Types of Green Tea
SenchaThe majority of tea harvested in Japan today is of the Sencha
variety. It's grown in full sunlight and plucked three or four times per
year. The very first of these harvests results in a high grade tea of exceptional
quality. Often called Shincha it is usually identified by its deeper green leaves
and is reputed to have very high levels of beneficial antioxidants. All subsequent
harvests after the Shincha produce teas of a slightly lesser quality, although this
can only really be noticed by tea connoisseurs and certainly doesn't compromise any of
green tea's health giving properties. Sencha probably accounts for about 80% of
all Japanese teas exported around the world today. It is an everyday tea but still a
classic in its own right. Of all the Vitamins found in Sencha, the largest
concentration is that of Vitamin C. It's often said that heat can disrupt
the effectiveness of this particular Vitamin, but in the case of green tea
the Vitamin C is soluble in hot water and so it retains all the health giving
benefits. GyokuroAbout two weeks before the harvest Gyokuro
is shielded from the sun. The entire tea garden is kept in the shade using reed screens
and matting. Rice straw is then spread on top of this to offer further protection
from the sun's rays. The Shading from the sun slows down photosynthesis, enabling
the theanine content in the leaves to remain stable and limit its conversion to
other compounds. This stabilisation of compounds gives Gyokuro its unmistakable
darker leaf and full bodied taste. The pickers only ever collect the first flush
of the spring harvest, which makes Gyokuro an expensive and very high grade
tea. Once brewed, Gyokuro has a deep yellow/ green appearance and its
flavour has the perfect balance of astringency and sweetness due to the shading
prior to harvesting. KabusechaIn a way very
similar to Gyokuro as it is also plunged into shadow about two weeks prior
to harvesting. The only subtle difference is that instead of being deprived
of all sunlight it is shaded to a degree of between 40 and 50%. These
diffused sunlight conditions make for another high grade tea where similar
to Gyokuro only the first flush of the spring is picked. It has a sweeter taste
than Gyokuro, is less astringent and once brewed radiates a hue of emerald
green. GenmaichaA Bancha leaf that is blended with roasted wholemeal
rice. The resulting infusion has a unique aromatic roasted flavour. Often referred to
as popcorn tea, Genmaicha is another green tea that is very low in
caffeine. KokeichaRoughly translated Kokeicha means formed tea. It
is a speciality Japanese green tea prepared from fine tea powder. It is
crafted into pine needle like shapes and brews a wonderful cup of smooth
light liquor that radiated a bright golden yellow. MatchaMatcha
is another tea also given shade throughout its propagation. This is the green tea
traditionally used in the famous Japanese Tea Ceremonies we often hear about. When
processed only the soft parts of the leaves are used which are then dried, de-veined, and
finally ground into a fine powder. Matcha has a low tannin content which gives it
a very characteristic mellow flavour. BanchaBancha is the result
of later harvests of the Sencha and by now the leaves are more coarse.
It is one of the popular everyday green tea drinks of Japan and still has a
unique character and exceptional flavour all of its own. Bancha is a firm favourite for
those on a macrobiotic diet as it helps retain the body's alkalinity. Also, as
it's low in tannins Japanese parents are happy about giving this tea to their
children to drink. KukichaConsidered a lower grade tea than any of
the other types of green tea, Kukicha is made with a combination of stems and leaves from the
Sencha and Gyokuro. For this reason it is often called twig tea, but despite
this Kukicha makes a delicious sweet infusion with a very refreshing delicate nutty
taste. HojichaWhen Bancha is roasted or baked it
results in the mild refreshing taste of Hojicha. The heat from the roasting
process destroys nearly all the caffeine and gives it a unique smokey
fragrance and sweet roasted flavour. Hojicha is thought to be particularly good
in assisting the body in digestion. FukamushichaEssentially, this is a
high grade Sencha that has been steamed for twice as long as regular green
teas. The extra time in the steaming process allows the leaves to be heated
to the core, making them drier and imparting the tea with a stronger flavour altogether.
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