Kabusechaかぶせ茶
Leaf from a field shaded for about a week before picking, then processed the same way as sencha. The shading is far shorter than gyokuro's, so it tends to sit between the two — more savory than sencha, less concentrated than gyokuro.
How to brew
- Leaf
- 5–7 g (for two — slightly generous)
- Water
- 60–90 ml
- Temp
- 60–70°C / 140–158°F
- Steep
- 1–1.5 min
- 2nd
- Slightly hotter, 30 sec
How it is made
Under the industry labeling standard it is leaf picked from a field covered with straw or shade cloth for about seven days before harvest, then processed the same way as sencha. The same standard defines gyokuro as covered for around twenty days, from when the first flush begins to shoot, under a trellis that shuts out the light almost completely. The length of the shading, and whether a trellis is built for it, are what separate the two in the standard.
Flavor
The theanine savoriness is clearly there, though generally less concentrated than gyokuro's. Astringency stays in the cup, so the finish is closer to sencha and lighter. The seaweed-like covering scent that shaded tea develops is present too, more restrained than in gyokuro.
Where it comes from
- Mie (Hokusei)
- Kyoto (Uji)
- Nara (Yamato)
Worth knowing
Its range is the point. Brew it like sencha at 70–80°C (158–176°F) and you get a light cup with some grip; take it down toward gyokuro at around 60°C (140°F) and the savoriness comes forward. Brewing the same leaf at two temperatures shows how much the water temperature moves the flavor. It is also an easy way in to shaded tea.