Tea Factory Gen: Setouchi Zairai Wakocha

Setouchi Craft Tea: Japanese Black Tea

Micro Batch Craft Teas from Tea-Factory-Gen

30g

Naturally grown in harmony with the surrounding ecosystem, this micro-batch craft wakocha is created from a blend of cultivars found on Tea Factory Gen's reclaimed tea gardens in the Setouchi region. 

This black tea is produced using pesticide-free trees grown in the warm Seto Inland Sea. Fermented using green tea leaves from Setouchi. As this tea is made from Zairai plants (grown from seed) rather than a cultivar it allows you to truly appreciate the flavour of the tea region. Enjoy this fruity and malty black tea with very low astringency and bitterness. 

To make this wakocha the tea leaves are left on a bamboo colander for 1.5-2 days for natural wilting, this removes moisture from the tea leaves. When the moisture is completely removed and the tea leaves wither, the colour of the leaves becomes matte. The kneading process is then started. After around 30 to 60 minutes the enzymes in the tea leaves are deactivated to stop fermentation, the tea leaves are then dried to finish. It is important that the leaf is carefully dried at a low temperature so that it does not become over-dried.

Steeping Notes: 5g | 200-250ml | 95°C | 1-2mins 

• Ingredients: Black Tea 
• Cultivar: Zairai - tea grown from seed
• Harvest: Late Spring
• Region: Setouchi Region around the Seto inland sea- Hiroshima & Okayama Prefectures
• Name: Tea Factory Gen
• Type: Independent, Family-owned tea factory

About The Farm:

Tea leaves grown without fertiliser or pesticides on the Sera Plateau in Hiroshima Prefecture. Founded in 2016, Tea Factory Gen is based in the Sera and Onomichi areas of Hiroshima Prefecture. Genki Takahashi and his friends, who share his ideals, are working to create natural teas grown from abandoned and regenerated tea plantations in Hiroshima.

Tea leaves harvested from tea trees that are 60 to 70 years old have less of the commonly-praised "umami" flavour, but are characterised by the natural sweetness and refreshing taste that is unique to the region.

To make the most of these characteristics, we produce a variety of teas, including "Hamacha," which is sun-dried on the beach for a week to give it the scent of the sea; "Seicha," a sencha that brings out its aroma through a process called withering.

We hope you will find your own unique favorite tea and enrich your life with tea time.