04.06.07
halleluyah! the senchas have arrived
posted by Sandy M. Bushberg | 31 comments
The samples of Tenbu and Tenbu Fuka Senchas have finally arrived and have been sent out to our comrades overseas. I will probably be sending out the rest early next week.
I haven’t tasted them yet because I wanted to wait for everyone else. What I can tell you, however, is that upon opening the airtight packs to put into sample bags, it was clear that these were very aromatic teas, even in dry form, with beautiful, dark emerald coloration.
Steeping Guidelines
You have each been sent 6g of each tea for tasting. Generally, we have been using 3g’s for the tasting which leaves another 3 g for your own enjoyment or another round of tastings at another time: Your choice. The 3 g’s should be steeped in approx. 7 oz of water and are best if brewed in a small tea pot with a fine built-in or external strainer. Make the infusions according to the following guidelines as long as the leaves are still warm…
Temperature: 60 º - 65 º C/ 140 º - 145 º F
Infusion times:
1. 60 secs
2. 15 secs.
3. 15 secs.
4. 15 secs.
5. 30 secs.
Here is our T Ching Tasting Evaluation Sheet (kindly created by Phyll) for you to download and use for the tasting of these teas.
April 7th, 2007 at 10:44 am
I have a question about the infusion times. 15 seconds? I’m not as sophisticated as many of you but I’ve never heard an infusion time of 15 seconds.
Which brings me to another question. I was just reading on another tea site about a new machine which acts like an espresso machine with the super high heat. I’m wondering what such a process will do to green tea, since earlier on a green tea thread it was stated that temperature is even more important than time. I’m not sure what the temp is on this machine’s process but apparently it parallels an espresso machine’s.
Any comments would be appreciated. Sorry if I shouldn’t have posted this here but often the earlier threads aren’t gone back to and I am really curious about this. From what has been said here and our own conclusions time and temperature are essential to the steeping/brewing process, regardless of ‘method’.
April 7th, 2007 at 11:30 am
Yes Team, that is correct; 15 secs. I can understand your surprise given typical steeping times for most teas. I think you will find, however, it’s not all that unusual to use very short steeping times when people use a gongfu method to sample tea. It allows them to get a feel for how the taste and aroma unfold over multiple brief segments of time. I was actually more surprised that the recommended steeping temperature was so low at 140 degrees F.
I’m not familiar with the tea expresso machine you are referring to nor how it works, but extreme temperatures like you described are generally never good for the more delicate green and white teas. It tends to scald the leaves. I am curious about this device and wonder if you could provide a link. Thanks.
April 7th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Yes, Sandy, I thought you might be interested as you and Michelle (I believe) have come up with your own brewing system? Our member here and fine contributor, Ankit Lochan, asked about it at that site. I also left a comment that hasn’t shown up yet with several questions for the Tea Guy. There are photos of it. I had seen it (found it) on the mfr’s website previously and know of one other tea bar/house using it in Philadelphia (I believe) but my questions immediately came on the heat/temp and also the amount of tea used (he said two scoops per infusion I believe). If you use double the tea and then ’scald’ the green teas, it would be a problem but he seems to have a long background in tea and be happy with it. We also have a system we developed for our own store that works horizontally for volume rather htan laterally, and by my calculations, we can actually put out more volume in what I consider optimum brewing times/temps than what the machine there is able to, machine for machine.
Here is the link:
http://theteaguy.blogspot.com/
April 7th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
I would also like to hear your thoughts once you’ve seen it/read about it on that site.
April 9th, 2007 at 12:12 am
Hi Team & Everyone,
I also think 15 seconds is too less time for the teas and the temperature too is less. I would advise 2g per cup for 3 to 4 mins — 100 ml of water.
Personally after trying and experimenting and reading a lot i think minimum 176′F (80′C) is the optimum temp. for green teas.
I could be wrong but what i have discovered is that the above details, result in getting the fullest substance out of the green teas!
Regarding the tea expresso - i am in touch with brendan — details for you below.
Hey Ankit, Tim
Hope all is well. as per your request, I want to give you a few more details about the teapresso.
It has turned out to be a fantastic machine. Our sales on tea based lattes has risen substantially since the new machine has been sitting on our counter. It has lived up to and surpassed all my expectations.
I see this machine as essential to bring tea houses up to where most coffee houses are today. The ability to produce a ‘tea shot’ like an espresso shot is a fundamental difference that has been lacking in teahouses. Now with the teapresso, that gap has been closed and we can now compete drink for drink on the same level as a Starbucks or any other high end cafe.
The other beauty of the machine is it’s ability to produce fresh brewed iced tea to to the customer in under two minutes.
They can choose a loose tea from any one of our 90 varieties and we can brew it into iced tea with the machine in under 2 mins. This alone is a huge feature for the summer iced tea program.
In Canada the wholesale price on the Teapresso is $7250.00. Very reasonable considering that it is a two group machine with 2 stainless steel 6 liter boilers.
I’s other unique functions are the ability to adjust the water temp from one of the boilers for green tea lattes and shots and the ability to have a pre-programmed “steep” time for each individual type of tea.
The porta filter is also specific to tea and can be manually adjusted.
Well Ankit, that is a little bit more on the machine. If you have any further questions do not hesitate to send me a note,
Best Regards,
Brendan
‘From possessiveness is born need
From non-attachment, satisfaction’
~Kalu Rinpoche
http://www.theteaguy.com
My blog: http://theteaguy.blogspot.com
Take care
Ankit
April 9th, 2007 at 11:37 am
I too was surprised by the brewing temperatures AND times HOWEVER I feel strongly that we MUST respect the recommendations from the grower. They are in the best position to know what is ideal for their product. As you’ll recall, we’re providing enough tea for everyone to have a second serving of this special sencha. I hope we can all follow the recommended guide lines for the tasting and THEN we can all experiment with subsequent temperatures and times.
April 9th, 2007 at 11:41 am
Ankit, I completely understand your thinking behind your suggestions about the preparation of the Sencha samples. It certainly makes sense in terms of green tea in general. Everyone is, of course, free to prepare their samples however they like, but for the sake of consistency and standardization of our online tasting, I would highly recommend that everyone prepare their tea with the sample size, temperature and times based on the recommendations of the tea garden that grows these teas. Since I have sent everyone 6 g’s, it might be interesting to do the first tasting based on the recommendations and then do a second tasting with your recommendations.
April 9th, 2007 at 11:55 am
Well Team, I’m still in the dark regarding this teapresso machine even after reading about it. It certainly sounds like a boon to tea cafes in terms of competing with their coffee house competitors, but I still need more data to be convinced. From what I read it appears that the main purpose of the machine is for preparing green tea lattes. I’ve never had a green tea latte, but I am assuming that they are not all that different from coffee lattes and are laden with sugar and milk. Given that, I’m not so sure how much of the distinct and subtle taste of the green tea itself is all that important, as long as it’s not bitter.
April 9th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Thanks for you reply, Sandy. Our system is totally ‘low tech’ and we can actually steep the tea properly. I can’t bring myself to use an espresso type machine when I can get the same volume output doing it the way we tested for years to give the best results. I think it has some ‘techie/entertainment value’ as far as the customers are concerned. I think competing with coffeehouses by trying to look like them isn’t the way to go but that’s just my personal opinion. I know there is one tea chain who likes to call themselves the ‘Starbucks of tea’. That has problems in a number of areas, it seems to me. Anyway, you will probably get a chance to see it at tea trade shows, I’m guessing. We tried using (I think it’s called) a Moka espresso pot early on and the results were not good.
April 9th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Team: Thank you very much for your last comment! It’s my personal opinion as well that teahouses shouldn’t try to be coffeehouses. After all, coffee is a “fast drink” and tea is a “slow drink”. If it takes a little longer to prepare tea than - from our experience - the customers are quite happy to accept that. But only if the tea they’re getting is of high quality.
Let me ask a question about white tea: so you’re chasing the white tea, that usually brews for anywhere between 4 and 7 minutes through the teapresso and it makes an equally good brew in less than 2 minutes? If that’s possible, than I have thoroughly misunderstood something about tea!
As to the debate about steeping time for the senchas. These senchas are not regular senchas but much closer to a gyokuro from what I understand. I think a had a similar sencha before. While you steep most senchas closer to 80 °, gyokuros are infused at substantially lower temperatures (50-60 °). Therefore, I think it certainly makes sense to use the water at these temperatures.
April 9th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Here is more info on the Teapresso, but I’m not sure it’s the same manufacturer:
http://www.tw-klub.com/en/lionseries.htm
It’s from their website. I don’t have time to double-check, but I think there’s a video on it with a man shown making tea beverages with it. I believe I also saw a similar machine (maybe the same one) in a photo on the website of Cargo & James tea from Canada. (I get around and try to see as much as possible).
Ankit, I just emailed Brendan as he requested before giving me info. I had guessed (told my hub) the cost would most likely be between 5-7K and hit it at 7K then. The Clover one cup at a time coffee brewer is selling for over $10K! I can’t understand why we need to spend so much, personally, to have or or two cup capabilties. Our low tech system can do the same with tea in competitive time (who cares about 1 extra min+-….if they do, they need to go to McD’s, don’t you think?)
Anyway, my two cents and what I’ve found on these machines. There is also one called the Infinitea. Here is their website: Woops…it’s Affinitea. Just Google it. This was on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Affinitea
April 9th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Here is a video on the actuall brewing process and making a latte:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgAyrD5NkRg
April 9th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
You are absolutely correct, Jo. These senchas are grown and processed like the highest grade gyokura. They are very similar.
April 9th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
The recommended temp and 60sec 1st infusion time sounds like a mainstream method for most green tea, although I don’t usually cut my 2nd infusion time by 75% of the 1st. I will follow the instruction to the T with the first 3 grams. Thank you for the sample, Michelle and Sandy.
Re: teapresso, I need to see and taste it for myself. I can’t help thinking, however, that this is the future of soul-less, commercialized tea.
Coffee is a “fast drink”? I read that the Eritrean coffee ceremony / party is a lengthy social affair involving a number of rituals. They brew their coffee in a large clay jug called the jebena. I deduce that coffee evolved into a “fast drink” due to commercialization or the societal needs in the industrial age and thereafter. Like or not, things such as Zarafina and teapresso will probably (or already) have a wide fan base.
I have several teapresso’s myself at home. They are in the form of 100ml or smaller Yixing teapots. I can brew mean shots of tea in a very short time with them. So strong, it will knock your socks off. Best of all, they don’t cost seven grand each…way way less, in fact.
April 9th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Yixing Teapresso’s, I love it!
April 10th, 2007 at 9:58 am
I’m assuming that the teapresso will only work with teas that can stand higher brewing temperatures like ripe pu-erh and black teas right? The temperature involved in steam brewing the tea will “fry” most green teas and oolongs.
April 10th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Well Sjschen, that’s what’s a little confusing to me. From my admittedly inadequate knowledge of this machine and how it works, my understanding is that it is being used primarily to make green tea lattes. That would suggest to me that they are using green tea! So you tell me; how does that work?
April 10th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Did anyone watch the video? It also ‘aggitates’ aka beats up (I suppose) the leaves. Our commercial brewing station is much like Phyll’s actually.
We think horizontally instead of laterally when it comes to volume customer output, so as not to compromise brewing time or letting the leaves float free without being roughed up. And the price amazes me. Even being able to make a glass of iced tea with a fresh shot in 2 minutes, you are still limited in customer volume and we can do it in under four with more volume ability. But, people LOVE gadgets. I’m still shaking my head that some coffeehouse people are paying over $10K for a one cup at a time coffee brewer. That’s called ‘cone coffee’ and a coffee cone and filter cost what..under $10?
I believe there are temperature settings for the water, if I remember the video or reading it somewhere. I’m waiting for Brendan’s email answer and that was one question I asked.
As far as the Zarafina, we are putting one out to see if it sells with one in stock in the back. As I said…people love gadgets, don’t they?
April 10th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Ankit posted this re: Brendan’s response:
I's other unique functions are the ability to adjust the water temp from one of the boilers for green tea lattes
April 10th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Well Sandy, I don’t know how this thing works either.
All I have are my assumptions, which is that hot steam was injected into the mass of tea leaves which brews and yet somehow agitates them at the same time(thus altering its flavours and what-not). But from what Team says (and the video) it seems to shoot water of a set temperature into the tea leaves to brew and agitate the tea. However, this would make more like a regular tea brewing device and outside of gadget allure does not justify such a hefty price tag.
On another note, I did a little experiment today and bought some CTC Ceylon to use it like coffee grinds in an espresso machine. The resulting brew had a tinge of coffee smell and it tasted a bit “chewy” tannic. But overall, the espresso method for brewing that particular CTC tea was much better than the steeping method in terms of time spent and the goods flavours extracted.
April 10th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Hello fellow tasters. I have sent out the remainder of the samples to everyone in the states. If my timing is correct (which is a crap shoot at best), everyone should receive their samples by the end of this week or very beginning of next the latest. Let’s set Wednesday the 18th of April as the date to post our notes. I will put up a post for that day that everyone can add their tasting notes to as comments.
Just a reminder that the brewing guidelines and tasting evaluation sheet can both be found at the top of this post. Enjoy the teas!
April 10th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
Hi Sandy!
Will taste the teas as per your reomendations - just wanted to share my ideas.
Have you posted samples to us also?
Ankit
April 11th, 2007 at 12:03 am
Team,
I personally believe that 7 grands is a bit too high.
I m intrested in buying these machines for the indian market and then later on trying to improve and develop them here at a much more economic cost.
If all goes well i will start by importing 10 machines.
Will keep all of you posted.
At the moment Russia and India are the largest growing markets for speciality teas and i think this machine will do a good job in both these countries.
Brendan will be giving me more info soon - i will keep you and all tching members posted.
Tk cr.
Ankit Lochan
April 11th, 2007 at 1:36 am
Yes Ankit. I sent out samples for you and Rajiv and everyone else overseas last Friday. You should have them by the end of the week hopefully.
April 11th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Sandy, first I apologize that we have deviated from your topic thread. Ankit, I don’t see only having the capability of making 1-2 drinks at a time in my shop, especially as we are focused on growth. My husband and I have had things manufactured in Taiwan and China and imagine it could be done for about a third of the cost. I am also assuming these machines are patented so are you talking about buying the rights or becoming the manufacturer for the companies making them now? At any rate, we wouldn’t be interested but I’m sure many would. We carefully looked at the espresso type method and found it didn’t give us the results we wanted and so developed our own. I see you are connected with Cargo and James. Do they use the Teapresso or Affinitea machines?
April 11th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Team, no need to apologize. This blog is for the community, not me. Whichever direction you take it in (within reason of course) is up to all of you.
April 12th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Hello!
Presently i am not sure of what would be the results of this machine - i will have to wait and see.
Can you please tell me more about your machine - i m dying to learn more on these gadgets.
Regarding Cargo and James we supply a lot of tea to them - but i m not sure which machine exactly they use - i have mailed tim - will revert once he replies.
Team — Can i know more about u and ur site .
BTW — for everyones info — we just uploaded some lovely FF 2007 teas on our site today - please do have a look if you get time.
Cheers !!
April 12th, 2007 at 11:55 am
Hello Ankit! As we will be having our opening in the next two weeks (it appears as all inspections are fine), I will contact you with photos, etc., after that time. I want to test the functioning under volume conditions of our system before contacting you. Hope you will bear with me..we’re all working very long and exhausting days and it will only get heavier!
April 16th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Due to the heavy rains in my area, I’ve noticed that the tap water here is being more heavily treated with chemicals. I normally run it through a Brita pitcher and use it for tea, but for something like this I’ll probably use bottled spring water. Something to keep in mind if your water is not all it could be. Treated water can make for a truly lousy cup of tea.
April 21st, 2007 at 7:11 am
Thanks again, Sandy, our samples have arrived. I’ll post soon at T Ching
May 29th, 2007 at 4:04 am
Hey All,
It's really great to hear that the teapresso has garnered some debate and questions.
Here is a an update after 3+ months of continuous use at our Teahouse in Kelowna.
The biggest question seems to be the concern over the machine's ability to brew delicate green tea at the proper temperature. The left boiler on the teapresso can be easily set to what ever temp you decide you want to brew tea at. At Chai Baba, you will find ours set at 85 C. It is exclusively used for greens, white and oolongs. The right boiler is not adjustable and produces water at 94 degrees C - so we use this side for blacks, rooibos, mate, honeybush, and fruit infusions. The resulting tea 'shots' from the teapresso are superior to anything that a clay teapot or French press can produce in about 1/3 of the time. This is a fact, because before I had this unit, I tried every method in the book to achieve the strength, taste and speed of what I am getting right now. It never happened.
You have to remember that the major difference here is pressure. It is the precise application of water pressure at 130 lbs that forces the essence from the leaf and produces the optimum shot. I have witnessed the elation on my customers faces when they first sip into a honeybush latte that is ripe with the beautiful essence of organic honeybush.
I should also mention how great the unit looks sitting on the counter for all to see. It conveys a strong message about our tea bar - that is - we are serious about our tea program.
The price sounds expensive - $7500 Cdn. It really is not. For years, these types of machines have been the cornerstone of the drink programs in coffee houses around the world. You wouldn't think of opening an upscale cafe in NA today without such a high end espresso maker. Well folks, I would not think of opening a modern teabar today without a teapresso or a similar unit that duplicates it's features and functions.
I should also mention that it has a steam wand and can froth up a chai latte in 20 seconds, and a hot water tap that can fill a pot of tea in a few seconds as well.
In as simple terms as possible as to why I purchased this machine after 10 years behind the counters of my teahouses? - because it is exactly what I was looking for.
The future of the teahouse/cafe is not going to be the Victorian doily laden tea room, nor the ultra-snooty tea snob that only serves tea in clay pots & refuses to acknowledge the groundswell of interest that is happening with tea - there is a place for these spots and I love them to death, but if we are to bring tea to the masses, to make it hip and fun, to attract the lifelong tea drinker, then the machine that will become the cornerstone of our businesses will be a unit like a teapresso.
I hope this clarifies some of the confusion about the machine. If you have anymore questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Happy sipping folks,
Brendan Waye