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Early Start
Shincha
is the first tea produced in Japan during spring, representing the
first month's harvest of Sencha. The tea plants are dormant during the
winter and store their nutrients until April. This gives Shincha its
unique aroma, and a grassy, sweet freshness. Many anticipate its
arrival in the spring as its limited quantity is highly sought after. Our Shincha is from Shizuoka
Japan. Made by Mr. Ooe using the yabukita varietal, this phenomenal tea
is a harmonious blend of three of the five human taste sensations;
bitterness, sweetness and umami.
Growing Cycle
During
the winter, tea plants hibernate and save up their nutrients in their
roots. The budding leaves mostly grow off of this nutrient supply,
unlike later flushes which rely mostly on photosynthesis (this is also
why Gyokuro and Matcha teas are sweeter, but to a lesser extent). The
resulting tea has lower volumes of astringent amino acids like
catechin, tannin and caffeine, and are filled to the brim with savory
amino acids like theanin. Shincha tends to have a mild flavor with less
caffeine and more tannin. Its leaves also carry a high amount of leaf
alcohol (Cis-3-Hexenol for you science geeks), which gives Shin-cha its
characteristic freshness.
Another reason for its popularity in Japanese culture, is that
consuming a hatsumono (first catch/crop, in English) is thought to
bring longevity.
Brewing Notes
Japanese
teas are best brewed with soft water. We recommend using Volvic bottled
water, which works well with these teas. Heat the water to a boil,
then let it cool down to 170F. You can experiment with lower or
slightly higher temperatures, ranging from 160-180F. Due to the fine
particles and thin leaf size, this type of tea is best brewed in a
Kyusu, or a teapot with a fine mesh strainer (see our Beehouse teapots). Use one teaspoon per 6 oz
serving, and steep for 1-2 minutes. Wonderfully rich in the first
infusion, the second infusion brings out a smooth and mellow sweetness. More about Japanese teas
All Japanese green tea is the same kind of tea. The
differences are a matter of grade and additives. Japan's tea-making
style is similar to that during China's Tang dynasty, when the Buddhist
monk Eisai brought tea from China to Japan. The fresh-picked leaves are
steamed thoroughly before drying, rather than withered before drying.
The steaming makes the tea leaves immune to oxidation. Then the leaves
are dried and rolled into shape. Heat is further applied during that
drying process.
Japanese teas include: bancha, Genmaicha (tea with popped and roasted rice), hojicha (roasted tea), kukicha (twig tea), sencha, gyokuro, and matcha.
The difference is what grade of leaf that you use to
create the tea. Bancha uses the largest leaves and so has a
less-refined flavor. Sencha is crafted from the smaller leaves, which
have a more refined taste. Gyokuro is sencha grown in the shade and
thus the most subtle in flavor (reflected in the prices it commands).
Matcha is powdered gyokuro whisked into water. It is what is used in
the Japanese tea ceremony.
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