Kabusecha – Hoshino Blend

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Kabusecha (or Kabuse sencha) is an extremely versatile, high quality Japanese green tea. It is processed in the same manner as sencha but shaded before harvest like gyokuro, albeit for only 7 to 10 days compared to gyokuro’s 16 to 30 days. Typically direct shading is used for kabusecha and some gyokuro, whereas non-direct shading is used for the higher grades of gyokuro. The shading process is very stressful for the tea plant and can cause damage or disease if done without enough care and attention. The amino acids inside the tea leaves are prevented from changing into catechins during the shading process, resulting in a noticeably higher level of amino acids in shaded tea compared to unshaded tea on average. With low temperatures, you can enjoy a very savoury taste similar to a gyokuro, and with high temperatures there may be a hint of bitterness like in a good sencha. This Kabusecha is from Hoshinomura in Yame, Fukuoka prefecture. It has been deep steamed and so will produce a darker liquid colour, especially at higher temperatures. The darker colour is a result of there being more small particles present in the tea (the longer the leaves are steamed for, the more prone to breaking they are during the later drying and rolling stages), which will benefit the drinker with more nutrients and also more caffeine. Lower temperatures will extract the amino acids (umami and sweetness) faster than the caffeine (bitterness) and catechins (astringency and a little bit of bitterness), the latter two of these will be more noticeable at higher temperatures above 75 degrees or so.

Please experiment to find your personal brewing preference. A good starting point is listed below:

Hot brewing guide:
Kabusecha 4 grams (~1 teaspoon)
Water 55ml
First infusion 55°C for 45sec
Second infusion 70°C for 25sec
Third infusion 85°C for 5sec

Cold brewing guide:
Kabusecha 12 grams
Water: 800ml for 6-8hours
Spring or filtered water is recommended. Being gentle with the leaves will avoid astringency and other harsh tastes so we recommend pouring the leaves onto the water as opposed to pouring the water over the leaves, being careful not to shake the bottle, and not squeezing the leaves too much when draining. Feel free to experiment with the tea to water ratio and the duration. Consume within 24-36 hours.

Umami Bomb:
Kabusecha 5g
Water 50ml @ 5°C (ice water)
Infuse 6minutes

Storage:
Store in a cold environment (6-10°C) and avoid exposure to light, air, heat, moisture and strong smells - these will degrade your tea. Best consumed within 1-2 months from when it is first opened.