You are right. "Freshness" is a good description for the difference between
No. 1 and No. 2. No. 1 tastes and smell similar to freshly mown lawn. I love
that!

I will try the Miyakono Silver and the Kirinoka Red. The packing of the
Keiko teas looks quite lavish and there is a wooden peg in each box to close
the bag. Maybe Miyakono/Kirinoka offer better quality at the same price as
their packing is more simple. I just wonder if they contain as much caffeine
as the Keiko teas because this Kabuse treatment is said to beguile the
plants to produce more caffeine. Possibly they are also Kabuse treated and
Keiko just calls the teas Kabuse for marketing reasons.

I made both teas exactly as the instructions inside the box said (with
stopwatch, thermometer, evian table water). For No. 1 I used Water at
140-150 F and for No. 2 at 150-160 F.

I use a 1 litre hemispherical glaspot with a metal lid to make the tea.
Inside is a very voluminous, hemispherical metal strainer (I'd say 0.7
litre) with a handle to easily remove it.

I've read the best way to make tea is in small 0.2 litre ceramic pots, so my
1 litre glaspot is probably not the ideal equipment. I use this large pot
because I just don't have enough time and nerves in the morning to fill up a
small pot again and again until I have enough tea. I would also have to cook
new water several times.

For 1 litre I use about 16 grams of tealeaves and remove the strainer after
1 minute. After all the tea dripped from the strainer into the pot I dip the
strainer again into the pot, immediately remove it and let all the tea drip
out of it. I dip it in 3 or 4 times so that all the fine particles get
washed out and the tea becomes very thick with a lot of sediment. I then
drink the tea out of a huge latte cup which holds nearly all the tea.




"Ripon" > schrieb im Newsbeitrag
m...
> "Tobi Test" > wrote in message
>...
> > Hello,
> >
> > a few weeks ago I ordered a couple of "Keiko Kabuse No. 1 First Flush"
> > (http://www.gourmondo.de/pimgs/500/1000286201.1.jpg) and some "Keiko
Kabuse
> > No. 2 Second Flush"
(http://www.gourmondo.de/pimgs/500/1000286301.1.jpg).
> > They were both really good while the No. 1 was a bit more fruity and
less
> > bitter.
> >
> > Can you tell me how they compare to "Miyakono Silver First Flush"
> > (http://www.gourmondo.de/pimgs/500/1000288001.1.jpg) and "Kirinoka Red
> > Second Flush" (http://www.gourmondo.de/pimgs/500/1000288301.1.jpg)?
> >
> > The two First Flush are each about 15 EUR/100 grams and the Second Flush
> > cost about 10 EUR/100 grams. All are Sencha.
> >
> >
> > Thanks a lot!
>
> Dear Tobi:
>
> From your pictures, I remember I drank those Japanese green teas.
> Keiko Kabuse #1, Keiko Kabuse #2, Keiko Kabuse #3 Miyakono Silver
> First Flush and Kirinoka Red Second Flush are all Sencha green teas.
>
> I spend some time as an exchange student in Japan and my host family
> was real tea lovers. I had verities of Japanese tea their. Shencha or
> Shincha has many qualities tea and it is very difficult to remember
> all their name. Without expert tasting knowledge it is very difficult
> to compare good qualities many different Shenchas.
>
> Off course their are some differences between different Shenchas. I
> will try to give an brief about five different Shenchas you mentioned.
> Before that Lets try to understand the name of Keiko Kabuse:-
>
> Kabuse is the name of the net. They shaded the tea leaves with this
> net which allow half of the sun rays.This shade makes tea leaves more
> distinct, fresh and aromatic flavor. This teas mainly grown south of
> Japan in the region of Kagoshima.
>
> -Keiko Kabuse #1: Harvest during April-May. Considered as the best of
> this batch. Taste is more fresh, aromatic and a light, delicate
> green cup.
>
> -Keiko Kabuse #2: Harvest during June. Still very aromatic but not as
> fresh compare to #1. You said more fruity, my guess is your prepared
> #1 properly compare to the #2. This both teas are very similar taste
> except the fresh aroma.
>
> -Keiko Kabuse #3: This one is much more different then the #1 and #2.
> This one is less aromatic but has more tangy aroma compare to #1 and
> #2.
>
> To me this three Keiko Kabuse are good teas.
>
> Now your main question, how is the Miyakono Silver first flush and
> Kirinoka Red second flush.
>
> -Miyakono Silver first flush: This is consider one of the top class of
> Sencha and very pricy off course. This quality Shencha grows in
> Miyakonojo of Kyushu island. This is very aromatic but aroma is very
> balanced and complex. Smoothness and freshness made this tea one of
> the best Shencha.
>
> -Kirinoka Red second flush: This tea is from the same area from
> Miyakonojo of Kyusho island. This one is considered as medium quality
> compare to Miyakono Silver. I will say- still it is a good tea mildly
> aromatic, quiet fresh aroma. This tea is affordable and compare to
> Miyakono silver- this is a cheap tea.
>
> Japanese different Shencha teas are very delicate. You have to be very
> careful when you steep them. Shencha teas can be steep from 1-3
> minutes with 145-150 F water temperature.
>
> Hope I have answered your question. Thanks.
>
> Ripon
> Vienna,VA