Hi, I bought recently a wonderful book, Jane Pettigrew's The Tealover's Companion, which has a directory of 80 major teas from around the world. In her book, Ms Pettigrew recommends that you use 6 grams of sencha per 160 ml (5.5 fl oz). (80C/175F for 2 minutes). Can this be really right?
Using the same ratio, when preparing two small cups, one would need 14 grams for 350 mls of water, which is a lot of tea - certainly more than two teaspoons, maybe closer to two heaping tablespoons.
I know some think that one should follow one's insticts, and while I partly agree, I am also interested in how the teas really should taste and be prepared.
Previously, I have used the "teaspoon per cup" rule, which produces very mild and light, but still pleasant sencha. It was like drinking hot water, with a very subtle hint of a pleasant green tea taste.
Now I bought a digital scale, and brewed sencha according to 6 grams per 160 ml, which produced a totaly different taste. Now the sencha is more of an aquired taste, definetly stronger, more grass-like, with a hint of bitterness (not in a negative way) mixed in. I like this "new sencha" too, but it certainly is different.
Can some one help and tell me which is the "real sencha", which is the way properly brewed sencha ought to taste like? Does your sencha taste subtle or strongly like grass?