なかや農園 Nagano Hand-harvested Organic Black Tea
Yes, Japan does make black tea! It is called wakoucha, meaning “red tea” as Asian cultures describe the color of the tea liquor rather than the dry leaf as is more the convention in the West. Another special tea from our co-op tea farm partner Nakaya Farm perched along the steep banks of the Tenryu river in Nagano Prefecture. This is a hand-harvested, organic black tea which is the first of its kind to be produced in Nagano Prefecture, and the only single-origin black tea (produced by a single farmer) in Nagano.
Utilizing the Yabukita cultivar (similar to their incredible sencha here), the leaves are very uniformly oxidized in this black tea which is processed into a loose-cut style. Its taste is reminiscent of the cacao notes found in a Chinese Keemun black tea, but also with the brighter brass and crisp tannins of a Sri Lankan Ceylon tea. It’s suitable for lemon or if brewed stronger perhaps a dash of cream but we generally enjoy its delicate and fragrant brew plain.
Enjoy the breathtaking pictures of the tea farm, courtesy of Shinoda-san at Nakaya Farm
Origin: NakaiSamurai, Tenryu, Nagano Prefecture
Tea plant cultivar: Yabukita
Process: Tezumi (hand-picked); organic, fully oxidized
Net Weight: 80g (about 10-12 servings)
Brewing Guidance:
All Sanriku teas can be brewed up to 3 infusions with full flavor.
A quick note: When brewing Japanese tea, all of the water is meant to be poured out with each infusion (as opposed to Western-style brewing, where leaves are left in the water - although this tea could do well this way compared to the green teas). For this reason, teapots are smaller to allow for full emptying between infusions, and making a fresh infusion each time.
Tea leaves: 1-1.5 Tbsp (7-8 grams, or 2 heaping scoops with a “Chasaji” cherry bark tea scoop)
Water temp: 100C (212F)
Water amount: ~200-300mL (size of one typical “kyusu” style teapot)
Brew time: 45 seconds for 1st infusion, 1 minute for 2nd infusion, 2 minutes for 3rd infusion
Feel free to experiment with water temperature and brewing time to your taste. If desiring a stronger flavor, we recommend using more leaf or slightly less water rather than pushing the temperature higher or infusion time longer (as this will bring out more astringency in the tea but not necessarily more flavor)
Yes, Japan does make black tea! It is called wakoucha, meaning “red tea” as Asian cultures describe the color of the tea liquor rather than the dry leaf as is more the convention in the West. Another special tea from our co-op tea farm partner Nakaya Farm perched along the steep banks of the Tenryu river in Nagano Prefecture. This is a hand-harvested, organic black tea which is the first of its kind to be produced in Nagano Prefecture, and the only single-origin black tea (produced by a single farmer) in Nagano.
Utilizing the Yabukita cultivar (similar to their incredible sencha here), the leaves are very uniformly oxidized in this black tea which is processed into a loose-cut style. Its taste is reminiscent of the cacao notes found in a Chinese Keemun black tea, but also with the brighter brass and crisp tannins of a Sri Lankan Ceylon tea. It’s suitable for lemon or if brewed stronger perhaps a dash of cream but we generally enjoy its delicate and fragrant brew plain.
Enjoy the breathtaking pictures of the tea farm, courtesy of Shinoda-san at Nakaya Farm
Origin: NakaiSamurai, Tenryu, Nagano Prefecture
Tea plant cultivar: Yabukita
Process: Tezumi (hand-picked); organic, fully oxidized
Net Weight: 80g (about 10-12 servings)
Brewing Guidance:
All Sanriku teas can be brewed up to 3 infusions with full flavor.
A quick note: When brewing Japanese tea, all of the water is meant to be poured out with each infusion (as opposed to Western-style brewing, where leaves are left in the water - although this tea could do well this way compared to the green teas). For this reason, teapots are smaller to allow for full emptying between infusions, and making a fresh infusion each time.
Tea leaves: 1-1.5 Tbsp (7-8 grams, or 2 heaping scoops with a “Chasaji” cherry bark tea scoop)
Water temp: 100C (212F)
Water amount: ~200-300mL (size of one typical “kyusu” style teapot)
Brew time: 45 seconds for 1st infusion, 1 minute for 2nd infusion, 2 minutes for 3rd infusion
Feel free to experiment with water temperature and brewing time to your taste. If desiring a stronger flavor, we recommend using more leaf or slightly less water rather than pushing the temperature higher or infusion time longer (as this will bring out more astringency in the tea but not necessarily more flavor)
Yes, Japan does make black tea! It is called wakoucha, meaning “red tea” as Asian cultures describe the color of the tea liquor rather than the dry leaf as is more the convention in the West. Another special tea from our co-op tea farm partner Nakaya Farm perched along the steep banks of the Tenryu river in Nagano Prefecture. This is a hand-harvested, organic black tea which is the first of its kind to be produced in Nagano Prefecture, and the only single-origin black tea (produced by a single farmer) in Nagano.
Utilizing the Yabukita cultivar (similar to their incredible sencha here), the leaves are very uniformly oxidized in this black tea which is processed into a loose-cut style. Its taste is reminiscent of the cacao notes found in a Chinese Keemun black tea, but also with the brighter brass and crisp tannins of a Sri Lankan Ceylon tea. It’s suitable for lemon or if brewed stronger perhaps a dash of cream but we generally enjoy its delicate and fragrant brew plain.
Enjoy the breathtaking pictures of the tea farm, courtesy of Shinoda-san at Nakaya Farm
Origin: NakaiSamurai, Tenryu, Nagano Prefecture
Tea plant cultivar: Yabukita
Process: Tezumi (hand-picked); organic, fully oxidized
Net Weight: 80g (about 10-12 servings)
Brewing Guidance:
All Sanriku teas can be brewed up to 3 infusions with full flavor.
A quick note: When brewing Japanese tea, all of the water is meant to be poured out with each infusion (as opposed to Western-style brewing, where leaves are left in the water - although this tea could do well this way compared to the green teas). For this reason, teapots are smaller to allow for full emptying between infusions, and making a fresh infusion each time.
Tea leaves: 1-1.5 Tbsp (7-8 grams, or 2 heaping scoops with a “Chasaji” cherry bark tea scoop)
Water temp: 100C (212F)
Water amount: ~200-300mL (size of one typical “kyusu” style teapot)
Brew time: 45 seconds for 1st infusion, 1 minute for 2nd infusion, 2 minutes for 3rd infusion
Feel free to experiment with water temperature and brewing time to your taste. If desiring a stronger flavor, we recommend using more leaf or slightly less water rather than pushing the temperature higher or infusion time longer (as this will bring out more astringency in the tea but not necessarily more flavor)