Tea Tasting: Kukicha Fukamushi Japanese Green Tea

[lperry]

The other teas I've tried are a temple of heaven gunpowder green that I use in iced tea mixed with herbal teas, and a Korean green tea that has the roasted barley in it. Both are less than a couple of months old. I haven't done the Kukicha at the higher temperature - I didn't want to "ruin" it. I'll give it a try with the last brew just to see what happens.

[Richard Kilgore]

The other teas I've tried are a temple of heaven gunpowder green that I use in iced tea mixed with herbal teas, and a Korean green tea that has the roasted barley in it.  Both are less than a couple of months old.  I haven't done the Kukicha at the higher temperature - I didn't want to "ruin" it.  I'll give it a try with the last brew just to see what happens.

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I'm still not completely sure what to make of a green tea being more astringent at 175 vs 195, unless it was brewed too long. I have not had the Korean Barley tea, but if the tea was roasted as well as the barley, that may account for it brewing well at a higher temp.

I am curious as to how your last brew turned out for this Kukicha.

[lperry]

I tried this one with the hotter water with the same result - the astringency was reduced to the point of near absence with the hotter water in the first brewing . The nuance of the flavor was still there, and I would go as far as saying that the tannins masked it a bit at the lower temperature.

I did a quick Google search on tannic acid and heat, but found mainly unrelated articles. I'm not sure what the mechanism is.

Edited to add - I just read that it is the catechins, not tannins, that make tea astringent. Searching for the combination of terms above with "catechin" replacing "tannic acid", I found a few references from herbalists that they cook their decoctions over low heat to prevent destruction of these compounds. Other references indicate they are the most healthful compunds, so I guess I ruined the beneficial properties of my last cup. I may have time later to do a better search.

Edited July 22, 2009 by lperry (log)

[Richard Kilgore]

Interesting. How long are you steeping the Kukicha?

I will try brewing this at a lower temp and a higher temp and report back.

[lperry]

I did everything as before, with the exception of the temperature, so 1.5 minutes.

[Richard Kilgore]

I have tried it at 195 ( 1.8 g, 120 ml water) and compared to lower temps find it to be less flavorful with less umami, but still not very astringent. Kukicha that has been deep-steamed like this is one of the least astringent Japanese green teas.

This may be a very individual thing.

Hioyuki prefers the hotter temp because it does taste more astingent.

Yagna Patni enjoyed a lower temp.

So it's a matter of whatever suits your taste buds, as always.

[Richard Kilgore]

I have been brewing this today and have gotten four good infusions and there may be one more left in it, but I expect it would start thinning out noticeably. The second one I liked the best, but they were all very good. Maybe I'll drink 5 as iced tea.

175 F, 2 g, 120 ml (4 ounces) water.

1: 1.5 min, 2: 30 sec, 3: 1 min, 4: 1.5 min

[Richard Kilgore]

Thanks to eG Society member Kyle Stewart at The Cultured Cup for providing this Kukicha Fukamushi (deep steamed) Japanese green tea for the Tea Tasting Discussion. And thanks to all who participated. Continued discussion welcome, of course.

[lperry]

I have tried it at 195 ( 1.8 g, 120 ml water) and compared to lower temps find it to be less flavorful with less umami, but still not very astringent. Kukicha that has been deep-steamed like this is one of the least astringent Japanese green teas.

This may be a very individual thing.

Hioyuki prefers the hotter temp because it does taste more astingent.

Yagna Patni enjoyed a lower temp.

So it's a matter of whatever suits your taste buds, as always.

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I enjoy the flavor better at the lower temperature, but I am not a big fan of the astringency. I think I've been spoiled by my bai hao oolong tea.