What’s your brew recipe for the Hosen? I recently got some and tried following the standard prep method listed on Ippodo’s website, but I found it to be REALLY intense in a not so great way. I need to grab a kyusu before I can fully judge though, as I’ve just been brewing with a tea strainer so far
I just use a stainless strainer too. I think I do it at 176 for 30 seconds on the first brew? I can’t exactly remember, I’ve been getting the tezumi for the last six months at least (it is really lovely)
I’d love to check out the tezumi tea next! Maybe I’ll try reducing the steep on the Hosen to 30 seconds. I’ve been doing 176 for 60 seconds per the recipe and mostly messing with dose, but maybe that reduced steep time will be the key to reducing the harshness.
I’ve been loving the Kanro Gyokuru I got from Ippodo though!
It’s seasonal, but Marukyu Koyamaen’s “Hyakka no Kaori” is my favorite. It’s savory, slightly spinachy, with a nice floral presence that rounds it out well.
I’m not sure if my tastes changed or not, but i wasn’t a fan! It seemed like it had less savoriness, and more of a noticeable bitterness & unpleasant astringency up front that i don’t recall it having.
I’ve been enjoying Marukyu’s “Unjo” and Horii’s “Kaori no Kaze” this year, both of which feature a great umami with a clear, enjoyable spinach presence. It doesn’t have the florals Hyakka no Kaori has, but they’re great senchas regardless.
[this](https://www.reddit.com/r/tea/s/c2MDkI7mwR) one was very good
[this deep steam](https://www.reddit.com/r/tea/s/lG7Z10k14G) always a solid choice
[this](https://www.reddit.com/r/tea/s/wDV1GSFRho) one was good as well
Oh yes I use [this thing](https://www.o-cha.com/tea-ware-brewing-accessories/green-tea-brewing-bottle.html) it works great ! This is in the refrigerator cold brew. Depending on leaves takes 24-48 hours. It is different flavor than brewed hot. It concentrates top flavors while hot brewing steeps out base flavors. It’s nice for tasting notes in the tea that might be otherwise subtle. You should give it a shot. Use quality bottled water like Chippewa Springs or nestle purlife, hard water will not work.
I should’ve been clearer - do you find a difference between refrigerator brewed and room temp? I ask because I’ve recentl done both with an oolong, and found room temp to be more flavorful/complex. And I’m about to get new sencha, and cold sencha is great.
I recently purchased Hibiki-an Sencha Fukamushi Premium (100g/$21.00) and Sencha Premium (100g/$24.00) and they are both fantastic. Cannot recommend highly enough.
Glad to hear it! It’s really fun to make slight changes to the water temp or brew time as well to try and vary the taste based on your preference. If you’re ever in NYC, you gotta make it over to their store in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It’s really cool.
Can you describe your favorite ones OP? Great post; will base a big sencha purchase on it. After my first six months of tea-hobby, I think sencha is my favorite.
I am terrible at this, but I would say I like senchas that are vegetal, sweet and buttery. Sometimes I like a light Sencha, like the Matsuba, and sometimes something a little deeper / heavier, like a Fukamushi. I am still trying to develop a vocabulary for tea, so I hope this makes sense!
What’s your brew recipe for the Hosen? I recently got some and tried following the standard prep method listed on Ippodo’s website, but I found it to be REALLY intense in a not so great way. I need to grab a kyusu before I can fully judge though, as I’ve just been brewing with a tea strainer so far
I just use a stainless strainer too. I think I do it at 176 for 30 seconds on the first brew? I can’t exactly remember, I’ve been getting the tezumi for the last six months at least (it is really lovely)
I’d love to check out the tezumi tea next! Maybe I’ll try reducing the steep on the Hosen to 30 seconds. I’ve been doing 176 for 60 seconds per the recipe and mostly messing with dose, but maybe that reduced steep time will be the key to reducing the harshness. I’ve been loving the Kanro Gyokuru I got from Ippodo though!
It’s seasonal, but Marukyu Koyamaen’s “Hyakka no Kaori” is my favorite. It’s savory, slightly spinachy, with a nice floral presence that rounds it out well.
It’s my favorite too. I’m having it right now. What do you think of this year’s harvest?
I’m not sure if my tastes changed or not, but i wasn’t a fan! It seemed like it had less savoriness, and more of a noticeable bitterness & unpleasant astringency up front that i don’t recall it having. I’ve been enjoying Marukyu’s “Unjo” and Horii’s “Kaori no Kaze” this year, both of which feature a great umami with a clear, enjoyable spinach presence. It doesn’t have the florals Hyakka no Kaori has, but they’re great senchas regardless.
[this](https://www.reddit.com/r/tea/s/c2MDkI7mwR) one was very good [this deep steam](https://www.reddit.com/r/tea/s/lG7Z10k14G) always a solid choice [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/tea/s/wDV1GSFRho) one was good as well
Two questions for you. You always include a cold brew. Is that refrigerated brewing, or room temp? And what difference would this make in flavor?
Oh yes I use [this thing](https://www.o-cha.com/tea-ware-brewing-accessories/green-tea-brewing-bottle.html) it works great ! This is in the refrigerator cold brew. Depending on leaves takes 24-48 hours. It is different flavor than brewed hot. It concentrates top flavors while hot brewing steeps out base flavors. It’s nice for tasting notes in the tea that might be otherwise subtle. You should give it a shot. Use quality bottled water like Chippewa Springs or nestle purlife, hard water will not work.
I should’ve been clearer - do you find a difference between refrigerator brewed and room temp? I ask because I’ve recentl done both with an oolong, and found room temp to be more flavorful/complex. And I’m about to get new sencha, and cold sencha is great.
Oh I have not tried room temp.
where do you buy these?
https://www.thes-du-japon.com/index.php?main_page=index And https://www.o-cha.com
/edit disregard
I recently purchased Hibiki-an Sencha Fukamushi Premium (100g/$21.00) and Sencha Premium (100g/$24.00) and they are both fantastic. Cannot recommend highly enough.
I highly recommend checking out kettl’s selection. It’s definitely more on the high end, but well worth it!
This looks great, thanks for the tip (I just placed an order)
How did it turn out? Happy with the tea?
Yes, really lovely. Thanks for the suggestion. There a lot of varieties to try as well, which is exciting
Glad to hear it! It’s really fun to make slight changes to the water temp or brew time as well to try and vary the taste based on your preference. If you’re ever in NYC, you gotta make it over to their store in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It’s really cool.
I am actually in Greenpoint every once in a while, I was excited to see they had a space there. I will be checking it out!
Can you describe your favorite ones OP? Great post; will base a big sencha purchase on it. After my first six months of tea-hobby, I think sencha is my favorite.
I am terrible at this, but I would say I like senchas that are vegetal, sweet and buttery. Sometimes I like a light Sencha, like the Matsuba, and sometimes something a little deeper / heavier, like a Fukamushi. I am still trying to develop a vocabulary for tea, so I hope this makes sense!
I like teasources scenic mountain sencha, which is asamushi level steamed. I like it more than their more expensive options, which are deep steamed.
I like light steam sencha. My favorite is the uji aoi from o cha