Gyokuro is a highly prized Japanese green tea with the rich and balanced characteristics highly sought after in tea. Compared to sencha, a Japanese green tea suitable for daily use, it is high in the amino acids that give richness to tea, often described as earthy balance or “Umami”. Theanine in Gyokuro has a calming and relaxing effect while its caffeine is a mild stimulant.
Since a pot is good for five or more brewings, when dancing with gyokuro a good time will surely ensue. Gyokuro is always handpicked and is shade grown during spring flush to enhance its deep color, flavor and aroma. This style of growing is similar to powdered ceremony tea, matcha.
When preparing gyokuro, optimal water temperature is close to body temperature, steeping is 2-3 minutes, and the water should be minimal to extract the full flavor much like the thick concentration of espresso in the world of coffee. Similar to the gong fu style tea of China, a cup for gyokuro is so concentrated and special that it will not hold more than an ounce or two of the brew. A small sip is enough to roll over and evaporate off the tongue; it leaves nothing to swallow, just a feel good delight of flavor rich for the body and soothing for the mind.
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