Organic Hojicha

I had made this a daily drinker. Then for a while, I went with a Genmaicha, as I wanted the soothing nature of roasted grain. But Genmaicha can be greener, grassy, and I wanted a roasted tea with a roasted grain.

What’s a girl to do? Re-invent. I found some organic hull-less barley at the natural foods store, in bulk. I roast about two-days worth at a time on the stove top, in a frying pan. And then combine with the tea for a rich, soothing, roasty-toasty cup.

I admit I find it a bit heavy in warm weather, and move to tea or tea and fuit combos. But it hasn’t been that hot, and I find a morning and an evening cup of this keeps me gently alert and happy.

I’m having an abysmal day so am trying to keep the tea flowing. And I’m in the library at my language program, so I was limited to their teas for a little while (I brought my own to the library but already finished the tea I brought. Yikes.) Anyway, I typically dislike Hojicha but decided to give it another shot for the sake of trying one of the few Mighty Leaf teas I have left to try.

And I kinda like it. I really enjoy barley tea and this is like green meets barley. Very nutty, only slightly vegetal. I think the water the coffee shop gave me is a bit hot for this tea, so I was careful about the steep time.

In Japan, (cold) barley tea (mugicha) is a summer drink- so I feel happy drinking this in my Japanese language program because of its similar taste. Give it a try and see if you don’t feel refreshed and cleansed!

When I was first getting into green tea (and teas in general) I was also overly tunnel visioned on intaking only organically. So this organic Hojicha was one of the first teas I drank religiously. I drank so much of this tea in the beginning. I remember thinking it was the best green tea I’d ever had, and at the time it probably was. But then I started opening up my palette and bringing in teas that weren’t organic but were actually higher in quality. And when I went back to the Hojicha, I thought it tasted awful and I stopped drinking it.

Well, I need to clear out my tea cupboard and make room for newer, fresher teas, so I brought this in to work. I steeped it in an infuser with 140 degree water for only about 10 seconds. It has the same qualities as the Ma Zha Oolong I’d been drinking. This is probably due to the fact that both teas are roasted. Both have a similar nose and color. Dark with hues of red and yellow. It’s not as bad as I remember it. It has a tinny taste (that can be due to the metal infuser I used and the tin I kept the tea in). For as dark as it brews, the flavor is pretty light. I could probably brew this for a little longer before the tannins take over the taste. Hints of sweetness and notes of saltwater. It’s not a bad choice if you’re not used to other Japanese greens like Sencha.

Smells earthy and tastes rich, if that’s possible for a green tea. Not light tasting in my opinion. Not sure if I’d buy a box, but it is good for plain green tea.

On first sip I thought I wouldn’t enjoy this cuppa. I was wrong. I get a strong connection with sunflower seeds (the unsalted version) when drinking this and it reminds me of summers as a child. Very satisfying.

I hadn’t had this in a while, and apparently my tastes have shifted. Or maybe it doesn’t hold up well over time? I still caught the earthy tones I tasted the first time, but just doesn’t stand out as what I’m looking for when I want to have a cup of green tea. I could, however, see how this one might grown on you if you gave it a chance. I’m just not sure that I’m interested in working that hard to like it.

On another tea note, one of my twitter friends shared an article with me this morning, that I think you might like: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/jan/31/tea-drink-alexander-mccall-smith It’s by Alexander McCall Smith on his tea addiction. :)

MMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmm………..
It’s like a Wuyi Rock Oolong but lighter (in a good way) a WONDERFUL evening tea.
Sunflower oil undertones, with a toasty palatal, smooth feel.

I really enjoy this tea, and it has become a staple in my collection of tea. With the tea leaves being roasted, it actually eliminates some of the caffeine. So those of you trying to avoid, or drink less caffeine, this is a great choice of tea.

The taste is not like your usual green tea, it has a darker, nuttier taste to it, and will grow on you the more you have it.

The only tea in the break room with ANY amount of caffeine in it. #need

Drinking this at a coffee shop while awaiting information on a party’s secret location! This tea, while good, is not as exciting as that. Of course this is also the first time I’ve had tea from a bag in months so I feel like I’m missing something. Still it is a good option to have, it isn’t too toasted tasting and it most importantly has warmed me up.