We are approaching New Year's Eve quickly. A few days ago was the winter solstice as well. It will be nice to get some more sunlight. In Sweden, sunrise happens at 8:55, and sunset will be at 15:30 today. Quite different from when I was living in Spain.

Today's tea is a deep steamed Kabusecha from Fukujuen. Grown in the south of Kyoto prefecture, the factory is located in Yamashiro. And it is sold under the Uji-cha tea brand name. It is a bit confusing as the product name says Kyo No Ryokucha, which I assumed was a more local Kyoto tea branding, perhaps.

First brew

In any case, a tea showcasing the Uji-cha brand of the region. It has a thick body, fresh spinach and some fresh grass notes. I am using a Futanashi teapot, one I have owned for many years. It works well with deep-steamed tea thanks to its metal mesh. So, the brew does not get excessively saturated. This is the only teapot with a metal mesh filter I own.

The brew's umami gets more noticeable as it cools down. A pleasant balance that probably will get stronger in the next simmering. There is a soft rain outside today, a perfect scenery to write this while enjoying a warm tea.

Second brew

A deep bright-green characteristic of a deep-steamed tea has fully shown up. I have always been amazed by this colour, yellow and green intermixing but not blending. The dust particles of the tea give it a cloudy and matte appearance.

This brew is much thicker and more flavourful, with some lingering green flavours. Balanced and not too overwhelming, I feared it would be the case before brewing. Noticeably stronger, though more tuned in due to an overall sweeter cup.

This tea was a gift from a Japanese friend who visited a couple of weeks ago. He is not a tea drinker, but he surprised me with this tea because he did not know what deep-steamed tea was. Decided to buy it as a present after the shop assistant explained it to him. Funny enough, we could try a similar tea from the region, another regional blend, that was lightly steamed, so he could compare.

I asked him to bring me a pan-fired Kamairicha if he could find any, and that is when he discovered deep-steamed teas. The Kamairicha we will write about another morning. The brew is cooling while I am overly excited writing on my notepad. A lower temperature seems to have turned down the volume on the flavour of the tea, making it a bit flatter than I would have preferred at this temperature. Nonetheless, it did not become a bad drink either.

Third brew

For this last brew, 90 degrees water is used. Over the years, I tended to brew at the same temperature during the entire session. With probes to be an easier way to brew, especially for all those teas I use just under boiling point water. Lately, after stepping up my tea education, and hearing some interesting opinions and experiences from different people, I am trying to break the mould a bit. Venture into other styles and thinking mindsets while brewing.

This next brew is less dense and rich than previous ones, but it has a more refreshing experience. It has a round sensation with nothing that spikes and throws off the balance of the cup.

This tea does not offer too much information, as it is a branded tea from the Kyoto region. Probably refined and blended using different leaf materials. Nevertheless, a perfect example of regional tea. It is accessible, approachable, and characteristic enough. For my friend, it succeeded in sparking interest in one of his home country's products, and that is important.

As for me, I do enjoy single cultivar unblended teas, but it is essential to be able to enjoy other teas for what they are as well. A tool, a drink, a time to share a moment with someone or oneself. That is incredibly significant and often forgotten by most tea drinkers, in my opinion.

This tea might not be the best you have experienced, but it has done two crucial things. Enabled a great experience and time with a friend. And grounded me after some busy days, giving me peace of mind and a space to practice gratitude and creativity.