75°C vs 85°C: same sencha, same bad habit of overthinking it

[Safety 81]

Question or objective: decide which temperature gives the best balance
Tea category: Japanese green tea
Exact product: Morning Field 2026 sencha
Vendor: North Window Tea
Origin: Uji, Japan
Cultivar, if known: Yabukita
Harvest season/year: spring 2026
Processing or roast: asamushi sencha
Cake/batch number, if relevant: cake/lot noted above where applicable; otherwise N/A
Purchase/opening date: purchased 2026-05-28; opened 2026-07-06
Storage since purchase: refrigerated sealed pouch; portion warmed before opening
Style: Japanese
Vessel: porcelain shiboridashi
Vessel material: porcelain
Nominal and actual filled capacity: 120 ml nominal / 100 ml filled
Filter or strainer: built-in grooves
Kettle: stovetop kettle + thermometer
Vessel preheated: yes
Dry leaf weight: 5.0 g
Water volume: 100 ml
Water temperature: 75°C vs 85°C
Water source or mineral profile: low-mineral bottled water, 40 ppm
Rinse: 5-10 s where noted by the recipe; otherwise none
Infusion schedule: 60 s first steep in both tests
Agitation: none
Was each infusion completely decanted?: yes
Aroma: sweet grass at 75; stronger nori at 85
Sweetness: higher at 75
Bitterness: higher at 85
Astringency: low vs medium
Body/texture: silky vs fuller
Flavour: pea/sweet grass vs nori/citrus peel
Aftertaste: longer at 75
Number of satisfying infusions: 3 each
Exact problem: comparing temperature while holding the rest stable
Desired result: decide which temperature gives the best balance
Variable changed: temperature
Previous value: 75°C
New value: 85°C
Result: 85°C increased body and aroma but also doubled the bitter edge
Dry-leaf photograph: available in the author’s notes; not embedded in this archive
Liquor photograph: available in the author’s notes; not embedded in this archive
Wet-leaf photograph: available in the author’s notes; not embedded in this archive
Video if pouring or drainage is relevant: not relevant

I ran this as a comparison rather than two unrelated cups because memory is a terrible laboratory assistant. The main variable was temperature: 75°C versus 85°C. Everything else was kept as close as I could manage.

The result so far: 85°C increased body and aroma but also doubled the bitter edge. I would be interested in reports from people who have repeated the same comparison, especially if you used similar water and vessel.

[Wire And Gloves]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with 85°C.
Applies to: Morning Field 2026 sencha / Japanese green tea in a setup close to porcelain shiboridashi.
Evidence: firsthand ownership/use of both compared options.
Change: repeat the session with 85°C.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward decide which temperature gives the best balance if that variable is causal.
Observed result: 85°C increased body and aroma but also doubled the bitter edge.
Limitations: I would stop if the change removes the aroma you are trying to preserve.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Breath-Breakfast]

I came here to say “use cooler water” and the rules have correctly confiscated my keyboard.

[Breath-Breakfast]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Morning Field 2026 sencha / Japanese green tea in a setup close to porcelain shiboridashi.
Evidence: controlled side-by-side use under matched conditions.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: 85°C increased body and aroma but also doubled the bitter edge.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Okra]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: Morning Field 2026 sencha / Japanese green tea in a setup close to porcelain shiboridashi.
Evidence: firsthand long-term use of one side of the comparison.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: If your actual filled volume differs from the stated volume, the ratio may be the bigger issue.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Safety 81]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with 85°C.
Applies to: Morning Field 2026 sencha / Japanese green tea in a setup close to porcelain shiboridashi.
Evidence: side-by-side or repeated one-variable test.
Change: repeat the session with 85°C.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward decide which temperature gives the best balance if that variable is causal.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: I would stop if the change removes the aroma you are trying to preserve.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Okra]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Morning Field 2026 sencha / Japanese green tea in a setup close to porcelain shiboridashi.
Evidence: repeated sessions over time.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: 85°C increased body and aroma but also doubled the bitter edge.
Limitations: My result is from a small number of sessions, so treat it as evidence rather than law.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Breath-Breakfast]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with 85°C.
Applies to: Morning Field 2026 sencha / Japanese green tea in a setup close to porcelain shiboridashi.
Evidence: firsthand long-term use of one side of the comparison.
Change: repeat the session with 85°C.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward decide which temperature gives the best balance if that variable is causal.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: If your actual filled volume differs from the stated volume, the ratio may be the bigger issue.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Wire And Gloves]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Morning Field 2026 sencha / Japanese green tea in a setup close to porcelain shiboridashi.
Evidence: repeated sessions over time.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: 85°C increased body and aroma but also doubled the bitter edge.
Limitations: I would stop if the change removes the aroma you are trying to preserve.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Okra]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Morning Field 2026 sencha / Japanese green tea in a setup close to porcelain shiboridashi.
Evidence: firsthand long-term use of one side of the comparison.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: My result is from a small number of sessions, so treat it as evidence rather than law.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Wire And Gloves]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: Morning Field 2026 sencha / Japanese green tea in a setup close to porcelain shiboridashi.
Evidence: controlled side-by-side use under matched conditions.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: 85°C increased body and aroma but also doubled the bitter edge.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Breath-Breakfast]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: Morning Field 2026 sencha / Japanese green tea in a setup close to porcelain shiboridashi.
Evidence: controlled side-by-side use under matched conditions.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: 85°C increased body and aroma but also doubled the bitter edge.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Safety 81]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with 85°C.
Applies to: Morning Field 2026 sencha / Japanese green tea in a setup close to porcelain shiboridashi.
Evidence: firsthand long-term use of one side of the comparison.
Change: repeat the session with 85°C.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward decide which temperature gives the best balance if that variable is causal.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: I would stop if the change removes the aroma you are trying to preserve.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Okra]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: Morning Field 2026 sencha / Japanese green tea in a setup close to porcelain shiboridashi.
Evidence: firsthand long-term use of one side of the comparison.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: My result is from a small number of sessions, so treat it as evidence rather than law.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Breath-Breakfast]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with 85°C.
Applies to: Morning Field 2026 sencha / Japanese green tea in a setup close to porcelain shiboridashi.
Evidence: side-by-side or repeated one-variable test.
Change: repeat the session with 85°C.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward decide which temperature gives the best balance if that variable is causal.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: I would stop if the change removes the aroma you are trying to preserve.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Author]

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