Tea AMA: Meet Zach Mangan of Tea Wing
Which regions of Japan grow the best teas? Where do you find yourself most often? I know that Shizuoka Greens are pretty well-known, do you find the attention is deserved?
Japan has strong regional production areas all claiming to be the best. Truth is, great/interesting/different tea is available all over the country. I think the Honyama area of Shizuoka makes great Sencha. That being said, I also love the richness of Yame sencha and the strength of Kagoshima sencha as well. I would say firmly that Yame constantly makes the best Gyokuro in Japan and Uji (near Kyoto) still probably produces the best matcha in the world. But regional taste is part of the charm of tea. I was given some bancha made by my friends grandma near Hiroshima which isn’t a well known tea region and it was fantastic. I’ll drink it all!
As a midwest boy, what was your first tea experience. And, are you still creating music on the side?
As stated earlier, I drank a lot of tea when I was a kid. My parents still drink more coffee then tea but somehow I came out a tea drinker. The first great tea I ever bought was in Paris. Thats when I realized there was a so much to learn and so much to drink. And yes, I still play music all the time. I am playing tonight in the West Village (NYC) at 32 jones st. at 9:30. Anyone who comes and mentions this thread gets a free Tea Wing surprise!
why shade your tea 20 days before harvest? is it an arbitrary number, based on experience or scientific experimentation?
Good question. As far As I know 20 days grew out of experimentation and became a rule. Japanese culture is very cognizant of time and it makes sense to me that they would hold on to this specific time frame. It isn’t entirely arbitrary, sometimes producers will go 19 or 21. but not often
How did you start sourcing tea? Where did you start? How’d you know how to start?
Refer to question #8. I was inspired to start a business by my friend Alissa White who owns Matcha Source. I helped her run Matcha Box, a pop up store in SOHO. After that summer (and because of it) I went on to start my own company with some friends I made while working there. I used a single contact (my now partner) as the starting point to build all of my connections throughout Japan and broader Asia. At a certain point people started contacting me and I developed from there. Short answer: I had no idea and improvised as I went. I don’t have a business background, I have a jazz performance background (which helps in the improv department)!
What would be the best temperature to brew a Pouchang at? And a Silver Needles (Jasmine) – is it the same as for regular oolongs and white teas?
Brewing tea takes practice. At first measure your tea with a scale, check your water temperature and the amount of water (and ALWAYS filter it, then boil it completely before cooling it). Over time you will develop a sense for making tea without needing all the gadgets. Tea is special because its always different. And don’t stress if you brew it wrong. I still screw up brewing! But the longer you make tea, the better and more consistent you’ll be. here is a great staring point for parameters from my buddy Sebastian Beckwith: http://www.inpursuitoftea.com/Brewing-Guide-s/30.htm
What matcha is the best one to buy,I have heard of so many brands and so may ways to make it.Which brand would you buy,and how would you drink it? Thick or thin? And how many cups of Matcha do you get in 40g?
I am partial to my own matcha line (http://shop.teawing.co/collections/matcha) but there are other good ones out there too. I think you should get a few different brands and experiment (over time perhaps, matcha is expensive). Avoid buying in bulk. Matcha loses its flavor and aroma quickly. Keep it refrigerated and sealed when not using it. You can put it in the freezer if you want it to keep for a longer period of time. Not all matcha is equal. Food quality matcha is bitter if you prepare it to drink. And thick grade tea (koicha) is the only variety you can use to make thick tea. I would advise you to look for matcha from Uji, Yame, or Nishio (Near Nagoya). Think of a serving of Thin tea as about 2-3 grams, and thick tea as about 4-5 grams.
I’d like to start drinking some green teas for health. I’ve previously tried a couple different ones, but I found them bitter. What brands or types of green teas would you recommend to someone that drinks mostly black teas?
I’d start with houjicha (http://shop.teawing.co/collections/the-worlds-best-tea-bags/products/houjicha-tea-bags). Its approachable and is a great entry point into the world of green tea. Genmaimatcha (http://shop.teawing.co/collections/the-worlds-best-tea-bags/products/genmai-tea-bags) is also a nice starting point as the taste is easy to understand and matcha powder adds depth (and potential health benefits). Good luck!
How did you decide to focus on greens over other types of tea? Also, what tea do you think offers best “bang for your buck” – great taste and high quality without breaking the bank?
I started in green tea because I love it so much (selfish I know). I figured I ought to like what I am selling.
I think our Karigane #22 (http://shop.teawing.co/products/karigane-22) is a fantastic deal at $22.00. It’s from a high quality producer, has great depth, flavor and aroma, and steeps well through 3 rounds.
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