Thread: Tea anyone ??!!

I love tea. I've never really gotten into loose leaf, I don't notice a big difference in taste and it's very inconvenient. I'm a big fan of twinnings Irish breakfast with some milk and sugar, but I've started getting into green tea and oolong tea too.

Originally Posted by PigHog

This is my first order from ippodo but I know that their teas are good so you're in safe hands.

Not sure I can recommend much as I don't know your tastes -- I would suggest having a good read of what's on ippodo and Types of Japanese Green Tea to get a better idea.

Sushi bars, at least Japanese ones, normally serve (sencha) konacha, which is the broken up leaf left over from processing the actual sencha. Ippodo sell gyokuro, sencha and bancha versions.

As for matcha, unless/until you're prepared to buy at the very least, a bamboo whisk, I'd stick to loose leaf teas as it really does need the right tools.

That said, I really enjoy matcha. It's more...intense, perhaps, than other teas; stronger and more bitter (though I don't notice that so much, myself) but a good matcha shouldn't be overpowering or undrinkably bitter. Some will be lighter, some creamier in flavour. I would pick a mid-range matcha from ippodo; perhaps one of the 'high quality' tins.

Matcha's not cheap -- I'm drinking the sayaka no mukashi at the moment but I don't think you need to spend all that on your first try. I would suggest either the kan no shiro or ikuyo no mukashi, perhaps...

Last night I went on Amazon and bought this. https://shop.ippodo-tea.co.jp/kyoto/...044&cid=matcha
I picked up a whisk too while I was there. I'm glad I did since you say that its important. It is expensive but I had Amazon points so it was almost free. When it comes to Japanese teas, I don't have a particular taste. I need a starting point. I guess this will be it. As I stated, I've had it at my fav sushi joint and enjoyed it, sencha I guess. So If I buy loose leaf, I'll try sencha. Green and black teas are my favorites. I like the sweet pea/vegetal flavor from many of my greens and I like the sweet potato/chocolate flavors from my black teas. I guess I'm trying matcha first.

Originally Posted by shriike

I love tea. I've never really gotten into loose leaf, I don't notice a big difference in taste and it's very inconvenient. I'm a big fan of twinnings Irish breakfast with some milk and sugar, but I've started getting into green tea and oolong tea too.

Oolongs will treat you right and are great for multiple infusions. Loose leaf is far superior IMHO. Usually the way it goes is most bag tea is of lesser grade or broken leaf teas which does not always equate to bad tasting. But most loose is better grade which also does not always equate to good tasting either. Oolongs can get expensive but are well worth it.Especially the Taiwanese Milk Oolongs which are heavenly. I'm currently drinking alot of Rishi brands Iron Goddess Oolong which has a wonderful and distinct flavour and aroma and requires very little if any sugar.

Woah, fair play. The best matcha they do. I hope you enjoy it!

Don't be to quick to judge if you don't, though -- good preparation takes time to master, so it might take to a few tries to get it right. Go and watch some videos on whisking technique so you don't waste that matcha!

What type of whisk did you buy? Ummon no mukashi can be made either as usucha or koicha but ideally they require different chasen because preparation is different. I would strongly suggest to start with usucha -- thin tea. Koicha is not to everyone's tastes!

Ask questions and I'll point you in the right direction.

Aside from that, sencha is the most common type of tea and you can't go far wrong with that based on what you say you like. Bear in mind that there can be quite a large difference between various types of sencha!

Originally Posted by PigHog

Woah, fair play. The best matcha they do. I hope you enjoy it!

Don't be to quick to judge if you don't, though -- good preparation takes time to master, so it might take to a few tries to get it right. Go and watch some videos on whisking technique so you don't waste that matcha!

What type of whisk did you buy? Ummon no mukashi can be made either as usucha or koicha but ideally they require different chasen because preparation is different. I would strongly suggest to start with usucha -- thin tea. Koicha is not to everyone's tastes!

Ask questions and I'll point you in the right direction.

Aside from that, sencha is the most common type of tea and you can't go far wrong with that based on what you say you like. Bear in mind that there can be quite a large difference between various types of sencha!

I hope so too. Like I said, it was nearly free so I won't be too disappointed if I hate it. I doubt that will be the case though. I do plan to watch some vids on preparation since I have no clue how to make it yet. As for the whisk.....I was worried about that. I really have no idea what I bought. It's a Japanese matcha whisk but there were many to choose from and the price ranges varied greatly. I didn't go too cheap or spend too much. But that doesn't mean too much but for that I tried to hedge my bets. I'll take you up on asking for advice and suggestions as time passes. I'm just stumbling through it.

Oh, must have glossed over the points bit. Awesome!

Ippodo's instructions are pretty good. They suggest 1 1/2 chashaku of powder, though personally, I'd use 2.

Chasen for usucha have more, thinner tines, suited to fast whisking, whereas for koicha, chasen have fewer but thicker tines for slow mixing. That's the only difference.

It's Keemun tea from my travel mug this morning. Nice change of pace.

A change of pace for me today, Rooibos tea this afternoon.

Same pace as always. Genmaicha:

Toucha today. These mini, ripe Pu ehr cakes are "rice scented". But the vendor explains, "the rice scent is not from common rice, but a special herbal plant called Pandan". As you can see, it brews a very deep red tea.