I recently purchased some teas from Upton and decided to try some of
their Japanese greens. I have very limited experience with Japanese
greens, never brewed it myself, and was wondering what is the normal
leaf size of them? I've always been happy with Upton's teas, but the
Sencha and Gyokuro seriously look like what would come from a tea bag;
fannings with a few larger leaves. I'm not sure if this is normal, but
I can definitely say I can't recreate the taste of any Sencha I've
drank before. It may just be the way I'm steeping, but I'm using water
around 150F and 2 minute steep. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

"Josh Efaw" > wrote in message
m...
> I recently purchased some teas from Upton and decided to try some of
> their Japanese greens. I have very limited experience with Japanese
> greens, never brewed it myself, and was wondering what is the normal
> leaf size of them? I've always been happy with Upton's teas, but the
> Sencha and Gyokuro seriously look like what would come from a tea bag;
> fannings with a few larger leaves. I'm not sure if this is normal, but
> I can definitely say I can't recreate the taste of any Sencha I've
> drank before. It may just be the way I'm steeping, but I'm using water
> around 150F and 2 minute steep. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

Is that what Upton recommends? All of the products I've received from them
have infusion guides and I suggest that you stick to the temp and play with
the time. For example, my new sample of Japanese Cherry Bancha says 180F for
2-3/4 to 3 minutes but I had to drop it down to 1-1/2 min. to eliminate an
unpleasant over/undertone.


--
~~Bluesea~~who has Sencha on the order next list
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

"Josh Efaw" > wrote in message
m...
> I recently purchased some teas from Upton and decided to try some of
> their Japanese greens. I have very limited experience with Japanese
> greens, never brewed it myself, and was wondering what is the normal
> leaf size of them? I've always been happy with Upton's teas, but the
> Sencha and Gyokuro seriously look like what would come from a tea bag;
> fannings with a few larger leaves. I'm not sure if this is normal, but
> I can definitely say I can't recreate the taste of any Sencha I've
> drank before. It may just be the way I'm steeping, but I'm using water
> around 150F and 2 minute steep. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

Is that what Upton recommends? All of the products I've received from them
have infusion guides and I suggest that you stick to the temp and play with
the time. For example, my new sample of Japanese Cherry Bancha says 180F for
2-3/4 to 3 minutes but I had to drop it down to 1-1/2 min. to eliminate an
unpleasant over/undertone.


--
~~Bluesea~~who has Sencha on the order next list
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

> For example, my new sample of Japanese Cherry Bancha says 180F for
>2-3/4 to 3 minutes but I had to drop it down to 1-1/2 min. to eliminate an
>unpleasant over/undertone.

Yes, I have some sencha from ocha.com, and they also recommend temps in the
170-180 range. However, I have usually found these teas more pleasant in the
140-155 range. The higher temps do tend to bring out brisk, wilder notes. Who
knows, perhaps Japanese themselves prefer them this way.

Printed directions for these teas usually ask for less leaf than I like, too.

Joe

> For example, my new sample of Japanese Cherry Bancha says 180F for
>2-3/4 to 3 minutes but I had to drop it down to 1-1/2 min. to eliminate an
>unpleasant over/undertone.

Yes, I have some sencha from ocha.com, and they also recommend temps in the
170-180 range. However, I have usually found these teas more pleasant in the
140-155 range. The higher temps do tend to bring out brisk, wilder notes. Who
knows, perhaps Japanese themselves prefer them this way.

Printed directions for these teas usually ask for less leaf than I like, too.

Joe

"Joseph Kubera" > wrote in message
...
> > For example, my new sample of Japanese Cherry Bancha says 180F for
> >2-3/4 to 3 minutes but I had to drop it down to 1-1/2 min. to eliminate
an
> >unpleasant over/undertone.
>
> Yes, I have some sencha from ocha.com, and they also recommend temps in
the
> 170-180 range. However, I have usually found these teas more pleasant in
the
> 140-155 range. The higher temps do tend to bring out brisk, wilder notes.
Who
> knows, perhaps Japanese themselves prefer them this way.

That's possible. For us, though, tea is very YMMV. I went looking around and
found "Most Chinese greens will steep best at 170 to 180 degrees, and
Japanese teas, often being more delicate, are better at 160 degrees or
lower" at
http://www.planet-tea.com/article1.html.

Guess I'll do more experimenting.

>
> Printed directions for these teas usually ask for less leaf than I like,
too.

Does lower temp equate to more leaves because the flavor isn't drawn out as
quickly or something like that?

--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

The only senchas and gyokuros I've ever had were from Upton, and I thought
they were awful. Maybe I just don't like Japanese greens, or maybe Upton's
are bad, I don't know. But like I posted before I felt like I was drinking
the mulch that comes out from under my lawn mower. Gyukuro is supposed to
be Japan's best tea (other than Matcha) but it tasted like the sencha yamato
which tasted like the sencha which tasted like bermuda.




"Josh Efaw" > wrote in message
m...
> I recently purchased some teas from Upton and decided to try some of
> their Japanese greens. I have very limited experience with Japanese
> greens, never brewed it myself, and was wondering what is the normal
> leaf size of them? I've always been happy with Upton's teas, but the
> Sencha and Gyokuro seriously look like what would come from a tea bag;
> fannings with a few larger leaves. I'm not sure if this is normal, but
> I can definitely say I can't recreate the taste of any Sencha I've
> drank before. It may just be the way I'm steeping, but I'm using water
> around 150F and 2 minute steep. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

"Josh Efaw" > wrote in message
m...
>I recently purchased some teas from Upton and decided to try some of
> their Japanese greens. I have very limited experience with Japanese
> greens, never brewed it myself, and was wondering what is the normal
> leaf size of them? I've always been happy with Upton's teas, but the
> Sencha and Gyokuro seriously look like what would come from a tea bag;
> fannings with a few larger leaves. I'm not sure if this is normal, but
> I can definitely say I can't recreate the taste of any Sencha I've
> drank before. It may just be the way I'm steeping, but I'm using water
> around 150F and 2 minute steep. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

Which Sencha was it? I like their Sencha Kamakura, though I haven't had it
in a while. I think you temp is good. For the Kamakura, I prefer two tsp.
of leaves per cup and 45 seconds to one minute steep. For the most part it
seems like I like lower grade sencha's at 1tsp. per cup and around two
minutes, and better sencha's with two tsp. per cup and 45 seconds to one
minute steeps. I should admit that I've never had any of the really
expensive sencha's. Upton's Sencha Kamakura, Pete's Sencha and Den's Teas
Sencha Honyama are as pricey as I've gotten.

Blues

"Josh Efaw" > wrote in message
m...
>I recently purchased some teas from Upton and decided to try some of
> their Japanese greens. I have very limited experience with Japanese
> greens, never brewed it myself, and was wondering what is the normal
> leaf size of them? I've always been happy with Upton's teas, but the
> Sencha and Gyokuro seriously look like what would come from a tea bag;
> fannings with a few larger leaves. I'm not sure if this is normal, but
> I can definitely say I can't recreate the taste of any Sencha I've
> drank before. It may just be the way I'm steeping, but I'm using water
> around 150F and 2 minute steep. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

Which Sencha was it? I like their Sencha Kamakura, though I haven't had it
in a while. I think you temp is good. For the Kamakura, I prefer two tsp.
of leaves per cup and 45 seconds to one minute steep. For the most part it
seems like I like lower grade sencha's at 1tsp. per cup and around two
minutes, and better sencha's with two tsp. per cup and 45 seconds to one
minute steeps. I should admit that I've never had any of the really
expensive sencha's. Upton's Sencha Kamakura, Pete's Sencha and Den's Teas
Sencha Honyama are as pricey as I've gotten.

Blues

One thing: I've found that gyokuro steeps best at around 120 deg F,
which is far below what Upton's suggests (at least last time I
looked). Granted, it wasn't an Upton's gyokuro I was drinking, but
I'm sure the same applies.

Ian
--
http://www.bookstacks.org/
http://www.sundry.ws/

"Falky foo" > wrote:

> The only senchas and gyokuros I've ever had were from Upton, and I thought
> they were awful. Maybe I just don't like Japanese greens, or maybe Upton's
> are bad, I don't know. But like I posted before I felt like I was drinking
> the mulch that comes out from under my lawn mower.

I've had Senchas from a few places including Upton, and my guess is either
that you don't like Japanese greens, or you steeped them too hot and/or
too long. I don't know of any style of tea that has such a dramatic difference
in taste if improperly steeped.


--
Randy
(if replying by e-mail, remove SPAMFREE and DeLeTe from my address)

Ok well I have a little left of each. I'll steep 'em cool and short and
give 'em another shot, since I've heard so much about them.


"RJP" > wrote in message
news:4KEsd.516454$D%.433726@attbi_s51...
> "Falky foo" > wrote:
>
> > The only senchas and gyokuros I've ever had were from Upton, and I
thought
> > they were awful. Maybe I just don't like Japanese greens, or maybe
Upton's
> > are bad, I don't know. But like I posted before I felt like I was
drinking
> > the mulch that comes out from under my lawn mower.
>
> I've had Senchas from a few places including Upton, and my guess is either
> that you don't like Japanese greens, or you steeped them too hot and/or
> too long. I don't know of any style of tea that has such a dramatic
difference
> in taste if improperly steeped.
>
>
> --
> Randy
> (if replying by e-mail, remove SPAMFREE and DeLeTe from my address)
>
>

Ok well I have a little left of each. I'll steep 'em cool and short and
give 'em another shot, since I've heard so much about them.


"RJP" > wrote in message
news:4KEsd.516454$D%.433726@attbi_s51...
> "Falky foo" > wrote:
>
> > The only senchas and gyokuros I've ever had were from Upton, and I
thought
> > they were awful. Maybe I just don't like Japanese greens, or maybe
Upton's
> > are bad, I don't know. But like I posted before I felt like I was
drinking
> > the mulch that comes out from under my lawn mower.
>
> I've had Senchas from a few places including Upton, and my guess is either
> that you don't like Japanese greens, or you steeped them too hot and/or
> too long. I don't know of any style of tea that has such a dramatic
difference
> in taste if improperly steeped.
>
>
> --
> Randy
> (if replying by e-mail, remove SPAMFREE and DeLeTe from my address)
>
>

120?
For haw long?

>Subject: Upton's Sencha and Gyokuro
>From: Ian Rastall
>Date: 12/5/2004 2:13 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>One thing: I've found that gyokuro steeps best at around 120 deg F,
>which is far below what Upton's suggests (at least last time I
>looked). Granted, it wasn't an Upton's gyokuro I was drinking, but
>I'm sure the same applies.
>
>Ian
>--
>http://www.bookstacks.org/
>http://www.sundry.ws/
>
>
>
>
>
>


--Tom
-oo-
""\o~
------------------------------------
"Homo sum, humani nil a me alienum puto."
Terrance

Falky foo wrote:
> Ok well I have a little left of each. I'll steep 'em cool and short and
> give 'em another shot, since I've heard so much about them.

Do that ^-^
But please keep in mind that japanese greens will change their flavor
very rapidly after opening. So if your Sencha is older than, say, 2
months, it might be better to get a new pack.

As for infusion, I'd sugest something around 2 minutes with 60-70
centigrade. To cool, and your tea will taste flat, to hot and it will
get bitter. For the following infusions, I usually give 30 seconds each.

But if you don't like the grassy taste, then japanese greens maybe are
just not your thing ^-^

ciao
Patrick


--
"But please remember: this is only a work of Fiction.
The truth, as always, will be far stranger"

Arthur C. Clarke, 2001 - A Space Odyssey

Patrick Heinze wrote:

> As for infusion, I'd sugest something around 2 minutes with 60-70
> centigrade. To cool, and your tea will taste flat, to hot and it will
> get bitter. For the following infusions, I usually give 30 seconds each.

This, of course, is only good for sencha. Also you want to experiment a
little, since your sencha and your likings might differ a lot from my
sencha and likings, respectively.

ciao
Patrick

--
"But please remember: this is only a work of Fiction.
The truth, as always, will be far stranger"

Arthur C. Clarke, 2001 - A Space Odyssey

Patrick Heinze wrote:

> As for infusion, I'd sugest something around 2 minutes with 60-70
> centigrade. To cool, and your tea will taste flat, to hot and it will
> get bitter. For the following infusions, I usually give 30 seconds each.

This, of course, is only good for sencha. Also you want to experiment a
little, since your sencha and your likings might differ a lot from my
sencha and likings, respectively.

ciao
Patrick

--
"But please remember: this is only a work of Fiction.
The truth, as always, will be far stranger"

Arthur C. Clarke, 2001 - A Space Odyssey

On 06 Dec 2004 00:50:30 GMT, Tom wrote:

> 120?
> For haw long?

I don't know, man, a couple of minutes. Bear gave me this advice. His take
on Japanese greens is that the more delicate they are, the lower the temp
needed. He suggested at least 120, or lower.

I tried it with this Yame gyokuro he sent me, and it was fantastic. Of
course, it was never very hot, but there was no bitterness, not really any
grassiness either. It tasted like apricots.

Ian
--
http://www.sundry.ws/
http://www.bookstacks.org/

Thanks for the suggestions. After playing around with temps and times I
did find that the sencha could tolerate higher temp, but the gyokuro
was noticeably better at lower temp. I increased the leaf amount due to
suggestions here and I got it just right, for me at least. It's
strange, with first flush darjeelings sometimes I find myself steeping
upwards of 4 minutes, which I still enjoy quite a bit. With these
Japanese greens, though, to get the true texture and taste it takes
some attention. Luckily, even making a below average cup is a fun and
you learn from it.

Well I did give it a shot, and you're right, the taste improved. They're
kind of like gunpowder, in that steeping too much of it or for too long a
time ruins the otherwise decent taste with too much of that taste. There's
sort of a sharp cliff past which the taste just becomes too much of itself,
you know?

I still like the whole-leaf teas though. Any whole-leaf Japanese teas?



"Patrick Heinze" > wrote in message
...
> Falky foo wrote:
> > Ok well I have a little left of each. I'll steep 'em cool and short and
> > give 'em another shot, since I've heard so much about them.
>
> Do that ^-^
> But please keep in mind that japanese greens will change their flavor
> very rapidly after opening. So if your Sencha is older than, say, 2
> months, it might be better to get a new pack.
>
> As for infusion, I'd sugest something around 2 minutes with 60-70
> centigrade. To cool, and your tea will taste flat, to hot and it will
> get bitter. For the following infusions, I usually give 30 seconds each.
>
> But if you don't like the grassy taste, then japanese greens maybe are
> just not your thing ^-^
>
> ciao
> Patrick
>
>
> --
> "But please remember: this is only a work of Fiction.
> The truth, as always, will be far stranger"
>
> Arthur C. Clarke, 2001 - A Space Odyssey

Well I did give it a shot, and you're right, the taste improved. They're
kind of like gunpowder, in that steeping too much of it or for too long a
time ruins the otherwise decent taste with too much of that taste. There's
sort of a sharp cliff past which the taste just becomes too much of itself,
you know?

I still like the whole-leaf teas though. Any whole-leaf Japanese teas?



"Patrick Heinze" > wrote in message
...
> Falky foo wrote:
> > Ok well I have a little left of each. I'll steep 'em cool and short and
> > give 'em another shot, since I've heard so much about them.
>
> Do that ^-^
> But please keep in mind that japanese greens will change their flavor
> very rapidly after opening. So if your Sencha is older than, say, 2
> months, it might be better to get a new pack.
>
> As for infusion, I'd sugest something around 2 minutes with 60-70
> centigrade. To cool, and your tea will taste flat, to hot and it will
> get bitter. For the following infusions, I usually give 30 seconds each.
>
> But if you don't like the grassy taste, then japanese greens maybe are
> just not your thing ^-^
>
> ciao
> Patrick
>
>
> --
> "But please remember: this is only a work of Fiction.
> The truth, as always, will be far stranger"
>
> Arthur C. Clarke, 2001 - A Space Odyssey