Backlog from a few days ago.
I’m generally a green tea person, but I’m still figuring out what green teas I like, and why. This is the first bancha I’ve tried (unless I’ve had it before and it wasn’t labeled as such), but I didn’t like it that much.
It tasted musty and smoky, like some senchas and mao fengs I’ve had in the past. Generally, smokiness/mustiness is a flavour I try to avoid in greens. Perhaps my sample got contaminated by other strong-smelling teas? Perhaps I just messed up the steeping?
What do others think of bancha teas?
People who liked this
Comments
I’ve only tried one. It was from Harney & Sons and it was very grassy.
Hmmm… It was a sample with RiverTea instead of a full-sized package, so I guess the contamination/smell hypothesis still holds true. One of the other samples I had from them was Granny Cake, which is a very fragrant tea.
I love bancha, but it’s an acquired taste. To me the dried leaves smell like oil paint. I know, that sounds repulsive, but somehow I love it. Did you do a short steep in cooler water? 2-3 minutes tops at about 73F is what I usually do.
73C
That might explain it. I used 80C water.
I’ve only tried one. It was from Harney & Sons and it was very grassy.
Hmmm… It was a sample with RiverTea instead of a full-sized package, so I guess the contamination/smell hypothesis still holds true. One of the other samples I had from them was Granny Cake, which is a very fragrant tea.
I love bancha, but it’s an acquired taste. To me the dried leaves smell like oil paint. I know, that sounds repulsive, but somehow I love it. Did you do a short steep in cooler water? 2-3 minutes tops at about 73F is what I usually do.
73C
That might explain it. I used 80C water.