"Diese wunderbare Bitterkeit" von Christoph Peters

For this year, we have combined the characteristically dreamlike, elegant fragrance of Yume Kaori (‘Dream Aroma’) with the delicately aromatic sweetness of the Sae Midori cultivar. Shincha Yume has a brilliant green liquor and is, once again this year, a treat for all the senses!Special features Shincha – the ‘new tea’ – heralds the start of the tea season every spring. It is the first tea made from the delicate, particularly aromatic leaf tips, which are harvested as early as mid-April in Kagoshima’s subtropical climate. To capture the fresh aroma as effectively as possible, Shincha is dried slightly more gently in the final processing stage than is usually the case with Sencha, giving the teas a special freshness that is particularly pronounced in Shincha Yume. Cultivars: 90% Yume Kaori from the KEIKO Organic Farm in Kawanabe (Chiran) 10% Sae Midori from Yamaguchi-san (Osumi)  Kabusecha is a green tea produced by shading the tea plants for 7–10 days prior to harvesting, which results in a high content of chlorophyll and other active compounds whilst minimising the formation of bitter substances. Its characteristic ‘shade-grown aroma’ is known as ‘Ooika’. Incidentally, early harvests such as Shincha Yume also have a particularly high theanine content, which is noticeable in their sweetish flavour.  Preparation  For Shincha Yume, we recommend a shorter steeping time of 40 seconds and a temperature of 65–70°C to allow the fragrance and velvety texture to fully develop. Allow the first infusion to steep for about 1 minute. After that, a few seconds are sufficient to draw out the leaves’ aroma. For the final infusion, you can increase the steeping time slightly to coax out every last bit of flavour. Should the tea still turn out stronger than desired, the intensity of the flavour can be easily adjusted by adding a little more water. Intensively steamed early-harvest teas are particularly well suited to cold infusions (Mizudashi). Even with cold water, Shincha Yume develops a particularly silky texture and refreshing clarity after just about 5 minutes of steeping. The sweet theanine notes also come into their own particularly well, as the bitter compounds do not dissolve as strongly in cold water.Storage To preserve the tea's valuable flavours and ingredients as much as possible, please close the bag tightly and store it in a cool, dark place in the fridge or freezer.

**Please note that due to high demand, there may currently be longer waiting times. For urgent orders, please select items marked with a green dot noted as “available.”**The Matcha Supreme is our mildest and yet most aromatic Matcha and is ideal for both connoisseurs and new discoverers of Matcha. It has a very intense colour and a complex scent. Matcha Supreme is characterized by its smooth, almost creamy taste and its intense yet mild aftertaste. Matcha Supreme is perfectly suited for the thick preparation as Koicha but is also a pleasure as Usucha. Genuine Japanese Matcha freshly ground in Germany The tea plants from which Matcha is made are traditionally 90% shaded. The plants develop a lot of chlorophyll, theanine and caffeine, but slightly fewer bitter substances. After steaming & drying the tea leaves, the leaf tissue is separated from the leaf veins. The delicate, flake-like leaf tissue particles are called "Tencha" and are later very slowly ground into high-quality Matcha on traditional granite stone mills. In order to preserve the sensitive ingredients in the best possible way, we at KEIKO grind the Matcha on genuine Japanese granite stone mills directly at our location in Diepholz, fresh when required. Did you know that traditional Matcha develops uniquely fine aromas, from mild and nut-like to intensive and grassy thanks to the elaborate production techniques? Storage In order to preserve the precious aromas and ingredients of Matcha in the best possible way, we recommend to seal the Matcha well and store it in a cool and dark place.

Chidori = Japanese for ‘plover’ Enjoy a gyokuro with dark, silky, needle-shaped leaves, offering fresh green Ooika aromas and a harmonious balance of delicate fruity spice and refined sweetness. The tea from the Yabukita cultivar is grown in the highlands of Kagoshima, and the tea bushes are harvested only once a year at the beginning of May. In two stages, the tea plants are shaded for a total of three weeks before harvesting and only lightly steamed (Asamushi). Gyokuro  Organically grown gyokuro is a rarity, as the tea plants are particularly susceptible to pests due to the heavy shading. Extreme care and a great deal of experience are therefore essential for cultivation. However, the effort is rewarded with a very distinctive, complex aroma. Gyokuro is often described as the master class of Japanese green tea cultivation. Preparation The classic method: Gyokuro is traditionally prepared very intensively with 6-7g of tea leaves per 100ml, water heated to 40-55°C and a steeping time of approx. 2 minutes. This produces a tea with an incredibly dense, full-bodied aroma and a very pronounced sweetness. Our recommendation: For a full but slightly lighter aroma, use 3-4g of tea leaves (a heaped teaspoon) per 100ml, water at 55-60°C and a steeping time of approx. 1.5 minutes. The second infusion then only steeps for approx. 30 to 45 seconds at 60°C. For the third infusion, the steeping time can be extended to one minute. Tip: Try a cold brew!The sweet aromas are particularly pronounced in cold infusions. To make a cold brew, add 3-4g of tea leaves to 100ml of cold water and steep for at least 5 minutes. In warm weather, you can also replace some of the cold water with ice cubes and serve in a wine or champagne glass. Storage To best preserve the valuable aromas and ingredients of the tea, please seal the bag tightly and store in a cool, dark place.

**Please note that due to high demand, there may currently be longer waiting times. For urgent orders, please select items marked with a green dot noted as “available.”** Matcha Mantoku is a true rarity of the tea world. It is slightly more fired than usual and therefore has a very complex taste with a warm, velvety and nut-like flavor. Intense but almost without bitterness. It is not only suitable for the light Matcha (Usucha), but, due to its mild aroma, also for the thick preparation (Koicha). Genuine Japanese Matcha freshly ground in Germany The tea plants from which Matcha is made are traditionally 90% shaded. The plants develop a lot of chlorophyll, theanine and caffeine, but slightly fewer bitter substances. After steaming & drying the tea leaves, the leaf tissue is separated from the leaf veins. The delicate, flake-like leaf tissue particles are called "Tencha" and are later very slowly ground into high-quality Matcha on traditional granite stone mills. In order to preserve the sensitive ingredients in the best possible way, we at KEIKO grind the Matcha on genuine Japanese granite stone mills directly at our location in Diepholz, fresh when required. Did you know that traditional Matcha develops uniquely fine aromas, from mild and nut-like to intensive and grassy thanks to the elaborate production techniques? Storage In order to preserve the precious aromas and ingredients of Matcha in the best possible way, we kindly ask you to seal the Matcha well and store it in a cool and dark place.

Tonbo = Japanese for "dragonfly"Thanks to slightly more intensive steaming and drying, this gyokuro is particularly rich in extracts. This is reflected in a beautiful green colour in the cup and a spicy, warm aroma, making the tea a wonderfully full-bodied treat.  The tea from the Sae Midori cultivar is grown in the highlands of Kagoshima, and the tea bushes are harvested only once a year at the end of April. In two stages, the tea plants are shaded for a total of three weeks before harvesting and only lightly steamed (Asamushi).  Gyokuro  Organically grown gyokuro is a rarity, as the tea plants are particularly susceptible to pests due to the heavy shading. Extreme care and a great deal of experience are therefore essential for cultivation. However, the effort is rewarded with a very distinctive, complex aroma. Gyokuro is often described as the master class of Japanese green tea cultivation. Preparation The classic method: Gyokuro is traditionally prepared very intensively with 6-7g of tea leaves per 100ml, water heated to 40-55°C and a steeping time of approx. 2 minutes. This produces a tea with an incredibly dense, full-bodied aroma and a very pronounced sweetness. Our recommendation: For a full but slightly lighter aroma, use 3-4g of tea leaves (a heaped teaspoon) per 100ml, water at 55-60°C and a steeping time of approx. 1.5 minutes. The second infusion then only steeps for approx. 30 to 45 seconds at 60°C. For the third infusion, the steeping time can be extended to one minute. Tip: Try a cold brew!The sweet aromas are particularly pronounced in cold infusions. To make a cold brew, add 3-4g of tea leaves to 100ml of cold water and steep for at least 5 minutes. In warm weather, you can also replace some of the cold water with ice cubes and serve in a wine or champagne glass. Storage To best preserve the valuable aromas and ingredients of the tea, please seal the bag tightly and store in a cool, dark place.