Kabusecha Shade Tea

Instructions

1. Prepare the water
   Heat filtered water to 70°C (158°F). Using the correct temperature is crucial for Kabusecha to avoid extracting bitter compounds from the leaves. If you don't have a thermometer, bring water to a boil and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
2. Warm the teapot
   Pour a small amount of the heated water into your kyusu or teapot and swirl it around. This warms the vessel, ensuring your brewing temperature remains consistent. Discard this water.
3. Add the tea leaves
   Add 4 tablespoons (12g) of Kabusecha tea leaves to the warmed teapot. For best results, use 3g of tea leaves per 200ml of water. Gently shake the pot to distribute the leaves evenly.
4. First infusion
   Pour the 70°C water over the leaves and steep for exactly 90 seconds. Kabusecha contains more amino acids than regular sencha, resulting in a more umami-rich flavor that develops perfectly at this temperature and time.
5. Serve the tea
   Pour small amounts into each cup in rotation, going back and forth between cups. This ensures each cup has tea of the same strength and flavor. In Japanese tea ceremony, this is called 'cycle pouring' and creates a balanced serving for everyone.
6. Subsequent infusions
   Kabusecha leaves can be steeped multiple times. For the second infusion, use slightly hotter water (75°C) and steep for only 30 seconds. For the third infusion, use 80°C water and steep for 45-60 seconds. Each infusion will reveal different flavor notes.