Kenya Zebra Sencha Green Tea
Available Sizes : 100g or 500g
Innovative cup from Kenya. Light Japanese green tea notes with floral accents and an exceptionally smooth finish. Rare leaf from the Tuscany of Tea.  [ View more details ]
Can$12.44 / 100g
$9.22
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  • Tea Information
  • Tea Ingredients
  • How To Brew

Kenya Zebra Sencha Green Tea

  • Country of Origin: Kenya
  • Region: Kericho
  • Shipping Port: Mombassa
  • Grade: Sencha
  • Altitude: 6500’ ft. above sea level
  • Manufacturer Type: Orthodox
  • Cup Characteristics: Innovative cup from Kenya. Light Japanese green tea notes with floral accents and an exceptionally smooth finish. Rare leaf from the Tuscany of Tea.
  • Infusions: Rich russet gold
  • Ingredients: Luxury green tea


In recent years, Kenyan tea producers have taken to green tea production like a Grevy's Zebra to a watering hole. What do we mean by that? We’ll explain. Over the last 20 years or so, the population of the Grevy’s Zebra, also known as the Imperial Zebra, has dwindled to fewer than a couple thousand animals. Recently, conservationists in Kenya have begun working to help save the Zebras from extinction by protecting their natural habitat. Which is to say, that in order for the Zebras to make it to a watering hole they’ve needed a little outside help. Likewise, Kenyan tea producers, in order to produce tea masterpieces like this Zebra Sencha have needed a little outside help in the form of an imported Japanese tea genus perfectly geared to Sencha production.

While planting foreign tea varieties in Kenya isn’t a new phenomenon, (the Kenyan industry was in fact founded on tea bushes from India), producing premium Sencha is. So how did African Sencha come to be? Good question. For most of the 20th century, teas produced in Kenya were primarily black and CTC, (Cut Tear and Curl). The teas were, and still are prized for a rich, moody character that can fill out a commercial blend with aplomb, or be drunk straight up on their own. What made the teas so excellent were Kenya’s excellent husbandry techniques, climactic conditions and rich soil found east of Kenya’s Rift valley. In recent years, while demand for Kenyan black teas continues to grow, so to has worldwide demand for green teas as their exceptional health benefits became better understood. Kenyan growers, taking a page from the Vintner’s practice of planting old world wine varietals in new world vineyards, began looking to the far East for new teas and techniques that could be employed in Africa.

Our supplier determined that certain plots of Kosabei Estate shared similar ph levels to traditional Sencha plots in Shizuoka, Japan and decided to experiment. The broad-leafed bushes selected proved highly adaptable to the Kenyan soil and recently, the experiment began to pay off. Further employing the Japanese method of steaming the leaf before production, the final cup is bright with notes of grass, moss, honey and delicate seaweed. A magnificent tea development named after Kenya’s likewise magnificent animal.

ETP certified. The Ethical Tea Partnership is a tea industry initiative designed to monitor and regulate the living and working conditions on tea estates around the world. Metropolitan Tea was North America’s first signing member. Fair Trade certified. Fair Trade is an international movement that promotes increased standards of living for laborers in developing countries. For more on both please visit www.metrotea.com

  Tea Ingredients

           
Luxury Green Tea            

Hot Tea Method

When preparing by the cup, this tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times. The secret is to use water that is about 180°F or 90°C. Place 1 teaspoon of leaves in you cup and let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment - do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the tea is exhausted. Look at the pattern of the leaves in the brew - they foretell life.

Iced Tea Method

(to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water.]

 

 
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