t- Magazin für Teekultur Ausgabe #1

Unlike regular Green Tea this Japanese green tea specialty from the 1st picking in May is slightly fermented. It comes from the tea variety "Benifuuki" and has a very high content of the antioxidative or antiallergic catechines EGCg and 3MeEGCg (EGCg3). The scent and flavor of this years harvest, when all conditions are just right during the time of the Benifuuki Spring picking surprised even us. We are delighted by this new harvest: As soon as you open the package a wonderful smell streams out, characteristic for Benifuuki and a little like that of very fine Oolong tea. The leaf structure is good and of a luscious green. In the cup the tea develops a soft green color with golden reflexions and caresses the tongue with playfully fruity and light with a subtle tartness and the elegant notes of jasmine in the scent.  Storage In order to preserve the precious flavours and ingredients of the tea as best as possible, we recommend to seal the bag well and store it cool and dark - ideally in your refrigerator or freezer.  The production and also the fragrance are similar to that of Oolong tea. However, the freshly harvested leaves are not simply heated, but steamed briefly at especially high temperatures. Furthermore, the partial fermentation does not take place in a warm environment as with Oolong, but in the dark at a low temperature. Only the further drying and pressing process corresponds to that of Oolong tea. Thanks to this special processing this unusual tea stays green like a real Japanese tea!

This Japanese green tea from the autumn picking is very tenderly fermented. It is made from the tea variety "Benifuuki". It is characterised by a high content of the special active ingredient epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG 3). The caffeine content of the autumn picking is comparatively low so that the tea is also suitable for the afternoon. The yellowish, clear cup has a milder aroma than the first two pickings with a gentle citrus note. The bitter constituents contained in the cup only become clearly apparent in taste when prepared strongly and infused for a long time. Storage In order to preserve the precious flavours and ingredients of the tea as best as possible, we recommend to seal the bag well and store it cool and dark - ideally in your refrigerator or freezer. 

The tea cultivar Benifuuki is characterised by a particularly high content of catechins (EGCG and EGCG3) which are readily available to the body and for this reason it is often drunk in Japan for allergies such as hay fever. PreparationBenifuuki Powder can be whisked up with water using a Chasen, just like Matcha.The catechins give this golden green powder a strong and astringent aroma, which makes it very economical in use. Already half the usual (Matcha-)dosage results in a finely fragrant tea. Aficionados like to drink it pure. For those who find the taste too tart, we recommend a mild dosage, a combination with mild mulberry leaf powder or the use as a supplement in drinks and food. Prepared with a little water and lemon and/or apple juice, it is, for example, a wonderfully refreshing drink. Storage In order to preserve the precious flavours and ingredients of the powder in the best possible way, we recommend to seal the bag well and store it in a cool and dark place, ideally in your refridgerator or freezer.

This Japanese green tea from the 2nd picking is very tenderly fermented. It is made from the tea variety "Benifuuki". This is characterized by a particularly high content of the special active ingredient epigallocatechin gallate 3 (EGCG 3), which reaches its peak similar to the caffeine content at the 2nd picking. The yellowish-green, clear cup has a slightly tart aroma with a floral note, which is particularly emphasized when the infusion time is shorter. The production and also the scent is similar to that of the Oolong tea. However, the freshly harvested leaves are not simply heated, but steamed for a short time while overheated. Furthermore, the partial fermentation does not take place in a warm environment as with Oolong, but in the dark at a low temperature! Only the further drying and pressing process corresponds to that of Oolong tea. Storage In order to preserve the precious flavours and ingredients of the tea as best as possible, we ask you to seal the bag well and store it cool and dark - ideally in your refrigerator or freezer. 

Can't decide which tea should be your next? Looking for the perfect gift for a tea-enthusiast (to be)? This Tasting Set gives you the opportunity to test five of the KEIKO teas of the early first plucking to explore the different flavours - find your personal favourite.The set contains 15g of each tea variety: Kabuse Diamond LeafKabuse Tenbu FukaKabuse DanKabuse SoshunKabuse Tenko<h3>Tea Tasting Notes</h3>Also included is a notebook where you can record the results and observations from your tastings. The notebook contains info and tips on preparation and 20 evaluation pages that give clues on what to look for when tea tasting and help visualise the diversity of varieties, the influence of preparation on taste and the classification of flavours (German language, CO2 neutral printed on 100% recycled paper).The notebook is in German only, but you can download an English translation for it here.<h3>Kabusecha</h3>Kabusecha or Kabuse Sencha stands for shaded Sencha. For this green tea, the tea plants are shaded with special nets before harvesting. The nets allow only about half of the light to pass through, which means that the plants produce a high content of chlorophyll and other active substances and at the same time few bitter substances. Their characteristic "shade aroma" is called "ooika".<h3>Fukamushicha</h3>The teas in this set have all been intensively steamed (fukamushi-cha, 100 - 120 seconds steaming time). The gentle steaming opens the leaf pores and the extracts pass from the tea leaf more easily and quickly into the water. This can be recognised by the deep green colour of the tea in the cup and the yield of the tea - with top qualities like these, 4 infusions are possible!<h3>Preparation</h3>We recommend an infusion temperature of 60-65°C for these teas. Let the first infusion steep for about 1 minute, for later infusions just steep briefly and pour out after a few seconds. For the last infusion, the infusion time can be extended a little more to get all the goodness out of the tea. Intensely steamed early pluckings are also particularly suitable for cold infusions (Mizudashi). Even with cold water, you get an intense and refreshing tea after just a few minutes. Since the bitter substances do not dissolve as strongly in cold water, the sweetish aromas of Kabusecha come into their own. For a cold-brew steep the tea leaves in cold water for at least 5 Minutes.Incidentally, the early pluckings also have a particularly high theanine content, which is noticeable in the sweet taste and comes out best at a low infusion temperature!<h3>Storage</h3>In order to preserve the valuable aromas and ingredients of the tea in the best possible way, we ask you to close the bag tightly and store it in a cool, dark place in the fridge or freezer.