I'm mostly a coffee guy. I've been home roasting since I was a
teenager, using a closeable pan on the stove top. I like tea, but
certainly wouldn't call myself knowledgeable.

I've always admired the taste of japanese green tea.

I spent a little time in the archives looking for information about
toasted rice in green tea, to see if anyone had information about
doing it yourself. I found several references, including suggestions
to try grains other than rice. I had some winter wheat, so I tried
that. pretty nice.

the green tea I'm using is temple of heaven gunpowder. I know that
gunpowder has a bit of a bad reputation especially if overdone. I'm
learning to not do that... ; )

so for kicks today I did a roast where I got the wheat medium brown
and threw the gunpowder in and roasted it a bit more. I'll say it's a
learning experience more than a breakthrough. it tastes OK, but
nothing like green tea, and the wheat didn't get dark enough to have
much flavor.

the gunpowder leaves did quite a bit of uncurling.

s wrote:
> so for kicks today I did a roast where I got the wheat medium
> brown and threw the gunpowder in and roasted it a bit more.
> I'll say it's a learning experience more than a breakthrough.
> it tastes OK, but nothing like green tea, and the wheat didn't
> get dark enough to have much flavor.

Try it instead with some inexpensive Bancha. Gunpowder doesn't
have much of a Japanese flavor.

--crymad

On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 12:58:07 -0700, crymad >
wrote:

>
>
wrote:
>> so for kicks today I did a roast where I got the wheat medium
>> brown and threw the gunpowder in and roasted it a bit more.
>> I'll say it's a learning experience more than a breakthrough.
>> it tastes OK, but nothing like green tea, and the wheat didn't
>> get dark enough to have much flavor.
>
>Try it instead with some inexpensive Bancha. Gunpowder doesn't
>have much of a Japanese flavor.
>
>--crymad


neither does wheat.

I'm not trying to replicate a particular thing or tradition. I'm just
exploring flavors.

but point taken- bancha shouldn't overpower the toasted flavor as much
as the gunpowder does....