Sencha - Ichou Samidori by Okutomi Masahiro

Steamed Tea Background Information:
Steamed teas like sencha are one of the most traditional types of Japanese green tea. There are three main types of sencha; asamushi (light steamed, ~15seconds), chuumushi (medium steamed, ~15-45seconds), fukamushi (deep steamed, ~45+seconds). Lighter steamed teas tend to produce a golden yellow colour. Deep steamed teas however can produce vivid green colours usually with a thicker texture, and due to the longer steaming time the leaves are mostly broken and fragmented with many small particles, meaning we consume more nutrients (and caffeine!). Asamushi sencha leaves are mostly intact, rolled into needle shapes which unfold more attractively as infusions progress. Shincha (meaning new tea) is tea that has been picked during the first harvest of the year – in spring. Later harvests have drastically lower amounts of amino acids (which give us umami and sweetness) and higher catechin levels (astringency and some bitterness). After harvest the tea is steamed straight away to halt oxidisation, and will then go on to be dried and rolled through various processes, finally being fired (hiire) to further dry the leaves to under 5% moisture, and impart the final taste. Some Japanese green teas are made from blends of different cultivars or regions, and some are single cultivar (similar to coffee/whisky). Blends are created by tea masters who taste many teas and then choose a selection to combine for a desired final taste that is easier to replicate year after year by adjusting the cultivar ratios. Single cultivar teas show the drinker how that year’s particular harvest was for that cultivar, as easy year can be quite different. This allows the drinker to build up a mental profile of that cultivar’s characteristics with time, bearing in mind there will also be large influences from the region/terroir and the specific farmer and producer’s growing and finishing methods.

Notes For This Particular Tea:
Ichou sencha is not a delicate tea like most sencha and is not particularly sensitive to hot water temperatures. We use rather hot water when brewing this tea and despite this, ichou sencha has very little bitterness and though there may be some astringency, generally the flavour profile can be described as fresh, soft, gentle, and easy drinking.

This is a single cultivar Samidori sencha, grown as tencha in Sayama, Saitama prefecture by a 15th generation tea farmer and producer Okutomi-san. Samidori is a very popular cultivar for growing tencha (the tea that is ground into matcha which is shaded before harvest, steamed, dried, de-stemmed and de-veined, and then slowly stone ground in chilled rooms), but it is rarely seen for loose leaf tea so we are very excited about this tea! We find that Okutomi-San’s teas possess deep flavours with fascinating nuance, always managing to achieve such a pleasant gentle flavour profile even in later infusions with very high water temperatures. Interestingly, the ‘Ichou’ process is where after harvest, the tea leaves are wilted or withered for 6-8 hours, causing the leaves to oxidise whereafter they are then steamed, dried and rolled (the usual processing for sencha). Usually with Japanese green teas the steaming process is completed as soon as possible after harvest. The withering causes the leaves to soften and lose moisture, while amino acids as well as simple sugars are formed. Complex compounds break down into more volatile compunds - which give the tea its floral/fruity aroma.

Please experiment to find your personal brewing preference. A good starting point is listed below:

Hot brewing guide:
Sencha 2.5 grams
Water 80ml
First infusion 80°C for 60sec
Second infusion 85°C for 30sec
Third infusion 90°C for 10sec

Cold brewing guide:
Sencha 7-8 grams
Water 800ml for 12-16 hours

Spring or filtered water is recommended (specifically we look for a TDS of 30-80 - if you’re in the north of england tap water should be fine, and if you’re in the south you are probably familiar with water filters already). Simply pour the tea leaves on water and keep in the fridge overnight, or for 6-12 hours. Avoid vigorous handling/shaking. We use an ice and water mixture so that the brewing temperature is around 6 degrees celcius from start to finish, but forgoing the ice is absolutely okay. The duration of the brew can be experimented with to find your personal preference and when you are happy with the flavour, strain and dispose of the leaves. Consume within 24 hours.

Storage:
Store in a cold environment (6-10°C) and avoid exposure to sunlight and air - both of these will degrade your tea. Best consumed within 2-3 months from when it is first opened.