A Shizuoka Green Tea Chu-hi that is All About the Tea!

I have had different experiences with Shizuoka green tea chu-hi in the past, but my problem with them usually is that they were good drinks but not so much for the tea. However, I want to introduce one that I really enjoy for the flavour of the tea.

I have been noticing this can at local Aeon supermarkets lately, and it does stand out because Aeon is a massive nation-wide chain, and this is the only green tea chu-hi they carry, so it must be good, right?

And it is!

Finally, I can say that this is truly a can of Shizuoka green tea, and it just happens to have an edge that adults can enjoy. One thing that most green tea chu-hi's do not do well is to cover the bitterness of alcohol in the drink, but in this case (or rather, in this can), the 4% alcohol is not prominent in any way, yet it is enough to add some more joy to my peaceful evening.

The star is definitely the tea itself, or themselves. You see, the two kinds of tea used to make this drink are both from Shizuoka, which is hinted by the beautiful painting of Mt. Fuji that is on the can itself.

The first of the two teas is a Shizuoka kabuse tea, and this first flush tea that was covered during its growth is usually used to make expensive tea. The process is said to give it a hidden and unique aroma, and I think it plays a big part in making this tea delicious.

The other Shizuoka green tea counterpart used in this drink is a fukumushi tea, which is a steamed tea that has gone through the process of being steamed for two or three times longer than usual. The downside of this tea is that it loses a bit of its flavour (which I believe is why the kabuse tea was brought in to add to that element), but it does also break the tea leaves into much smaller pieces and brings out the sweetness of the tea.

The effort of using fukumushi tea is apparent in how the tea does not have any noticeable residue, which is common in other green tea chu-hi I have tried. Instead, the tea is a beautiful green that is what I would expect from quality Shizuoka green tea, except, again, this is a chu-hi.

After all the good words I have about this, let me also inform you that this widely available green tea chu-hi is only 120 yen a can. If you have been wanting to try green tea with a buzz, this is a can I would highly recommend.

This post is supported by Shizuoka Green Tea Guide, one of City-Cost's Supporters helping City-Cost bloggers to enjoy life in Japan and engage in new experiences.