Gyokuro Gokoh (玉露)
Ask Japanese tea farmers which tea they consider to be the most treasured, and chances are gyokuro will be the top response. While matcha is the most well known Japanese tea internationally, and sencha is the most consumed daily, gyokuro is the most prized. Sometimes translated poetically as “Jade Dew”, gyokuro is shaded by “Tana” canopy for 20-30 days prior to harvest (like matcha) to reduce catechin production by the tea plant, which shifts the taste profile from a more brisk/astringent tea to a gentler, savory, and soup broth-like tea which is vividly green in the cup. Even today, gyokuro is almost exclusively produced in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture and accounts for less than 0.05% of tea production in Japan. Our gyokuro is particularly special as it uses the Gokoh varietal of tea plant cultivar prized for its aroma, and is found in very limited quantities exclusively in the Uji region. Careful attention to brewing parameters (high leaf-to-water ratio, low water temp — see below) is required to bring out the best characteristics that gyokuro is prized for, and we are excited to offer such a “noble” tea.
Origin: Uji, Kyoto Prefecture
Tea plant cultivar: Gokoh
Net Weight: 100g (about 12-15 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). For this reason, teapots are smaller to allow for full emptying between infusions, and making a fresh infusion each time.
Tea leaves: 1.5 Tbsp (7-8 grams, or 2 heaping scoops with a “Chasaji” cherry bark tea scoop)
Water temp: 50C (122F) for the first two infusions, 60C (140F) for third infusion. Lower water temperature emphasizes the sweetness that gyokuro is known for, and avoids excess bitterness
Water amount: ~200-300mL (size of one typical “kyusu” style teapot)
Brew time: 1.5 minutes (longer than sencha)
Feel free to experiment with water temperature and brewing time to your taste. If tea tastes bitter, try a lower temperature or slightly less leaves. 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).
Ask Japanese tea farmers which tea they consider to be the most treasured, and chances are gyokuro will be the top response. While matcha is the most well known Japanese tea internationally, and sencha is the most consumed daily, gyokuro is the most prized. Sometimes translated poetically as “Jade Dew”, gyokuro is shaded by “Tana” canopy for 20-30 days prior to harvest (like matcha) to reduce catechin production by the tea plant, which shifts the taste profile from a more brisk/astringent tea to a gentler, savory, and soup broth-like tea which is vividly green in the cup. Even today, gyokuro is almost exclusively produced in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture and accounts for less than 0.05% of tea production in Japan. Our gyokuro is particularly special as it uses the Gokoh varietal of tea plant cultivar prized for its aroma, and is found in very limited quantities exclusively in the Uji region. Careful attention to brewing parameters (high leaf-to-water ratio, low water temp — see below) is required to bring out the best characteristics that gyokuro is prized for, and we are excited to offer such a “noble” tea.
Origin: Uji, Kyoto Prefecture
Tea plant cultivar: Gokoh
Net Weight: 100g (about 12-15 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). For this reason, teapots are smaller to allow for full emptying between infusions, and making a fresh infusion each time.
Tea leaves: 1.5 Tbsp (7-8 grams, or 2 heaping scoops with a “Chasaji” cherry bark tea scoop)
Water temp: 50C (122F) for the first two infusions, 60C (140F) for third infusion. Lower water temperature emphasizes the sweetness that gyokuro is known for, and avoids excess bitterness
Water amount: ~200-300mL (size of one typical “kyusu” style teapot)
Brew time: 1.5 minutes (longer than sencha)
Feel free to experiment with water temperature and brewing time to your taste. If tea tastes bitter, try a lower temperature or slightly less leaves. 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).
Ask Japanese tea farmers which tea they consider to be the most treasured, and chances are gyokuro will be the top response. While matcha is the most well known Japanese tea internationally, and sencha is the most consumed daily, gyokuro is the most prized. Sometimes translated poetically as “Jade Dew”, gyokuro is shaded by “Tana” canopy for 20-30 days prior to harvest (like matcha) to reduce catechin production by the tea plant, which shifts the taste profile from a more brisk/astringent tea to a gentler, savory, and soup broth-like tea which is vividly green in the cup. Even today, gyokuro is almost exclusively produced in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture and accounts for less than 0.05% of tea production in Japan. Our gyokuro is particularly special as it uses the Gokoh varietal of tea plant cultivar prized for its aroma, and is found in very limited quantities exclusively in the Uji region. Careful attention to brewing parameters (high leaf-to-water ratio, low water temp — see below) is required to bring out the best characteristics that gyokuro is prized for, and we are excited to offer such a “noble” tea.
Origin: Uji, Kyoto Prefecture
Tea plant cultivar: Gokoh
Net Weight: 100g (about 12-15 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). For this reason, teapots are smaller to allow for full emptying between infusions, and making a fresh infusion each time.
Tea leaves: 1.5 Tbsp (7-8 grams, or 2 heaping scoops with a “Chasaji” cherry bark tea scoop)
Water temp: 50C (122F) for the first two infusions, 60C (140F) for third infusion. Lower water temperature emphasizes the sweetness that gyokuro is known for, and avoids excess bitterness
Water amount: ~200-300mL (size of one typical “kyusu” style teapot)
Brew time: 1.5 minutes (longer than sencha)
Feel free to experiment with water temperature and brewing time to your taste. If tea tastes bitter, try a lower temperature or slightly less leaves. 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).