Yame gyokuro 2020 from o cha

Vendor notes:

Growing Region
Yame
Year
2020
Harvest
First and/or Shincha
Breed
Yabukita
Shading
Full Shade (Gyokuro / Matcha)
Steaming
Light
Color
Green
Aroma
Medium
Taste
Sweet
Astringency
Mild
Clarity
Clear

Review:

After a several days of awful winter storm water, decided to test a local spring water with a budget gyokuro from o cha: yame gyokuro.

Brewed like this: 5.5 g/ 65 mL in carbonized reduction mumyoi

13 min room temp
150s 50 C
180s 50 C
150s 70C
150s 75C
150s 80C
150s 90C
Ate the leaves with rice, avocado and bagel spices and a bit of yuzu sauce

Early steeps tasted of smooth dark chocolate. As I increased temperature, there was more fresh grassiness and sweetness. Best infusions were #3 and 4. Leaves had a nice nutty flavor.

Ultimately, I preferred brewing in this way,

40 mL with 5.5 g

90s 40C

60s 45C

90s 50C

120s 55c

120s 65c

120s 75c

60s 90c

Eat leaves

The umami in the first infusion is exceptionally rich resembling fine sesame oil and bone broth. Higher temperature infusions carry dark chocolate notes.

Comments

Glenburn king single estate first flush 2019 from vahdam

Leaves are small and bud like. There are many broken leaves as well and leaves with holes indicating insect bite. This could explain some of the Muscatel. 1.8 teaspoon 350 mL water 90 C water Steep 1: 4 min Steep 2: 8 min Steep 3: indefinite time Light, flowery, herbal Some muscatel in nose Muscatel, herb, flowery hops, light wood notes in taste Lingering herbal, fresh hop and cooling mint I am told mint is often a sign of Assamica tea but these are supposed to be chinary.

Longfengxia High Mountain Spring Oolong Tea, Day 5, Lot 948, 2020 taiwan tea craft

From vendor: PICKING DATE May 2020 OXYDATION LEVEL Low BAKING LEVEL None TERROIR Shanlinxi ADMINISTRATIVE REGION Nantou County PICKING STYLE Hand Picked CULTIVAR(S) USED Qing Xin GARDEN ELEVATION 1750 m Review: Dry lead is intensely flowery with prominent yellow stems Brewed 5 to 7 grams/100 mL boiling water in kobiwako. Lower leaf is okay due to intensity of flavor but higher leaf has stronger sweetness in later steeps. For 5 g: Rinse / 55 s / 45 s / 55 s / 1:10 / 1:30 /2:30 Brewed leaves have strong pastry and tropical fruit Steeps 1-2: Taste of green mango, citrus, and baked pineapple pastry. Clean minerality and medium to thick mouthfeel. There is strong perfume of oily flowers, mainly rose and some lavender. At higher leaf to water (7 g per 100 mL) there is some slight green astringency. Steep 3-5: fruit notes are much more mild but still present and long lasting. Much more buttery. There is slight green brandy like astringency. At higher leaf to water ratio, frui...

2020 Competition Grade Jin Jun Mei Black Tea from Yunnan Sourcing

From vendor: Late March Harvest Tong Mu Guan Village (Fujian) Review: Strong yeast and honey suckle aroma from dry leaf. Lots of orange yellow powder from the small, tight buds. A small holed filter is necessary. Brew parameter: 4 g / 100 mL 90 C in porcelain Rinse / 10s / 10s / 15s / 35s / 1 min / 2 min / 5 min Strong honey and milk chocolate notes. Smooth and thick with stone fruit (peach) aromas and sweet yam flavors. Some vegetal notes develop in later steepings. Early steepings are quick and strong but drops off after 3rd steeping. Strangely, a pu-erh like wet pile funk is faintly present. This is not particularly pleasant. Western brewing is also acceptable at 1 g /100 mL for 3:30. However, the chocolate notes are much more mild when brewed in this way.

Tea

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