Sencha
Sencha is Japan's most common green tea: steamed, rolled into thin needles and dried, with a grassy, marine, savory flavor and bright green-gold liquor.
Definition
Sencha accounts for the majority of tea produced in Japan. The leaves are grown in full sun, harvested, and steamed within hours to stop oxidation. They are then cooled, rolled in several stages that shape them into thin, dark green needles, and dried. This unfinished tea, aracha, is later sorted, blended and lightly fired by wholesalers into finished sencha. Steaming time defines the style. Asamushi (light steaming, about 20-40 seconds) keeps leaves intact and gives a clear, pale cup with a delicate aroma. Chumushi (medium) is the standard. Fukamushi (deep steaming, 60 seconds or more) breaks the leaf into smaller pieces and gives a darker, cloudier and more full-bodied cup. Shizuoka prefecture is Japan's best-known sencha region, with Kagoshima the other major producer. The Yabukita cultivar dominates Japanese plantings, though growers increasingly use alternatives such as Okumidori, Saemidori and Sae Akari. The first harvest of the year, ichibancha, sold as shincha ("new tea") in late April and May, is the most valued.
In Depth
Brew in a kyusu at 70-80°C (158-176°F): about 4-5 g of leaf to 150-200 ml water, steeped 60 seconds for the first infusion. Pour out every drop so the leaves do not keep steeping. Second infusion: hotter water, 10-20 seconds, because the leaves have already opened. A third infusion at near-boiling for 30-60 seconds is normal.
Lower temperatures bring out sweetness and umami from L-theanine; higher temperatures extract more catechins and caffeine, making the cup more bitter and astringent. Caffeine is typically around 20-40 mg per 240 ml.
Higher-grade sencha is a deep, glossy green with intact needles. Yellowish leaves and a lot of dust indicate a lower grade or staleness. Store unopened packs in the refrigerator and opened packs in an airtight canister at room temperature; drink within about a month of opening.
See Also
- Japanese Green Tea
- Shizuoka Tea
- Shincha