Den's Tea
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Nice. I whipped up the matcha, enjoyed the deep green coloring and then added a spoonful of coconut milk and whipped that up with it. I like the creamy green coloring produced by the mixture. The green vegetal of the matcha marries well with the coconut taste and is more substantial on my tongue.
Preparation
In all honesty, it’s difficult to find a Genmaicha with Matcha I don’t like. I love the toasty smell and taste, the sweetness of the matcha, the cloudy green color. This one is slightly better than Holy Mountain’s and Upton Tea’s but only slightly. In fact, I’m not even sure it isn’t exactly the same. Clearly I need to do a Genmaicha taste test and comparison. But that will have to wait until after NaNoWriMo. Meanwhile, I’ll just say “Mmmmm! Genmaicha with matcha!”
How does it work for more than one infusion? I’d think the matcha would all go into the 1st cup?
I don’t typically do more than one infusion with most teas except the first or second time as a discovery method. The one time I tried a second steeping with genmaicha it was disappointing (for exactly the reason you mentioned). I haven’t tried it with this particular genmaicha.
You don’t??? That’s such a waste of tea and money! I’m on infusion 6 of a green and get 8-10 w/ some oolongs.
The problem is that I typically don’t drink more than a cup at a time and then I want a different tea or no tea at all. If I were staying put and drinking the same tea throughout the day I would re-steep, but since I don’t, it seems unsanitary to keep wet leaves more than a short time. How do you handle this?
As long as the tea leaves do not mold, you’re fine! I do happen to drink one tea til the leaves are dead, but if I do want a change I either just set them aside (I always use Adagio’s ingenuiTEA) and steep something else in a paper filter or you can dry the leaves on a paper towel on a plate (as long as the plate isn’t paper). Even leaves in a paper filter can be saved, just set them aside in a cup or on a saucer. They don’t have a real long shelf life, but will definitely last til the next day at least. There are several times where I have leaves that just refuse to die so I finish them in the morning.
Hmmm. Perhaps I’ll try putting them in the refrigerator then.
There is no need. DO NOT put them in the frig. Just leave them on the counter out of your way. Chilling them damages the flavor.
I live in buggy Memphis. In the period between winter and summer the outdoor bugs crawl under my door looking for warmth and food and we fight a constant battle with them that won’t be over until March or April. The ants activate in October and continue through January (and we fight a war against them). Part of our side of the war is that nothing that is not perfectly sealed and dry is ever left on a counter where it could validate the bugs’ perception that it is possible to find food here. (We have other more aggressive tactics as well, but it is pointless to carry out aggressive actions if one does not shore up one’s defensive lines.)
You must trust me when I say that bugs are different in the South. There is no real winter to kill them off and the constant moisture provides them with perfect nesting and breeding grounds.
I suspect that you are thinking to yourself that there are bugs in Wisconsin as well or that I must be a terrible housekeeper or that I must live in a slum. I used to think the same when I lived in Columbus, OH and Denver, CO. It was possible in those places to defeat the bugs. Here in Memphis even the best houses and the cleanest people must fight the bug battle. It is a way of life.
I would not dare use tea leaves I’d left out for an hour and didn’t watch over. It wouldn’t be sanitary. So if they can’t be refrigerated, I won’t be keeping them for a re-steep.
as long as they are cool (so steam doesn’t form) they can be in an air tight container.
This is one of my favorite green teas because it is so easy. I brew it at ~160 for about a minute (less for additional steeps) and it is always delicious. It is pretty sweet in flavor, and has a very grassy, vegetal aroma. I thought I disliked sencha for awhile, before I tried this tea. I think there were two issues- not brewing correctly (too hot and ending up with a bitter brew) and using low-quality sencha. This is good stuff, and very well priced from Den’s.
Definitely one of my favorites. A nice toasty flavored tea on a comfortable evening… makes me want to have a fire on my back deck and sit outside indefinitely.
PS- I oversteep EVERYTHING practically. The package of this from Den’s says to steep 15 seconds or something like that. I usually steep it for a good several minutes. Gives it a more robust flavor (but not overpowering). It is a little bit too weak for my liking if only steeped for 15 seconds.
Another positive- since it’s mostly twigs, and it is roasted, this tea is very low in caffeine, making it a good evening option for me. I’m fairly caffeine sensitive, so I have to switch to tisanes or low caff options at night.
Preparation
Den’s says in their description that this tea provides a good alternative to cider or cocoa. I don’t really know where they got that idea… it does not remind me of cocoa or cider at ALL. However, it is one of my staples. It is similar to the flavor of a houjicha, but a little more earthy / twiggy. I’m a big fan of that flavor profile- the roasted, toasted, earthy, smoky flavors (houjicha, genmai cha, gunpowder, etc). If you like that sort of thing, I would definitely recommend this. And I’m thinking some of that sweetness that they describe might come out at cooler temps. But mine never has a chance to cool, as I always drink it promptly.
Preparation
For a long time I wasn’t a fan of sencha. Now I realize that my first few attempts were with relatively low quality tea. Den’s has always seemed to be THE source for green tea so I ordered their green tea sampler and this tea was included. The leaves were a dark emerald color and smelled fresh but not quite the freshly mowed lawn smell I was expecting. I brewed this tea in a cast iron tea pot called a testubin with 170 degree water for two and a half minutes. This was longer than Den’s directions but my testubin is fairly large and I was worried about ending up with a weak brew.
The brewed tea had a slight roasted aroma but also retained the fresh smell of the dry leaves. This tea was naturally sweet and had a taste that lingered long after taking a sip. It was not bitter in the least. I compared a cooled cup and a still hot cup and they were both equally delicious. I think I would be hard pressed to find a green tea that was a refreshing as this selection. It was perfect for a warm northeastern day like today.
This is my second steep, and it’s ok. I am really bummed that I screwed up the second steep. Yesterday I made a cup and left it to steep for about a minute or two… 30 minutes later, I gasped and realized that i was making tea… needless to say, I dumped that cup. This morning’s second steep is only so-so. This was the last of my sample, so now it’s either pay up (this stuff ain’t cheap), or settle for a slightly less decadent sencha. It’ll probably be the latter.
Preparation
Definitely one of my favorite teas- I come back to it over and over. The flavor is kind of sweet and toasty. It reminds me a little bit of the flavor of honey. My husband thinks it tastes like brussell sprouts, which I think is kind of strange. It’s an easy one to brew- temp and steep time will not adversely affect the brew. Good for me, the tea killer.
Preparation
Yum! I made a small pot of this, and my espresso drinking husband even requested some: “a big mug of it, please!” So I guess I’ll be making another small pot by the end of this evening. :)
I really do love this tea. I’m a big fan of Genmaicha in general. When I finish up this batch, I’m going to give Samovar’s Ryokucha a try. I’m looking forward to seeing how the two compare.
So how did they compare?
Actually, I like Den’s a bit better. There’s much more matcha and it has a stronger flavor. In addition, it’s cheaper. I’m sticking with Den’s for my regular Genmaicha, but Samovar will win for other types of tea. :)
Thanks! I had just ordered a half pound of Den’s (my wife likes it too and it is on sale through October), but never tried Samovar’s. I saw it on Sam’s website, but also noticed Ryokucha is close to double the price and their minimum free shipping amount was $100. Still, I’ll have to order from Sam’s sometime. What do they do well?
I really like their oolongs a lot! I’ve been enjoying the four seasons (with many steeps each time) for a while, and just got the hawaiian oolong which was pricey but amazing and quite resteepable. I’m just trying a white (downy sprout) this morning and am really enjoying that one as well. :) I think the half pound of Den’s is a good choice… we’re going to have to do that next time at the rate we go through the stuff!
First cup of the day. Consumed during a hot game of Power Grid, but before yoga. I love this toasty tea. I realized that my bag’s “best by” date is coming up fairly quickly. I know I won’t finish it by then. Any guesses as to how long past the “best by” date this will last?
Well, I don’t have a guess as to how long, but here is a tip I read about online. I haven’t tried it, but it could work — if you put the amount of leaves you are planning to drink in a pan and roast them, you will bring out flavor again (even if it had ‘gone flat’ or however one would put it) and be able to use any of your old green teas even if they’ve gone past date. But just roast what you’re planning on drinking right away…
Interesting tip! Thanks!!
I’ve heard that in general japanese greens are good for about a year, but to be honest it’s probably a matter of personal preference aswell. If it still tastes good to you, then why not drink it? ;)
I had genmaicha with my tofu breakfast, though I’m not sure it was this one. The quirky local brunch joint has an extensive tea menu, mostly loose leaf, though they don’t tell you which company’s tea you’re drinking. Since I have this in my cupboard, I’m labeling this way. Yum!
mmmm I love coconut, sounds like a marvelous mix!