Single Origin Chirancha from Nagayama san
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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:
Nagayama san is a grower of Chirancha. Chirancha is to Kagoshima what Yamecha is to Fukuoka, Ujicha is to Kyoto, and Sayamacha is to Saitama. He specialises in five single cultivars; Saemidori, Yutakamidori, Yabukita, Meiryoku, and Okumidori. With the stems of these teas he creates a light roast and a dark roast houjicha. While four of these single cultivars he grows as sencha, Nagayama san chooses to shade the Yabukita before harvest and can be thought of as a kabusecha or kabuse sencha. He does this as Yabukita is a very widespread cultivar and he wants to grow a more luxurious version, as shading the tea before harvest results in more amino acids and less catechin - giving more umami and sweetness and less astringency than the same tea grown fully under the sun.
Nagayama san has chosen two cultivars to combine for his 2024 blend - Okumidori and Saemidori. Through this blend he wanted to share his memories of walking through his tea fields when it was nearing harvest time, with the fresh air breezing by. Each year he will choose a different combination of cultvars so we hope you can enjoy this year’s!
Our notes on the five cultivars:
1. Saemidori - the first picked out of the five cultivars, a symbol representing spring - strong umami with a gentle sweetness that lingers in the aftertaste.
2. Yutakamidori - a cultivar that is very sensitve to cold temperatures hence the flavour can vary differently each year. For the 2024 spring harvest, you can expect a balance of umami and bitterness.
3. Yabukita - the staple cultivar for Japanese tea, Nagayama san aims to make it more special by shading the tea before harvest, enhancing an ordinary Yabukita to a more elegant, quality tasting. Overall a rich umami profile with a slight well rounded astringency and bitterness.
4. Meiryoku - expect refreshing notes that makes this tea stand out from the other four, it is a very easy drinking tea especially for beginners who are unfamiliar with umami notes. It has an elegant lingering astringency and unique aroma.
5. Okumidori - the last to be picked in 2024 out of these five cultivars, the colour and the scent reminds you deep in the mountains, intense and rich fruity umami notes. The cultivar we are most interested in for steamed tea at the moment!
Please experiment with brewing to find your personal preference. A good starting point is listed below.
Hot brewing guide:
Tea 5 grams (~1 teaspoon)
Water 80ml
First infusion 60°C for 45sec
Second infusion 70°C for 20sec
Third infusion 80°C for 5sec
Cold brewing guide:
Sencha 12 grams
Water 800ml for 6-12 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 light, air, heat, moisture and strong smells - these will degrade your tea. Best consumed within 1-2 months from when it is first opened. Nagayama san packs his tea in smaller than usual pouches, which we like as it means it is easier to finish the tea before it loses freshness due to oxidisation.