Gyokuro

 A couple of weeks ago, I ordered some tea from my second favorite tea shop. Yes, I have more than one tea shop that I patronize. So far, I have 3 small business tea shops that I buy from. While the internet claims that my second favorite tea shop still has a brick and mortar store, the company website does not mention anything about having a physical location any more. I'm even more skeptical about there being a physical store any more given that my package shipped from Idaho. Oh well, I still like the tea that they sell - they are the vendors of my beloved Swiss chocolate black tea, and raspberry sencha. They also sell a wonderful blueberry rooibos blend. I've been enjoying those teas since I got my package 2 Fridays ago. I also purchased a new tea to try. A premium Japanese tea: gyokuro.

Blue and silver packaging, I feel like I'm finished decorating for Christmas - oh yeah, I never decorate for Christmas, so perfect!

Gyokuro is also referred to as "precious dew". It is a shade grown tea, known for its umami, savory flavor. I've wanted to try this tea for a long time, but it is expensive. The reason why I chose to buy it from this tea shop is that it is the cheapest place to buy it. I do know that this gyokuro is actually made in China, so that may explain the lower price tag. This tea shop makes it a point to not buy tea from Japan for fear of radiation contamination due to the 2011 meltdown in Fukushima.

Being an expensive, premium tea, gyokuro also requires special brewing. For the best method of brewing, I turned to Don at Mei Leaf for instructions. In this video, he talks about being hyped up on caffeine, and I also watched at double time, so he seems really hyper at that speed. 

So I set up my tea box and got started. 

Here's the star of the show: 

I decided to brew with my basket inside of my gaiwan because the tea looked like it was really fine particles per the little window in the bag. Thankfully I did have larger leaves that matched what I saw on the internet when I opened the bag. Unfortunately, being stored in a plastic bag gave the leaves an electrostatic charge, so they do tend to stick to everything. I wish this came in a tin like matcha did. 

Brew #1: warm brewing vessel, pour hot water out, and add tea. Enjoy the scent of the tea in the warm vessel. Then add room temperature water and brew for 14 minutes. 

Sorry Jane, Japanese teas are not rinsed. She did get some of the later batches of warming water, though, so she did get to do her color changing trick. 

Brew #1 is thick, and strong. The tea coats your tongue and does indeed have a strong umami flavor. It really does kind of taste like a broth of some sort. More of a vegetable broth. It is surprising that tea can taste this way. It was fantastic!

Brew #2: heat your vessel and cool your water down to 50 Celsius. 

I will admit that I poured the hot water from my gaiwan into the measuring cup, and sloshed it around until it cooled down to the proper temperature. Then I poured the water over my basket of tea in the gaiwan and brewed for 2.5 minutes. 

Brewing - oh the anticipation...

The color seems to be a little lighter. It isn't as thick as the first brewing. The umami flavor is less, and the tea flavor is starting to develop. 

Brew #3: warm your vessel, cool water to 50 Celsius, and brew for 3 minutes. 

 Slight color change, slight taste change. 

Brewing #4: warm vessel, cool water to 70 Celsius, and brew 2.5 minutes.

This brew looks markedly lighter, and the flavor really reminds me of matcha. 

Brew #5: warm vessel, add water at 80 Celsius, and brew 2.5 minutes. 

I removed some of the clutter from my tray because I realized that the water in my thermos was about 80 Celsius, so I didn't have to cool the water off. I didn't realize until after I drank my tea that you can't really see the color of the brew for the reflection off the surface. You can see it a little bit in the shadows. I found that the umami flavor came through more with the hotter water of this brew. 

Gyokuro is very particular about temperature, and will be a bitter, nasty poison flavor if brewed too long, or at too high of a temperature. Traditionally it is brewed in 50 Celsius water for 2 minutes, but I do like Don's method of differing times and temperatures based on how many times the leaves have been brewed. I'm looking forward to brewing with this tea again.