Japanese Genmaicha Yamasaki
Japanese Genmaicha Yamasaki
Light, golden yellow liquor with a unique, toasty rice flavor tending sweet, with a buttery finish. A tea that creates conversation.
HEALTH PROPERTIES: High in anti-oxidants
CAFFEINE LEVELS: Low
TEA SOURCING: China, Fujian Province
INGREDIENTS: Green tea (high grade Japanese Sencha), toasted and popped rice.
ETHICS: Ethical Tea Partnership and GMO free
THE STORY OF JASMINE WITH FLOWERS
Japanese Gemaicha is a specialty Japanese style green tea (a high grade of Japan Sencha) that is blended with fire-toasted rice. The fresh vegetative character of the green tea is imparted on the cup but it is tempered with the bakey-like character of the rice. This Yamasaki Japanese Gemmaicha has a natural sweetness and almost chewy character with a buttery finish. During the firing of the rice, it is not uncommon for rice to 'pop' like popcorn, hence the pet name 'popcorn-tea'.
Legend has it that during the 1400's an important samurai warlord was discussing a battle strategy with his patrol leaders. A servant named Genamai was pouring hot tea for the group when rice that he had surreptitiously taken for a morning snack fell out of his pocket into the steaming liquid, and some popped. The warlord was incensed, jumped up and cut off Genamai's head with his sword. He then sat down to continue the meeting, and in a show of bravado, drank the tea. He was surprised to discover that the flavor was unique and enjoyable. In honor of poor Genamai he ordered that this rice and tea be served every morning and be called 'Genmaicha'. 'Cha' is 'tea' in Japanese, so the name literally means 'Genmai's tea.'
BREWING INSTRUCTIONS
BREWING INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOT TEA: Infuse one slightly heaping teaspoon for each 8 ounce cup with water brought to a rolling boil (80-85 Celcius)for 3-7 minutes.
Infuse 6 slightly heaping teaspoons of tea with 1 1/4 cups of boiling water for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water, and add the infused tea, straining the leaves, to the pitcher. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Add lemon and sweeten to taste. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water.
Infuse 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of loose tea with 6 ounces of boiling water for 5 minutes. Add the tea to a 12 ounce glass, filled with ice, straining the leaves. Add hot tea to a 12oz/375ml acrylic glass filled with ice, straining the tea or removing the bags. Add lemon and sweeten to taste.
NUMBER OF CUPS: 15-20 cups from each 50 grams of tea, with a single use of the leaves. Loose leaf tea is traditionally infused 3 times, with a different flavor profile following each infusion. Accordingly, each 50 gram bag can make up to 60 cups of tea.