I have a package of Harney & Sons "Japanese Sencha Premium Green Tea"
bags.

The brewing instructions on the box clearly call for boiled water to
be poured into a warmed pot or mug (containing the tea bag) for three
minutes.

I woud imagine Sencha would (should?) taste better when brewed using
water from the kettle at 170 or so (maybe even in an unwarmed cup?)

What's going on?

"Sam" > wrote in message
m...
> I have a package of Harney & Sons "Japanese Sencha Premium Green Tea"
> bags.
>
> The brewing instructions on the box clearly call for boiled water to
> be poured into a warmed pot or mug (containing the tea bag) for three
> minutes.
>
> I woud imagine Sencha would (should?) taste better when brewed using
> water from the kettle at 170 or so (maybe even in an unwarmed cup?)
>
> What's going on?

I don't know why they do this, but every package of green, and even white,
tea bags that I've ever had says to use boiling water. Go figure. I use a
cooler temperature despite the instructions. It's never as good as loose
leaf tea no matter what you do, but you've certainly got a better chance at
a drinkable cup if you use the appropriate water temperature IMHO.

Agalena

One of these days whenever I get broadband Internet access I'm going to use
Google to find out who started the tepid tea temperature myth for tea. A
few suspects come to mind. All I need to know is how they inflate their
tires during winter.

Trick or Treat
Jim

"Agalena" > wrote in message
news:abIob.75748$e01.256408@attbi_s02...
>
> "Sam" > wrote in message
> m...
> > I have a package of Harney & Sons "Japanese Sencha Premium Green Tea"
> > bags.
> >
> > The brewing instructions on the box clearly call for boiled water to
> > be poured into a warmed pot or mug (containing the tea bag) for three
> > minutes.
> >
> > I woud imagine Sencha would (should?) taste better when brewed using
> > water from the kettle at 170 or so (maybe even in an unwarmed cup?)
> >
> > What's going on?
>
> I don't know why they do this, but every package of green, and even white,
> tea bags that I've ever had says to use boiling water. Go figure. I use a
> cooler temperature despite the instructions. It's never as good as loose
> leaf tea no matter what you do, but you've certainly got a better chance
at
> a drinkable cup if you use the appropriate water temperature IMHO.
>
> Agalena

10/31/03


> I have a package of Harney & Sons "Japanese Sencha Premium Green Tea"
> bags.
>
> The brewing instructions on the box clearly call for boiled water to
> be poured into a warmed pot or mug (containing the tea bag) for three
> minutes.
>
> I woud imagine Sencha would (should?) taste better when brewed using
> water from the kettle at 170 or so (maybe even in an unwarmed cup?)
>
> What's going on?

Sam,

Welcome to the world of "Don't Give A Rat's Ass about Their Tea or Their
Customers" tea vendors. Of course, you are one hundred percent correct. I
never buy tea from vendors whose brewing instructions are an insult to the
tea, the tea producer, and the tea drinker. Well, almost never. Vendor
should be boiled in his Sencha. Not that I have an opinion on this.

Michael

On Mon, 03 Nov 2003 14:12:13 GMT, Michael Plant > wrote:
> Welcome to the world of "Don't Give A Rat's Ass about Their Tea or Their
> Customers" tea vendors.

Now now, being careless about their printing/labelling doesn't mean
they don't care about their customers or about their products.

E.g., remember Imperial Tea Court's recommendation on their website of
a 3-5 minute infusion for gong fu cha (which is still there)? Yet
ITC's employees are very helpful and almost scarily knowledgeable
about their (excellent selection of) teas.

The same sort of things is the case for Harney & Sons, IME. I
recommend a day-trip to their tasting room in western CT for the what
a very pleasant cure for your hyperbole. ;-)


N., sipping hand-rolled Uji sencha purchased from H&S, brewed in a
gaiwan for 2 minutes using 70 deg. C water.

Point well taken, Natarajan. It just urks me. Or is it "irks"? Anyway, it
annoys me. I'll try to restrain myself.

Best,
Michael


Natarajan /3/03


> On Mon, 03 Nov 2003 14:12:13 GMT, Michael Plant > wrote:
>> Welcome to the world of "Don't Give A Rat's Ass about Their Tea or Their
>> Customers" tea vendors.
>
> Now now, being careless about their printing/labelling doesn't mean
> they don't care about their customers or about their products.
>
> E.g., remember Imperial Tea Court's recommendation on their website of
> a 3-5 minute infusion for gong fu cha (which is still there)? Yet
> ITC's employees are very helpful and almost scarily knowledgeable
> about their (excellent selection of) teas.
>
> The same sort of things is the case for Harney & Sons, IME. I
> recommend a day-trip to their tasting room in western CT for the what
> a very pleasant cure for your hyperbole. ;-)
>
>
> N., sipping hand-rolled Uji sencha purchased from H&S, brewed in a
> gaiwan for 2 minutes using 70 deg. C water.

In article >,
Michael Plant > wrote:

> Point well taken, Natarajan. It just urks me. Or is it "irks"? Anyway, it
> annoys me. I'll try to restrain myself.
>
> Best,
> Michael
{SNIP}

If you "urk" then you excuse yourself. If you "irk" then I excuse
myself?

--
--Chandler --
May Hog be your boatman when you reach the River Styx