple, almost minimalist beverage that is tea.

People frequently ask how to correctly brew fine tea and the answers are numerous. For each type of tea there is likely a specific way to brew it, but not necessarily one proper way. My firm belief is that what tastes right to your individual palate is the best option, though it may take awhile to find that perfect taste, this article will help you better understand the classic way to brew your tea.

I will begin with the most delicate teas that require cooler water and no rinsing, followed by oolongs, black, pu’er and herbals.

Some White and Green teas are produced from the most delicate part of camellia sinensis (tea plant), the first buds and leaves of the plucking season. The tea is then either withered, steamed or pan-dried to stop the oxidation of the leaves, thus creating green tea. Because of the delicate nature of the tea leaves we Do Not use boiling water on white and green tea. This may be a make or break point in your decision of which tea to consume, since some people crave boiling hot water to sip their tea. If that is the case, you can either drink black tea or astringent green tea, since that taste is the outcome of singed leaves.
The ideal water temperature for white and green tea is between 160- 180 F, a way to practice this is 80% boiling water and 20% cool temperature.

White and green teas are not rinsed, the first steeping is usually the best, with the most complex flavor and satisfying taste. These teas will have 2-3 good steepings with subsequent brews stirring up just a light essence of tea flavor in the water. I recommend brewing the first cup with cooler water for just 50-60 seconds, the second cup can steep a bit longer (1 to 2 minutes) with the same temperature water and the third steeping can use the hottest water and steep until there is some color and flavor to the brew. Any steepings after this will not be fruitful, but perhaps enjoyable.
White teas are unique because these can steep for a long time, though I don’t often try this, some say these teas can steep for 15 minutes! Go ahead and try that on the second steeping and see what develops, likely there will be complex flavors that you didn’t notice before.

Oolongs, a world unto themselves, these complex, fragrant and overall beautiful teas range from 15-75% oxidation. Most familiar to many people are the tightly rolled oolong leaves that unfurl with each steeping and other oolong leaves are twisted. How to best enjoy an oolong may vary with the type, oxidation, country of origin and age of the tea. Use this guide as simply a rule of thumb and find what works best with your palate and tea.

You can use boiling water for oolongs, or perhaps a little bit under boiling. For rolled oolongs add one heaping teaspoon of the leaves in order to have several steepings. If you don’t have time and will not be enjoying all 5-7 steepings the tea has to offer then use less leaves.
Rinse the leaves! This first rinse is wonderful. Simply pour some boiling water over the leaves and immediately rinse it off. The rinse removes any tea dust and prepares the leaves for opening. It is said that the 2nd and 3rd steepings of oolongs are the most enjoyable, so don’t feel bad about discarding the first one.
The first steeping, similar to green tea, is short, about 1 minute or even less. The second steeping is a bit longer, and the 3rd, 4th and 5th are each longer than the one before. It is a pretty elementary process considering the complex flavor that arises in your cup. Often a fine oolong will have hints of sweetness, floral aromas and undertones of strong, smokey flavor.

Black teas. I am not so adept at steeping black teas, but somehow feel qualified to write about them since it is fairly simple. Use boiling water, steep for a minute or 2, depending on how strong you like your brew. If you plan to add cream, milk or a sweetener then steep the tea for a longer time so you can really taste the tea. Black teas provide 3-4 decent steepings, the first one is very strong and the rest are progressively milder.

Pu’er, a rich, earthy tea from China’s southern Yunnan Province, is sometimes considered the red wine of tea. This complex tea is either pressed into a cake while the leaves are green and then aged for several years, during which time the leaves oxidize and it transforms into a rich and almost hearty black tea. If not pressed into a cake the leaves are stored loose and may be oxidized before storage, though this is not always the case. Either way, this tea is a must try for any tea drinker, since it’s origins can be traced back thousands of years and is perhaps the first traded, highly prized tea. (I would love to know what it tasted like hundreds of years ago)
Pu’er’s should be enjoyed with boiling water. In cake form, one must break off a piece of the cake, roughly 2 inches by 2 inches, or enough to fit in a teaspoon. At Teahouse Kuan Yin, we use YiXing pottery to brew our Pu’ers, since the clay pot will absorb the wonderful flavor and aroma of the tea.

Rinsing is a must for Pu’ers, some people even rinse the tea twice (not recommended for loose-leaf). After the first rinse, the first steeping is short, about 30 seconds. If it is a “cooked” or black Pu’er then the brew will be amber in color, reminiscent of maple syrup. The tea will steep several more times, perhaps so many more that you find you are still enjoying a full flavored brew after 9 steepings and several hours of great accomplishments. Like red wine, this tea has given rise to great poetry, novels, paintings and any work that one attempts while sipping Pu’er. It’s robust aroma and flavor, which is described as earthy, and powerful effects is not necessarily due to a higher caffeine content, in fact, many teas loose the caffeine within the first 1-3 steepings. What causes the power of Pu’er is unknown, drinkers do not get jittery like they would from coffee, and the smoothness of the tea is translated into whatever one puts their mind to. Enjoy Pu’er and remove any excess water from the leaves between steepings. It is also said that this tea helps to lower cholesterol.
Herbals. Herbal teas do not have camellia sinensis, and therefore are caffeine free. Some are a combination of herbs, flowers and bushes, such as a rooibos-peppermint blend and can be steeped however you like. If you desire a hot brew, go ahead and use boiling water, if you want a strong taste, brew for several minutes, the flavor will only be enhanced. Unlike camelia sinensis, which becomes astringent and bitter from over-steeping, herbals only become stronger in flavor. Many herbals taste great with a touch of honey too!
If you still have questions or comments please feel free to comment below or send Steap an email at: info@steapseattle.com

by Adam Yusko

Avid tea drinkers and enthusiasts can find a plethora of  information on the Internet related to tea. There are countless tea forums, wiki sites and articles out there, many of which are rather international in their tea-coverage. If you’ve ever browsed or contributed to some of these forums, you may have seen a variety of foreign words being used.

So, starting with Japanese terminology, I’ve decided to make a list of words you might come across :

• Kyusu- a traditional Japanese teapot designed to brew green tea.
• Houhin- a smaller brewing vessel that often looks more like a cup with a spout then a teapot. They are typically used for Gyokuro.
• Gyokuro- a Japanese green tea that is shaded for a prolonged time before harvest to alter its taste.
• Shincha- first harvest Sencha, a typical Japanese green tea.
• Asamushi- a lightly steamed Sencha.
• Fukamushi- a heavily (deep) steamed Sencha.
• Matcha- a high grade green tea that is powdered.
• Chawan- A tea bowl typically used in the preparation and consumption of Matcha.
• Chasen- a traditional bamboo whisk used to make matcha.
• Guinomi & Yunomi- Japanese tea cups of various sizes.

These are some words to get you started on the path to understanding Japanese tea. Japanese is actually easier to pronounce then Chinese as the words are pronounced very close to how they are spelled, with none of the tone inflections from Chinese. So these words can be pronounced correctly or close to correctly by sounding them out.

Now you can talk about Japanese teas and their brewing while using proper terms with confidence.

Visit Adam’s blog, The Sip Tip, for more on his passion for tea!

The cultural ceremony of drinking Japanese Matcha green tea is these days optional. Historically, the finely powdered tea leaves would be to sift it through a fine strainer scoop 1/2 to 2 teaspoons into a tea bowl depending on taste add 1/4 to 1/3 cup hot water whisk the mix together with a brisk motion until a soft foam appears.

But these days most recipes a person will find online will simply add the powder to most any drink or food item of choice. Its natural flavor is earthy and ‘green’ as is its natural color. It can color your ice cream or smoothie so that taking in the health benefits of Matcha can be fun and creative.

Matcha is made from shade-grown tea leaves also used to make gyokuro, unlike other forms of powdered tea. Shade slows down growth, turning the leaves a darker shade of green and causes the production of amino acids that result in a sweeter tea. To go a grade further would be to use the soft and supple leaves from the very top.

After the harvest, the leaves are laid out flat for the drying process, still in the shade or even indoors. Once they begin to reach the crumble point, they are de-veined, de-stemmed, and stone ground to a powder. To look at what is now the Matcha powder, you would see that it is fine like talc and bright green.

Matcha has become a common ingredient in sweets. It can be

• mixed with milk and sugar as a drink
• added as a flavoring for cakes and pastries
• added to puddings and desserts
• the options are as limitless as your imagination.

Why Matcha? Because it is healthy, colorful, flavorful, and somewhat elite. Popular trends show that people prefer it when looking for something special, out of the ordinary, beyond the routine. It’s a conversation piece at the table. Matcha, more than other teas, truly does have a rich heritage and history.

http://matchagt.com/
http://www.smoothieessentials.com/
http://matchagt.blogspot.com/
http://smoothieessentials.blogspot.com/
http://matchagt.wordpress.com/

by William I. Lengeman III

The perfect cup of tea – it’s an elusive creature and one that may not even exist. But if you’re willing to settle for a nearly perfect cup of tea, you’d do well to keep these guidelines in mind.

Water Quality
The ancient Chinese scholar Lu Yu said water from mountain streams is best for tea, followed by river water and well water. For the modern tea drinker, with limited access to mountain streams, good quality tap water should suffice. A filtering device or bottled spring water can be used if your tap water is too hard or has an unpleasant odor or taste.

Water Temperature
Water temperature can make or break a cup of tea. As a general rule, black tea should be steeped in water at or just under the boiling point. Green and white tea varies according to the variety. More delicate green tea, such as the Japanese gyokuro variety, may require temperatures as low as 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit. Sturdier varieties can handle temps as high as 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Water temperatures for oolong tea typically fall somewhere between green/white and black tea.

Steeping Time
Oversteeping has undoubtedly been the ruin of many a potentially fine cup of tea. A good rule of thumb is to err on the side of understeeping. Black teas can generally handle 3-5 minutes of steeping. Green teas should rarely be steeped for longer than 3 minutes and in many cases may only need to be in the water for a minute. White and oolong teas, as a general rule, are best when steeped for anywhere between 3-7 minutes.

Type and Quality of Tea
Tea quality covers a lot of territory, so much so that it merits a discussion of its own. In general, however, it’s safe to say that the better the tea, the better the flavor of the finished product.

While most tea comes with brewing instructions, every tea drinker’s tastes are different. Consequently, it’s a good idea to follow the instructions for the first cup and adjust accordingly from there.

The process of making a great cup of tea might seem intimidating at first, but like so many other things in life all it takes to succeed is knowledge and some practice.

By William I. Lengeman III

For serious connoisseurs and students of green tea there are primarily two countries of origin worthy of mention. Though a few other countries produce quality green tea in modest amounts, their output pales next to that of the kings of green – China and Japan.

Green tea fans would do well to look into Japan’s tea production, since almost all of the tea grown there is of the green variety. One of the best loved and most expensive of Japan’s premium green teas – with the possible exception of the powdered variety known as matcha – is gyokuro. This green tea, which is similar in many ways to a much loved Japanese variety called sencha, derives its distinctive color, aroma and flavor from the fact that its leaves are protected from the sun for several weeks prior to harvesting.

According to one tea researcher, gyokuro is “the most highly regarded tea in Uji and throughout Japan, instill[ed] into its flavor [are] such balsamic subtleties that it more resembles a perfume; it is as if some marvelous alchemy has succeeded in liquefying the aromas of flowers – garden flowers, wild flowers – transferring the pleasure of smell to that of taste.”

Nearly all green teas will benefit from cooler steeping temperatures and shorter steeping times than their black and oolong counterparts, but gyokuro, perhaps more so than any other type of tea, is particularly sensitive to high temperatures.

If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the green tea maker’s curtain, check out this YouTube video, which looks at processing methods for gyokuro and matcha. Another gyokuro-related video takes a look at shinobi-cha, a method of brewing Gyokuro using ice cubes. This is a method that’s said to enhance the flavor of this delicate tea.

Este un gyokuro premium, nu foarte scump dar nici ieftin, dar care a castigat numeroase premii la competitiile de profil din Japonia. Producator este Marukyu Koyamaen, unul din cei mai buni producatori de ceai din Japonia.

Este un ceai reprezentativ pentru ceaiurile de umbra din regiunea Uji. Cu trei saptamani inainte de a se culege ceaiul, tufele de ceai se acopera in asa fel incat 85 % din razele soarelui nu mai ajung la ele. Astfel se creeaza coditiile pentru a se realiza un ceai cu un gust complex, cu un nivel redus de tanin, cu acel specific “gust de umbra”. Trebuie sa mai specific ca frunzele sunt culese manual, cu mare grija, ceea ce contribuie la cresterea calitatii acestui ceai.

Am folosit un ceainic japonez (kyuusu) Yugake, un ceainic mic special pentru gyokuro, de numai 150 ml.Una din traducerile numelui acestui gyokuro este: nori purpurii, dar shiun se poate traduce in mai multe feluri, are legatura cu buddhismul, este si numele unui cult buddhist. Se refera la norii purpurii dincolo de care se afla raiul, deci se poate spune ca este un ceai ceresc.

Frunzele arata foarte bine si au un miros puternic, de iarba, alge, o aroma marina.
Am folosit patru grame de ceai pentru aproximativ 100 ml apa. Eu folosesc aproximativ un gram de frunze pentru 30 ml apa, la 100 ml apa folosesc patru grame de ceai, dar producatorul recomanda 10 grame pentru aproximativ 100-120 ml apa

Dupa ce am preincalzit ceainicul si cestile am pus frunzele in ceainic si am asteptat cam un minut pentru ca frunzele sa se incalzeasca.

Prima innfuzie:Timpul de infuzare a fost de doua minute, iar apa a avut 55-60 C. Apa am incalzit-o mai intai la 95-98 C si am lasat-o sa se raceasca pana la temperatura la care am folosit-o.

Ceaiul are o culoare verde galbuie, nu este clar, este incarcat, seamana cu o supa. Aroma este puternica, marina, vegetala. Gustul este destul de puternic, marin, vegetal, are gustul specific de spanac.

Infuzia a doua:

Am crescut temperatura apei la 65 C, si am scazut timpul de infuzare la un minut.

Culoarea este parca si mai verzuie, aroma ramane destul de puternica. Gustul este in continuare puternic usor astringent.

Pentru a treia infuzie am folosit apa cu temperatura de 75 C si un timp de infuzie de un minut si jumatate:

Culoarea devine mai deschisa iar aroma mai slaba. Gustul capata si o nuanta dulce, gustul de alge si spanac nu mai este asa proeminent.

Asa arata frunzele dupa cele trei infuzii:

Este un ceai de calitate, cu o aroma puternica, un gust puternic, dar fara a fi brutal, elegant, complex, un ceai pentru iubitorii ceaiului japonez, unul dintre cele mai bune ceaiuri din clasa sa.

Gyokuro Rinpou este un Premium high grade Gyokuro, cel mai inalt grad pentru acest tip de ceai de la Tea Shop Horaido-Teramachi Shijo agaru Nakagyo-ku din Kyoto.

Rinpou este in traditia chineza echivalentul pasarii Phoenix din traditia occidentala, numele ei chinezesc fiind fenghuang. Ce este foarte interesant, ca la chinezi fenghuangul este o pereche, feng este masculul iar huang este femela, cumva avand legatura cu principiile yin si yang. De aceea poate desi este perche fenghuangul, rinpoul este tratat ca un intreg.

Am folosit pentru prepararea acestui ceai un set pentru ceai verde chinezesc (Sencha-Ki) din ceramica lucrat in stilul Hagi-Yaki.

Acesta este format dintr-un ceainic tip hoihin, un yuzamashi (racitor de apa) si sase cescute din care am folosit doar trei.

Trandafirul este tot din gradina mea.

Pentru prima infuzie am folsit urmatorii pasi:

Am pus apa fierbinte in hoihin si am asteptat trei minute si jumatate.

Dupa care am pus capacul, am turnat in yuzamashi si am asteptat un minut.

Apoi am umplut cele trei cesti si am mai asteptat un minut.

In continuare ridic capacul hoihinului si pun ceaiul.

Dupa care torn apa din cesti in hoihin cu grija sa nu torn direct peste frunze ci in jurul lor.

Am pus 8 grame de ceai pentru un volum aproximativ de 100 ml apa.

Astept doua minute si prima infuzie e gata. Foarte important: ceainicul nu se misca in timpul infuziei, pentru a nu” deranja” frunzele.

Ceaiul are o culoare placuta galben verzuie data de culoarea cestilor, in mod normal este mai verde.

Aroma este fina si puternica in acelasi timp, iar gustul este puternic, tare, amar, plin, cu nuante marine foarte slabe si aproape deloc astrigent.

Trebuie sa mentionez ca apa a avut la inceput temperatura de aproximativ 95 C si in momentul infuzarii aproximativ 50 C.

Pentru a doua infuzie am pus apa fiarta intai in cesti am turnat apoi in yuzamashi si apoi in hoihin. Astfel apa a avut in momentul infuzarii aproximativ 60 C.

Timpul de infuzie a fost de un minut.

E bine ca dupa ce turnam ceaiul in cesti sa nu lasam ceainicul acoperit, deoarece aburii condenseaza si apa care ajunge peste frunze strica viitoarea infuzie.

Ceaiul este in continuare la fel de tare, de aromat, gustul este la fel de puternic. Devine insa ceva mai astrigent.

La a treia infuzie am folosit aceeiasi pasi ca la a doua, in asa fel incat apa sa ajunga la 70 C, iar timpul de infuzie a fost de un minut si jumatate.

Uimitor, ceaiul este la fel de puternic, de plin, parca nu a pierdut nimic din aroma si gust. Acum insa este si mai astrigent.

Asa arata frunzele dupa cele trei infuzii:

Este un ceai deosebit de o calitate intr-adevar premium cu un echilibru perfect intre gust, aroma si culoare.

Un ceai puternic, , un ceai pentru iubitorii ceaiului verde japonez,un ceai pentru momente deosebite. Este un GYOKURO!

Following on from Bethan’s latest post on her trip to meet our Gyokuro producer, here’s a video of the tea fields, production of the tea and what makes Gyokuro so unique, not only among Japanese teas, but among all teas.

The first tea seeds planted in Japan were originally acquired by Japanese monks visiting China during the 9th century, who brought them back as a gift for their Emperor. At that time in Japan, tea was solely enjoyed by monks, aristocrats and royalty, for the belief that it allowed one to experience a more pure and sage-like life; it soothed and reduced the distractions of the day.

Eventually, tea was consumed by everyone in society and grew in popularity so much that it was enjoyed with every meal and even used in cooking. Though tea originated in China, the Japanese developed their own methods for processing and drinking tea, including an elaborate ceremony for drinking the powdered tea called Matcha. In tea growing regions, the plants are grown and harvested in the most efficient, space saving way possible. The Japanese process all of their teas by steaming the fresh leaves, which brings out the brilliant green color and perhaps imparts a more grassy flavor and aroma. During our most recent Japanese tea tasting, on an unusually sunny and warm Seattle day, we all relished in the teas an aroma of fresh cut grass on a hot summer day. We tasted most of the 10 types of Japanese tea: ceremonial grade Matcha, Gyokuro Suimei, two types of Sencha, Kukicha, Genmaicha and Hojicha. Japan is the only country that grinds green tea into fine Matcha powder for use in a traditional tea ceremony. Matcha is made from Tencha, a shade grown tea (discussed later under Gyokuro). It is possible that they learned this style from the Chinese, but no records or current usage in China can verify this. The Japanese tea ceremony is not elaborate in appearance, though it can take several hours to perform. At our tasting we enjoyed whisked Matcha, served somewhat traditionally, from a bowl with cool water to preserve the fresh and delicate tea.

Gyokuro, one of the finest Japanese teas, is shade grown for the last 20-30 days before plucked. The shades, called Tana, block the sunlight from reaching the fresh sprouts which are hand plucked in early Spring. The result is a dark, almost pine green, needle-shaped leaf that is unusually sweet and milky. The brew is cloudy and chartreuse in hue, and there is no astringency at all. Gyokuro, though higher in caffeine than other Japanese teas, has a greater amount of theanine, the relaxing chemical found in tea leaves.

Sencha is the most widely consumed tea in Japan and comprises about 80% of the tea grown there. The Japanese have developed fine machinery that can mimic a hand pluck and gather 200-300 pounds of tea leaves per day (the average worker plucks 20-30 pounds per day). Due to the large quantities of Sencha produced, most is machine plucked and processed and quality varies widely from highly prized to low-grade everyday tea. The Senchas we tasted were grassy, slightly astringent and/or bitter, had hints of sweetness, and appeared cloudy and bright green.

Kukicha, produced in Spring, is also known as ‘twig tea’. It is made from Sencha leaves and twigs. Historically, ‘twig tea’ was consumed by tea farmers and made from the low grade remnants of the crop. Today many people like Kukicha because of its low caffeine content and slightly sweet taste.

Genmaicha may be the best known of Japanese teas because it is popular in sushi restaurants. Also called ‘toasted rice green tea’, it is comprised of fine needle-like tea leaves, popped and toasted brown rice, and occasionally Matcha powder. We steeped this tea several times and noticed the depths of flavor that arose with each brewing, including the strong brown rice flavor, subtle astringency from the Matcha, and an overall sweetness caused by the melding of these two flavors.

Hojicha is the most unusual of Japanese teas, with a brown and stick-like appearance. This roasted green tea has the aroma and flavor of chocolate, wheat, bamboo and earth. Because it is very low in caffeine, it is often served to children in Japan.
Drinking Japanese teas on a sunny spring day felt right, like we were cleansing our bodies and minds of winter dullness. The beauty of many teas can be seen through the country of origin and the culture created for their enjoyment; while drinking Japanese teas we told stories and discussed the history and culture of this nation of 3,000 islands. The refinement of Japanese culture steeped into our group as we tasted and enjoyed the simple, almost minimalist beverage that is tea.

These fine teas can be found at www.TeaHouseKuanYin.com/japan-green-teas.html

This is a video about Yame Gyokuro – a fine quality Japanese green tea from the Yame tea-growing region. There is all kinds of other information about other teas in this video as well.

This morning, I opened the metallic pouch of my favorite premium green tea, First Lady from Tafu-New York, only to find that there were just enough leaves for one pot. I have been brewing this tea sparingly, as it is probably my favorite green tea! While gently using my teaspoon to scoop the delicate leaves, I am experiencing mixed emotions as I know I will have to savor each sip (until I order my next batch).

according to Tafu New York, First Lady (Gyokuro) is:

A refined form of green tea which is considered to be one of the highest quality teas in Japan. This tea is low in catechin and achieves a smooth yet sweet balance of flavors that strikes an elegant harmony.

The deep green dry leaves offer an earthy yet slightly sweet aroma. After brewing for three minutes, the leaves have transformed into a brighter shade of green and the aroma is still that of a delicate earthiness. 

First sip: the soothing, smooth green tea is gentle to the palette. My taste buds first encounter a subtle sweetness that transforms into a smokey green flavor. A few sips later a flavor memory comes to mind, and I recall tasting tea in an authentic Japanese tea ceremony. This incredibly clean tea truly captures the elegance of a subtle sweetness and slight grassy flavor of refined green teas. Although I prefer this tea without any additives, I am sure a drop of agave nectar would compliment it quite nicely.

In addition to being a refined green tea, First Lady is also classified as Gyokuro, which translates to “Jade Dew” or “Pearl Dew.” A few weeks before an early harvest of the sweet buds, the bush is shaded under a cover usually made of straw. In fact, Gyokuro is a type of sencha, although it calls for lower temperature than sencha when brewing.

Overall, an absolutely lovely cup of green tea. First Lady tea truly lives up to its name.

Tea first came to Japan from China in the late 9th century. After the first seeds were brought to Japan by a priest, tea quickly became the drink of religious classes as well as wealthy and cultured people. Tea became an important element of passing time while socializing and enjoying arts or music. Later, over a few centuries the modern tea ceremony was adopted and developed. Today Japanese green tea it a national drink available to everyone. Below is a list of most common teas produced in Japan.

Matcha

“Rubbed tea” – Powdered tea, with a vivid green color and very grassy flavour. Generally it’s made of Gyokuro tea which is stone ground into fine powder. Matcha is the characteristic tea used in the Japanese Tea Ceremony, it is also used in preparation of food, desserts and drinks. Since we consume the powdered tea leaves while drinking matcha, we consume more of it’s nutrients then by drinking just the infusion from the leaves, but it also has higher caffeine levels. You can easily tell the quality of matcha by it’s color – the more vivid and green the better quality of the tea.

Sencha

“Broiled tea” – Most common, everyday tea in Japan. This tea has almost a needle-shaped appearance and a dark green color. Sencha is first steam-pressed, then hot-air dried and lastly pan fired. It makes up about 3/4 of overall green tea production in Japan. The first flush of sencha is called Shincha meaning “new tea”. It’s hand-picked on the 43rd day of spring, thus is rare and enjoyed for only a brief period each year. Another variety of Sencha is Matcha-iri Sencha which is a mix of Matcha and Sencha.

Genmaicha

“Brown Rice tea” – Sometimes also called ‘popcorn tea’ is a blend of sencha and roasted brown rice (you can also find rice grains that have popped, which resemble popcorn). It gives a very aromatic and delicate light yellow color liquer. Originally it was a tea of the poor Japanese and the rice served as a filler for tea leaves, so the tea would be cheaper, but today it’s a widely popular tea. You might also come across Matcha-iri Genmaicha which is a blend of Genmaicha and Matcha and has both a stronger color and flavor then regular Genmaicha.

Gyokuro

“Jade Dew” – This is a shaded tea, which means that the tea plants are covered from the sun for a few weeks before harvest. This gives the final product a vivid and intense green color. Gyokuro is the highest grade of Japanese tea. It contains highest amounts of minerals and vitamins after Matcha.

Kabusecha

“Covered tea” – Similar to Gyokuro, but is only semi-shaded as it’s grown in about 45% shade and for a shorter period of time – 20 days before harvest. Has a more delicate flavor and is sweeter then Sencha.

Fukamushicha

“Deep Steamed tea” – Popular sencha, that undergoes a two or three times longer steaming process, which gives its leaves coarser shape and a less bitter taste. The infusion can be slightly misty. Sometimes called Hukamushi, but can be also marked as ‘Extra steamed Sencha’. This tea is rather unknown outside Japan.

Tamaryokucha

Hojicha

“Roasted tea” – Consists of pan-fired or oven roasted Bancha or Sencha tea leaves, has a strong flavor and has little caffeine. Due to the low caffeine content it’s often served to hospital patients and children. This tea holds very little bitterness.

Kukicha

“Stalk tea” – Tea composed of tea plant stalks and twigs left from the production of Gyokuro and Sencha. The infusion is fresh and light. This tea is very similar to Hojicha, but it’s not roasted.

Bancha

Ångade smaker och aromer…

Det är fantastiskt att te kan smaka hav, men det är precis vad Japans mest typiska teer gör. Närmast att jämföra med är nog nori; det torkade japanska sjögräset som ofta används i japansk matlagning. Karaktären kommer i huvudsak från den unika japanska metoden att ånga de gröna teerna efter skörden, till skillnad från kinesiska som rostas. Förutom att ångningen gör att teet inte oxiderar och förblir grönt så tar det fram dessa havstoner. Metoden gör dessutom att de japanska teerna mest av alla gröna teerna gör skäl för sitt namn. Ångan lyfter fram det gröna i teerna så att tebladen skimrar i en mörk klorofyllgrön färg.

I Japan produceras så gott som bara grönt te, även om det nu mera även finns en liten produktion av svart te och oolong. Och till skillnad från det extremt mångfasetterade Kina är den japanska tevärlden ganska lätt att sätta sig in i, de olika typerna är pedagogiskt uppdelade, villket gör det lätt att hitta sin favoritkategori. Sedan de första teplantorna importerades från Kina har Japan utvecklat teproduktionen till en mycket tydlig stil. När det gäller smakerna skulle man generaliserande kunna säga att japanska gröna teer är eleganta, förfinade. De har en lite renare karaktär än de mustiga, naturliga kinesiska teerna. Det gäller främst de finare vardagsteerna som Sencha och de exklusiva varianterna Gyokuro, Kabusecha och Matcha.

För den som letar efter raffinerade teer är det en godispåse. Gyokuro är kanske det mest exklusiva teet su kan dricka och de finaste exemplaren av Sencha ligger inte lågt efter. Högsta kvaliteterna av de här sorterna får du räkna med att betala en rejäl peng för – produktionen är relativt liten, arbetsinsatsen kostnadskrävande (arbetskraften är dyr i Japan jämfört med andra tenationer) och japanerna själva vet att värdera höh kvalitet. Men oftast är det värt sitt pris, se bara till att teet är färskt. Landet är mest känt för sina exklusiva teer men du kan också göra billigare fynd. Hojicha till exempel är ett te av ganska låg kvalitet som rostas och resultatet är förvånansvärt delikat, gott till mat. Kukicha är ett annat tips, ett slags restprodukt där man tar hand om stjälkarna och producerar ett välsmakande te.

Ångade japanska teer är utan tvekan som gjorda för all tänkbar japansk mat, självklart sushi, sashimi men också kraftigare rätter som tempura. De passar dessutom utmärkt till och även i fisk- och skaldjursrätter. Trots sin rena, eleganta stil tränger de igenom även lite mustigare smaker. De är också goda till sötsaker, särskilt traditionellt japanskt böngodis men också till söta, gräddiga desserter.

En buddistisk präst vid namn Eisai sägs ha varit en av de första som lyckades ta med sig tefrön från Kina till Japan på 1100-talet och därmed startade landets teodlingshistoria. Till att börja med var tedrickandet inget för vanligt folk, snarare för överklassen, och till viss del användes teet som naturmedicin. Inte förren den första temästaren Sen Rikyu utecklade teceremonin på 1500-talet började tedrickandet sprida sig från överklassen och gradvis ner till de lägre klasserna i det strikta klassamhället. I nära symbios med den extrema kulturen kring teceremonin har även det mer vardagliga teet och tedrickandet under hundratals år utvecklats till något som skiljersig från övriga världen. När Yokohamas hamn öppnades 1859 var det startskottet för teet som handelsvara och nu började det produceras i en mer organiserad, komersiell skala. Produktionen ökade snabbt till 24 miljoner kilo vid 1900-talets början.

Idag är det gröna teet en naturlig, integrerad del i samhället – från den enklaste gratis-Banchan på en billig restaurang till den avancerade rituella teceremonin. I hemmet och på kontoret står alltid en kopp grönt te nära tillhands, Bancha eller Sencha till vardags och får man gäster kan det hända att Gyokuron åker fram. Standardtesetet består av en tekanna, en vattenkylare och tekoppar. Tehus finns överallt, från uråldriga, traditionella tehus i Kyoto till kaféets motsvarighet där man dricker olika sorters teer med japanska tilltugg som böngodis eller Matchakaka, till de ultramorderna tebarerna i Tokyo. Gå på en restaurang och du får genast en kopp grönt te, för det mesta utan extra kostnad. I snabbköpen eller i de otaliga dryckesautomaterna hittar du dessutom mängder av teer på burk och flaska. De är kanske inte av hög kvalitet men förvånandsvärt välsmakande och otroligt svalkande en het Tokyodag. De finns mängder av typer: Sencha, Matcha, oolong, jasmin, och ofta kan du få dem både kalla och varma. 

Köp ekologiska japanska gröna teer på www.sencha.se

Matcha är den mest exklusiva och mytomspunna tesorten. Teet betår av ett mycket finmalet pulver som vispas till en skummande dryck som man dricker utan att tebladen silas bort. Skummet är lysande avokadogrönt, medan själva drycken är mer mörkgrön. Generellt är de bästa kvaliteterna ljusa och söta medan de mörkare är aningen mer bittra. Smaken är algig, vegetabilisk och kan för den ovane upplevas som aningen fadd. Eftersom att man även dricker själva tebladen får man i sig högre doser av vitaminer, mineraler, polyfenoler och koffein. Teet härstammar från den kinesiska föregångaren som på 1400-talet spred sig via buddistiska munkar till Japan. Medan kineserna malde pulvret från hårda tekakor har Japan utvecklat produktionsprocessen och Matcha utvins i dagfrån Tancha, ett fint grönt ångat te, liknade Gyokuro. Det förekommer inte längre något pulverte i Kina utan endast i Japan, där Matcha sedan hundratals år varit den självklara mittpunkten i den Japanska teceremonin Cha-no-yu. Tencha odlas ungefär som Gyokuro, det vill säga tebuskarna täcks med tyg och växer i skugga de sista veckorna före skörd för att förhöja klorofyllmängden och smakerna. Till skilnad från vanliga japanska teer torkas det efter ångningen, i stället för att rullas. Under den här processen tas även alla stjälkar och fibrer bort för att pulvret ska bli så fint som möjligt. Sedan mals det i en kvar, oftast av sten, till ett mycket fint pulver. Vanligast både i ceremoniella sammanhang och på dagens japanska tehus är att servera Matcha med någon form av sötsaker, godis, bakverk eller olika sorters desserter. Det söta går bra ihop med den algiga, torra Matchasmaken. Matcha är också ett oerhört användbart te att använda i matlagning, det går att smaksätta nästan vad som helst: fruktbavarois, tiramisu, muffins, scones, glass, sås, dressing, tofu, gnocchi, nudelsallad, paj, omelett, soppa, fiskpanering och mycket mer. Eftersom Matcha är sammankopplat med den japanska teceremonin är det omgärdat av många etikettsregler. Exempelvis sägs det att om man dricker Matcha sittande med rak rygg, fördubblas upplevelsen.

Att brygga Matcha skiljer sig något från andra bryggmetoder eftersom det handlar om att vispa ut pulvret till en jämn soppliknade bryggd och inte sila bort teet. I traditionell japansk teceremoni är bryggningen noggrant uttänkt och genomförs med speciella redskap, men räds inte, särskilt komplicerat behöver det inte vara att trolla fram en god skål Matcha. Det är ingentligen inte svårare än något annat te. Du behöver en bred skål för att få rum för vispandet. En vanlig visp, gärna i lite mindre storlek. En tesked för att måtta upp teet och en sil för att sikta tepulvret. Sikta 1 tesked Matchapulver i teskålen så att alla klumpar försvinner. Häll omkrink 0,6 dl 60 gradigt vatten över teet. Vispa rejält tills ett fint skum framträder på ytan. Servera teet omgående och njut.

Köp ekologisk Matcha på www.sencha.se

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Green Tea Review Description:

• Tea name: Gyokuro Imperial
  
• Distributor: Teavana
• Harvest: N/A
• Origin: N/A
• Packaging: Store-Bought (regular tea bagging)
• Net Weight: 2oz (56 grams) minimum
• Distributor Description: “The finest of Japanese teas, Gyokuro bushes are covered for several weeks before harvest with bamboo or straw shades to increase the chlorophyll content of the leaves. The results of this transformation are the renowned dark green leaves with high concentrations of Antioxidants, vitamins and amino acids. Celebrated for its emerald green infusion and sweet aftertaste.“

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I have not tried any other teas from Teavana, but I am definitely a Gyokuro fan after tasting Den’s Teas Gyokuro Suimei 2008 Shincha. This is tea from their location in the Valley Fair Mall in San Jose, CA. Since I was in the area and they had the Gyokuro Imperial in stock (which is their best Japanese green tea), I decided to check it out. Here is how my experience turned out:

Aroma

• This particular gyokuro’s aroma is strong. Right when you pop the bag open you get a very strong veggie aroma.

Appearance (Leaves)

• The leaves are very slender and pointy. It possesses a dark tint as you would find with most gyokuros. Appears to be high quality.

Taste

• This gyokuro turned out to be extremely astringent when using proper brewing parameters for temperature, tea amount, and water amount.
• The tea has a very green body, that isnt necessarily rich, but more in between light and rich.
• The roll off is very harsh using the parameters below.
• Too astringent for my taste. I like gyokuros with smooth roll offs, instead this left my tongue feeling too dry for my pleasure.
• The astringent feeling remains on your tongue for a while.
• Some bitterness was tasted.

Brewing Parameters Used

First Attempt

• Water amount: 4 oz
• 1st infusion: 120 second steep, 146F water temperature. Generated a moderate veggie flavor that is apparent to the tongue. However, at roll off, it was too astringent for me. It was extremely harsh and I didn’t like the tea at all.
• 2nd infusion: 60 second steep, 135F water temperature. Generated a taste that was even more astringent than before. This is weird because the tea was actually brewed at a lower temperature than before! This means I must have steeped it too long for my taste. Either way, the body was a little bit richer than before, with a more apparent veggie taste, but the astringency at roll-off was much harsher than before. Was not a pleasant experience.
• 3rd infusion: 150 second steep, 135F water temperature. Generated a taste similar of that of the first infusion. Astringency even at 135F was too harsh for me.

Second Attempt

• Water amount: 4 oz
• 1st infusion: 120 second steep, 145F water temperature. Same as the first attempt. Very astringent and not a pleasant drinking experience under my standards.
• 2nd infusion: 60 second steep, 125F water temperature. This generated a taste that was more pleasant, but the temperature is much too low to provide a great tea experience. The astringency went away with this temperature.
• 3rd infusion: did not attempt

Conclusion

This is a gyokuro that really puzzled me. I had high expectations when I first came upon it but I found that it was very astringent for my taste. I like mildly astringent teas and sweet-ending teas so this is maybe why it was unpleasant for me (however, it states in their site that this is a tea with a sweet taste, which I did not find). When brewing any green tea, astringency generally reduces as the temperature is lowered. It didn’t happen in this case until under 130F (take note that gyokuro usually brews well between 140F-160F).

Either the tea is old, been poorly stored, or just poor quality because it was generally bitter tasting. It had that body, but along with the green taste was some bitterness. Teas generally taste bitter when improperly brewed, especially when using water of too high a temperature. Obviously I did not use “too high” of a temperature in brewing this tea. In fact I stayed between 120-150, which is at worst, too low of a temperature to brew this tea at.

Again, this is from the store. If anyone goes there, they can ask for a possible taste test to compare with me. I may order another one at a later time from their online web-site to see if I can give it another chance.

Overall, I must say I was displeased with this experience. I have not tried Teavana’s other teas, but this particular tea was not as pleasing as I thought it’d be. I will give Teavana another chance with possibly other teas or other locations, but for the Gyokuro Imperial being their “best” green tea, I was not impressed.

I should have asked about when the leaves were harvested, how long it’s been exposed to the light and air (they have big canisters that they show customers frequently and do not put away promptly). I also should have asked about where it was harvested, but it’s too late for that.

My conclusion: TASTE IT YOURSELF, BUT I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT if you have my sort of taste.

Klassiskt hantverk från Japan.

Gyokuro är den mest eleganta, exklusiva och sofistikerade tesorten i Japan. Tebuskarna täcks med tyg cirka 20 dagar före skörd så att de får växa sin sista tid i skugga. Det gör att fotosyntesen minskar och de tar energi ur jorden istället för solen och därmed ökar mängden klorofyll, smakämnen och koffeinhalten i bladen och skapar den typiska mörkgröna färgen. Gyokuro tillverkas endast av årets första skörd på våren i mitten av april och är en stor höjdpunkt i Japan och bland tefantaster världen över.

Karaktären på japanska teer skiljer sig från övriga världens gröna teer. Det kommer sig i huvudsak av den unika japanska metoden att ånga tebladen efter skörden, till skillnad från kinesiska som rostas. Ångan lyfter fram det gröna i teerna så att tebladen skimrar i en mörk klorofyllgrön färg. Teerna har friska toner och påminner om hav och nori, det japanska sjögräset som används till bland annat sushi.

Mer information om te

Köp te på nätet www.sencha.se

So the refrigerator the gyokuro was sitting in was fine until food started flooding it. It’s not good to keep teas near other goods that have strong aromas so I had to remove it. After letting it get into room temperature, I opened the gyokuro package and put it into an air-tight canister. Now remember, this was supposed to be saved for my girlfriend, but because it is not refrigerated anymore, forcing me to open it and store it, I’m going to give it a test before it goes into a shaded/cool area in my room. I will only test one cup and do the rest when I am with her for this review. If any dramatic changes are made in the future, I will post it (in term of flavor, etc.).

Green Tea Review Description:

• Tea name: Gyokuro Suimei
• Distributor: Den’s Tea
• Harvest: First Harvest ( Shincha leaves 2008 )
• Origin: Asahina, Shizouka
• Packaging: Nitrogen-Gas filled package
• Net Weight: 2oz (56 grams)
• Distributor Description: “Gyokuro Suimei is our highest quality tea. Den’s Gyokuro Suimei is made from only the youngest top part of tea leaves picked by hand and carefully processed into an ultra fine needle. Its super natural sweetness promotes a mellow state of mind.”

I will report back once I have conducted the review. I will take note of approximate temperatures and my subjective feelings regarding the taste. Stick around!

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My Tea of the Day ( 07/20/2008 )

Sencha (Maruyama)

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For the ones who are also starting their respective green tea experiences, one may not be clear with all the Japanese terms. For this reason alone, I have created a dedicated page for the commonly used tea terms (different tea types and terms you may come across during a Japanese tea ceremony).

I also want to share two videos that I found on O-Cha a few days ago. It deals with the processing of green tea in general (in Uji plants), as well as how Gyokuro and Matcha are processed. You can find these videos on YouTube or by visiting my Green Tea – Terms page.

Here is a video of actual Japanese green tea processing plants created by O-Cha

Uji Green Tea Processing

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Here is a video of the Gyokuro and Matcha growing and harvesting processes. Here you will notice why quality gyokuro and matcha is a laborious process, as well as why the tea itself is expensive.

Matcha and Gyokuro Tea Processing

Amo il rito del tè.

E ora ho scoperto di apprezzare, infinitamente, il tè giapponese. Ogni volta che ricevo posta da Kyoto, scopro un nuovo inestimabile tesoro…

Provate a gustare le delicate bevande di Hibiki-an, nella deliziosa versione estiva: il significato del loro nome è toccare il cuore di qualcuno.

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La prima tazza rinfresca le labbra e la gola,
la seconda eleva lo spirito dalla tristezza,
la terza scende nelle tue viscere e ti fa capire la limitatezza della tua memoria,
la quarta ti fa intravedere la luce e fa evaporare attraverso i pori della pelle tutte le difficoltà della vita,
la quinta rilassa i muscoli e scioglie la pesantezza delle ossa,
la sesta ti eleva dal dolore e ti avvicina agli immortali,
la settima…
Non posso berne più…
Una leggera brezza spira dalla mia pelle…

- Lu Tong -

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