Okabe Gyokuro Okumidori

Gyokuro Okabe

Japanese green tea from the Okabe region in Shizuoka Prefecture. The leaves on the Okumidori cultivar bushes were shaded for thirty days before harvesting, then harvested by hand and processed. The tea has dark green, metallic-shiny leaves shaped into regular long needles with an intense sweet marzipan aroma and a hint of green pepper. Very light, lime green infusion with a delicate, velvety smooth, beautifully balanced sweet umami taste with a slight hint of sea salt, basil, and asparagus.

How to brew Gyokuro Okabe

Use 5 grams of tea leaves for 0.5 litre of boiling water cooled to 65-70 °C, steep for 60 seconds. Infuse the second infusion for 30 seconds and the third for 60 seconds. Feel free to experiment with steeping time, water temperature, and the amount of tea leaves. You can also read our articles on tea preparation and water quality. These tea leaves are also suitable for Asian-style preparation, which includes multiple infusions: you steep 5 grams of tea leaves per 150 ml of water that has boiled and cooled to 55–60 ᵒC for 20 seconds, and in the following three infusions, you steep the leaves for 30, 40, and 50 seconds, respectively. You can also try steeping the leaves in lukewarm water at 37 ᵒC for 7 minutes, or in slowly melting ice.

Have a look at out Blog articles:
Japanese green tea – in pursuit of umami.
Degustation Notes – Japanese Teas.