Sour. It is more noticeable the stronger the brew. I like the
stronger sour where the jaws ache. The weaker sour reminds me of
staleness where something has sit too long. I never took stock in
describing teas or reading what others say. I have recently started
to analyze tea according to the five taste sensations bitter, sweet,
salty, sour, umami or sometimes called savory. So far most fit in one
category or another. The closest Ive come to unami or savory is
DianHong which otherwise I would call rich and complex so I dont know
if a simple taste is appropriate. I always say there is no accounting
for taste buds but the science says you can.

Jim

On Oct 28, 10:11*am, Space Cowboy > wrote:
> Sour. *It is more noticeable the stronger the brew. *I like the
> stronger sour where the jaws ache. *The weaker sour reminds me of
> staleness where something has sit too long. *I never took stock in
> describing teas or reading what others say. *I have recently started
> to analyze tea according to the five taste sensations bitter, sweet,
> salty, sour, umami or sometimes called savory. *So far most fit in one
> category or another. *The closest Ive come to unami or savory is
> DianHong which otherwise I would call rich and complex so I dont know
> if a simple taste is appropriate. *I always say there is no accounting
> for taste buds but the science says you can.
>
> Jim

Sencha can be many things, there are light-steamed and heavy-steamed,
there are the different regions of Japan and different harvests among
a number of other factors which present quite an array of flavors and
qualities.

I go for the sweeter and fishy/kelpy ones myself, and only ever really
encounter what I would call sour in cheaper, inferior, leaf or if it
has been brewed improperly or a staleness as you mentioned. I have had
some very high-end matcha that imparted a sour note in the middle of
the taste which I didn't care for but was not a knock on quality,
brewing, or age... I just didn't like it.

I am terrible with the concept (and I know it has been explained many
times) but I always label astringency as that puckery/sour/jaw ache
feeling, but I guess it could be called sour. To me a bright and light
slightly sweet/corn note with some vegetal/fishy aspects are what
sencha is all about. There are plenty of types to cover everyone's
tastes.

Have you ever delved into gyokuro at all? Some of them can be
surprisingly like what you described, which again turn me off in favor
of others, but may be perfect for you.

- Dominic

Somewhere in the back of my mind I remember when green tea is steamed
it imparts a sour taste and when heated bitter. If I think about tea
taste at all Ill stay within the taste sensations. To me bitter is a
puckering of the taste buds, contraction of the troat, stomach
cramps. Ive tasted sencha enough to know it only twinges my jaw
muscles. My sour sencha revelation came this morning first shoveling
snow before drinking tea. I drink sencha only when its time. I have
more unopened packages of gyokuro than I do gunpowder :-).

Jim

On Oct 28, 8:32 am, "Dominic T." > wrote:
> On Oct 28, 10:11 am, Space Cowboy > wrote:
> >
....lock jaw...
>
> Sencha can be many things, there are light-steamed and heavy-steamed,
> there are the different regions of Japan and different harvests among
> a number of other factors which present quite an array of flavors and
> qualities.
>
> I go for the sweeter and fishy/kelpy ones myself, and only ever really
> encounter what I would call sour in cheaper, inferior, leaf or if it
> has been brewed improperly or a staleness as you mentioned. I have had
> some very high-end matcha that imparted a sour note in the middle of
> the taste which I didn't care for but was not a knock on quality,
> brewing, or age... I just didn't like it.
>
> I am terrible with the concept (and I know it has been explained many
> times) but I always label astringency as that puckery/sour/jaw ache
> feeling, but I guess it could be called sour. To me a bright and light
> slightly sweet/corn note with some vegetal/fishy aspects are what
> sencha is all about. There are plenty of types to cover everyone's
> tastes.
>
> Have you ever delved into gyokuro at all? Some of them can be
> surprisingly like what you described, which again turn me off in favor
> of others, but may be perfect for you.
>
> - Dominic