80
drank Uji Shincha by Ippodo
4278 tasting notes

Sipdown! (8 | 53)

Back into sipdowns! I went through my physical tea cupboard yesterday and organized it a bit, pulled out a few things that were low, and re-organized the clear acrylic bins I have on top of the counter, with small packets and teas to be sipped down. And then today, I added a few missing teas to my spreadsheet and then synchronized my Steepster cupboard with it. So I’m good to go!

I do have 8 sipdowns already, but a few of those were old teas that got dumped. I guess I could call them “trashdowns”? XD But I’m still counting them, so there!

This tea was actually a small swap sample from a sweet Instagram friend, and it’s the 2021 harvest. I was feeling a Japanese green and figured I would “kill two birds” so to speak, by also getting a sipdown. We’ll ignore the fact that I somehow managed to pick up the packet upside down and dump the leaves all over the counter and floor, much to the delight of two snorting puglets below…

Steeped for 60s and then 15s in a gravity steeper, and combined both steeps in a mug because I’m lazy. It’s always amazing when I haven’t had sencha for a while and then try one, because I forget how deep and complex of a flavor they have. It’s really unlike any other type of tea IMO. This one is thick with vegetal flavors, from darker kale, bok choy, and squash up to creamy soybean. It has a deep umami undertone and slightly viscous texture that just makes it taste so brothy and restorative to me. Quite smooth as well, with just a touch of bitterness at the end of the sip, and a subtle astringency that brings to mind dry grass, warm from the sun. I wonder if it’s shaded at all? It has a deep intensity and sweetness that I often find in kabusecha.

Anyway, I’ve rambled enough. Tea good, me like tea! Oh, and after adding some more statistics to my spreadsheet, I realllllly need to drink more Japanese teas, as I literally have 64 entries built up for Kyoto Obubu… O.O

P.S. – I had the second half of this with a honeycrisp apple and it was a super interesting pairing! The apple tasted more tart than usual and the tea tasted less vegetal/umami and more grassy, also with a stronger sakura note.

Flavors: Astringent, Bitter, Bok Choy, Broth, Dry Grass, Kale, Sakura, Savory, Smooth, Soybean, Squash, Sweet, Thick, Umami, Vegetal, Viscous

Preparation
165 °F / 73 °C 1 min, 0 sec 5 g 7 OZ / 200 ML
Courtney

“Trashdown” XD

Cameron B.

Dumpdown? Tossdown? XD

Courtney

Love it — this happens to me as well. Compostdown!

Cameron B.

Even better!

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Comments

Courtney

“Trashdown” XD

Cameron B.

Dumpdown? Tossdown? XD

Courtney

Love it — this happens to me as well. Compostdown!

Cameron B.

Even better!

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Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- December sipdowns: 1
- Total 2024 sipdowns: 157

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia (or monkfruit, etc.).

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

https://www.instagram.com/tea...

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