Good morning everyone. Before I start geeking out over tea I just wanted to say thank you for letting me join the Sororitea Sisters! I look forward to discovering new teas and making friends with you all.
Genmaicha. Once known as the poor mans drink among the Japanese people. A big thank you to the first monks (supposedly) who created this blend. Personally, this is in my top five favorite teas. If you have not yet given genmaicha a try I highly suggest trying some!
A good tea session with genmaicha should start off with a whiff of the dry leaves. It’s amazing how your nose can pick up some qualities in the tea that you may have not even tasted. Not only that but it can be a good indicator as to what other teas have been laying around with it. If you can’t get a good scent from the dry leaves due to cross contamination from other tea then just give the wet leaves a good snuff. Either way what I like to smell is that amazing rice perfume. Like when you are cooking rice and it blossoms everywhere in your house. A very comforting aroma. The sample I have has been a bit contaminated with other tea smells and thus I’m not picking up much but the wet aroma is great. It has that relaxing rice cooked smell to it.
Most people say the smell and the flavor of the tea is nutty and while that may be the best way currently to describe it I really feel it doesn’t quite do it justice. Rice and the toasted rice flavor are something more unique then just nutty. Saying ricey doesn’t quite cut it either. Using a sticky rice is quite a unique idea on their part for this tea. Though I do feel that it makes the rice flavor a bit more subtle. Generally, I prefer a stronger rice flavor but it works well with the grassy essence from this tea. After reading that they used sticky rice I understand now why I thought this genmaicha looked different from others. The rice is bigger and seems to look different after its toasted. I would love to try a cup of this after the rice has been freshly roasted.
Did you know that even though Genmai means brown rice, the rice used in genmaicha is actually white rice that has been roasted?
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: California Tea House
Description
Genmaicha tea is a traditional Japanese green tea. It is believed that the development of Genmaicha was by monks in using rice as a filler to save money. This tradition quickly caught on as the blend of toasted rice and green tea (typically Sencha or Bancha) has a very soothing, pleasant flavor.
Jump forward a few thousand years and you find California Tea House’s gourmet, Imperial Gyokuro Genmaicha. You’ll find our twist on Genmaicha to be an amazing upgrade to this tradition as we spared no expense in creating the finest Genmaicha on the market. Instead of Sencha we use Imperial Gyokuro green tea to provide a very clean, crisp green tea flavor without the bitterness. Also, we use sticky rice as the base of our toasted rice for a slightly sweet and very flavorful, nutty blend. There’s no turning back to old style Genmaicha after you’ve tried this one! Buy our Imperial Gyokuro Genmaicha with our 100% satisfaction guarantee!
Bring your mineral or filtered water to a boil, then let the water settle back down to around 180oF before steeping about 1 heaping teaspoon of tea per cup. Never steep more than 3 or 4 minutes.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Smooth Roasted Toasted-Genmaicha from California Tea House. . .
The weather is gloomy and my sinus infection is going in full swing! Today calls for a tea that makes you relax and enjoy the moment.
When I first started drinking and experimenting with loose leaf tea, California Tea House was one of the first places I made an order. I can’t remember exactly what I ordered but I can remember being so confused on how to brew each variety and wondering if I would ever learn how to brew loose leaf.
Now 10 years later, I yet again have the opportunity to try their teas. And this time, I do know how to properly steep and enjoy.
California Tea House offers a clear and easy to maneuver site that I just love. If you are looking for a certain tea, it is very easy to locate that variety and see what they have to offer. The pictures are wonderfully laid out and just the overall experience from using their site is great.
Ok, it is time to chat about this tea. Genmaicha teas typically have a smooth buttery feel with a roasted or toasted note. And this offering from California tea House is no different.
A sweet lush buttery smoothness envelopes this tea while there is that welcomed contrast of the toasted note. Well balanced and almost seductive. I love how silky the mouthfeel on this tea is.
A perfect tea to enjoy on this gloomy cloudy day!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: California Tea House
Description
Genmaicha tea is a traditional Japanese green tea. It is believed that the development of Genmaicha was by monks in using rice as a filler to save money. This tradition quickly caught on as the blend of toasted rice and green tea (typically Sencha or Bancha) has a very soothing, pleasant flavor.
Jump forward a few thousand years and you find California Tea House’s gourmet, Imperial Gyokuro Genmaicha. You’ll find our twist on Genmaicha to be an amazing upgrade to this tradition as we spared no expense in creating the finest Genmaicha on the market. Instead of Sencha we use Imperial Gyokuro green tea to provide a very clean, crisp green tea flavor without the bitterness. Also, we use sticky rice as the base of our toasted rice for a slightly sweet and very flavorful, nutty blend. There’s no turning back to old style Genmaicha after you’ve tried this one! Buy our Imperial Gyokuro Genmaicha with our 100% satisfaction guarantee!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Yunnan “Purple Beauty” Green Tea from Lancang Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing. . .
I think it’s time to highlight a Yunnan Green Tea on Sororitea Sisters. It’s been a while. Therefore, I declare, Yunnan “Purple Beauty” Green Tea from Lancang Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing – the tea of the moment!
Yunnan “Purple Beauty” Green Tea from Lancang Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing certainly IS unique! This is a Zi Juan “Purple Beauty” varietal that was grown in Lancang county in the Jingmai mountainous area. First flush of spring tea leaves were used and processed into a green tea. This is the first ever Purple Beauty Green Tea Yunnan Sourcing has offered.
This infuses to grey-purple color and the brewed leaves remain dark even after many infusions. It’s soup-like, brothy. It’s vegetal. I can pick up on seaweed and/or mushroom-like undertones while sipping on this. It has a nice sweet and bitter yin and yang going on, too! Yunnan Sourcing says the taste of this tea is Dan Cong meets Yunnan Assamica Green Tea.
I have to say that Yunnan “Purple Beauty” Green Tea from Lancang Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing is unlike anything I have ever sipped on! It’s pretty fantastic! I’m sure it will appear on at least one of my TOP LISTS to be released soon! Be on the look out!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Yunnan Sourcing
Description
This is a Zi Juan “Purple Beauty” varietal that was grown in Lancang county in the Jingmai mountainous area. First flush of spring tea leaves were used and processed into a green tea. This is the first ever Purple Beauty Green Tea we have offered.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Green Twirl Nilgiri Tea from The Kettlery. . . . .
Green Twirl Nilgiri Tea from The Kettlery is a no muss-no fuss sort of green tea. If you are looking for a sweeter-green that is clean and true this one might be for you!
It isn’t much for aroma but it makes up for it in juicy-sweet almost cantaloupe-like notes in this straight-up green tea. Green Twirl Nilgiri Tea from The Kettlery is easy-drinking! Enjoy it hot or cold! It’s naturally juicy and makes your mouth water as you drink it!
It’s a very forgiving green tea because I found it was hard to over infuse. It’s not bitter at all! It’s not all that grassy either. The hints of grass you may taste are more of a sweeter grass. I think this is pretty fantastic!
I can’t help but think of my Color Guard days while in High School Marching Band twirling my flag to the theme of the year while smelling sweet green grassy pastures of lemon-lime goodness! Not only is their a word association for me here but also surrounding aroma of nature at it’s best!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: The Kettlery
Description
Green Twirl as the name suggests is a green tea from the majestic Nilgiris.
The eye pleasing green colored tea leaves unfurl to bestow upon you the love of nature.
It calms your your body and mind to create a magical atmosphere of serenity. The mild green
colored liquor can be enhanced with honey and lemon.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Superior Sencha – Compass Teas. . . . .
Hello tea friends,
It’s always nice to drink something with the word superior in it’s title. From what I understand; superior Sencha is one of the highest grades of Sencha. It is also more refined and elegant in general, from those that I have tried anyway.
This tea is no longer sold by Compass Tea but it may be something they restock in the future, or have something similar to.
The leaf is dark green with a high shine and a sweet, floral scent with a touch of grass. The leaves are of medium size with some broken pieces present, overall it looks as expected ie no discolouration or holes.
Steeping this at a lower temperature around 65C for one minute to try and draw out some of the umami and sweetness.
A golden brown/green liquid is produced (again typical of Superior Sencha) and it bares a toasted grass and seaweed scent, also slightly vegetal.
Flavour is medium strength with sweet grass highs and toasted peony lows, with a salty seaweed and kale type mineral after taste that lingers and becomes dry.Only a touch of astringency but some umami is present. Half way down my yunomi and it becomes so sweet and floral it’s picked up a perfumed quality has real mouth feel to it. Also slightly bitty at the bottom of my bowl.
A second steep of the same parameters reveals: less sweetness but more umami, mimicking soup broth in this steep. More mouth feel and dryness in the after taste and less perfume. Still it bares little astringency as such and it remains vegetal. It reminds me of Matcha, has a similar sort of flavour and feel about it in this steep. Just a very watery and non foamy Matcha.
Overall I was impressed. The quality was expected (average for a Superior Sencha) but it steeped well and had wonderful characteristics and flavours. A nice example of Sencha and pleasing to drink. I recommend low temperatures if your an umami fan though, at least to start with, I’m an umami fan at heart.
A nice introduction to Compass Teas for me and while this is no longer sold I will certainly keep my eyes open to see what line of Sencha it has in the future.
Happy Steeping!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Compass Teas
Description: This tea is no longer available for sale but they have many other teas for sale.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
