This tea was sent to me by Azzrian. I have been waiting to try it when i would have time to use my gong fu set and do multiple steeps. Hopefully in the next day or two i will get to all the samples at last!
I wish I had seen the additional steeping instructions before I made this. I have only made one other sencha that I remember and the steeping parameters n this tea are very different from the Chinese greens I drink, with the exception of Chun Mee.
The dry tea is lovely. There are thin, straight leaves and little balls of color. Cherry blossom buds?
I am amazed when something says to steep it for such a short time but at thirty seconds this has a rich yellow hue. I immediately resteeped as they suggested with boiling water for fifteen seconds.
Hubby said the first cup was the best to him and the second too astringent. I did a third steep at fifteen seconds but with cooler water, and it still turned a pretty deep yellow and had a good bit of sour bite and astringency. After swallowing, a sweet taste rises from the back of the throat. Even now, several minutes after I have finished my tea, the sweetness lingers. Teas that do that fascinate me.
I am going to save these leaves and steep again tomorrow morning. I bet there are still two or three good steeps in here. Thank you, Azzrian! I enjoyed trying this one!
Comments
I only use boiling water for Senchas if I do multiple steeps, and on the last steep I’ll do it squueze the last bit of flavor from the leaves.
I only use boiling water for Senchas if I do multiple steeps, and on the last steep I’ll do it squueze the last bit of flavor from the leaves.
Thanks, Scott! I will try lower temp this morning until it gets near the end!
Actually my first couple steeps are between 160-170.