If you are a fan of lighter, airy black teas or heavier Oolongs like Red Robe or Qi Lan, Hojicha may be a perfect choice suitable for you. Hojicha (HouziCha ) is any roasted Japanese green tea meaning there are many varieties and styles of Hojicha according to what tea, or a portion of the tea leaf, was selected to roast.
What is Hojicha ?
Hojicha is made from the same plant that is used to make green tea. Hojicha is made by soaking the leaves in water and then steamed and rubbed and finally dried, as they are used for green tea. Hojicha is generally made from low-grade leaf tea and its stems because the more expensive tea leaves are too fragile for roasting at high temperatures.
Hojicha is made solely by steaming Japanese green teas, typically by roasting bancha or sencha kukicha green tea leaves. This procedure also lowers the astringency of tannin and caffeine, making a sweet and nutty sweet tea that will please people who drink coffee and tea.
It’s distinct from the other Japanese green teas since it is roasted in a ceramic pot with charcoal, whereas the majority of Japanese teas are steam-brewed. The tea is then roasted at the highest temperature, changing the color of the leaves between green and reddish-brown. Even though it is an organic green tea the leaves turn brown when they are roasted.
Hojichas Pleasant Aroma
This tea is a very fragrant and nutty roast with, a slightly sweet and woody taste and scent. Its light and nutty aroma due to the deep roasting process is the hallmark of the taste.
It’s a relatively new invention that was first discovered in Kyoto at the beginning of the 20th century. It was discovered that different levels of charcoal roasting would significantly alter the flavors. Variations can produce distinct flavors and aromas.
Hojicha is thought to be more akin to the everyday tea that has older leaves, as opposed to the young leaves utilized for the more expensive varieties in green tea. It also is very refreshing, which is why it is advised to drink it following a fat meal.
It is also believed that the green tea roasted contains anti-bacterial and anti-aging effects. Vitamin C contained within hojicha roasting green tea helps to lighten dark spots on the skin caused by acne scars, and to heal the damage to your skin. Vitamin C can also help lighten the dark spots that are caused by aging, as well to prevent wrinkles and restore the elasticity of the skin, which is degraded with time.
Although Hojicha can be well roasted, it does not make any changes to the benefits of green tea. This produces a mild and smooth taste. The tea’s liquor turns an amber hue similar to an oolong with a dark hue or the light black tea. The degree of the roast will vary, and some Hojichas may have a smokey flavor as well. Roasting reduces the components that make tea bitter, such as tannins, caffeine, and flavonoids which make tea bitter and acidic.
It tastes and looks like black tea, however, it is much less caffeine-rich, so it is a drink that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.
Same Health Benefits as Green Tea
Roasting alters the color of leaves and tea liquor, as well as the scent of the flavor, and also its chemical makeup. First, roasting alters the tea’s chemical composition and could reduce the level of caffeine. For instance, tea roasted from sencha will likely contain more caffeine than tea made from bancha, or kukicha.
Sensitive towards caffeine, and susceptible to experiencing jitters after drinking or having a cup of coffee or green tea? Since it is mostly made up of stems, it’s the lowest in caffeine. Expect 20 to 50 percent less caffeine than a cup of normal tea. The majority of the caffeine is refined through the roasting process as well as the usage of mature green tea stems and leaves add to the low levels of caffeine also.
Hojicha is delicious without sweeteners, however, this is completely dependent on your personal preference. In contrast to green tea, you can use boiling water at a high temperature and then take a few minutes to bring the toasty nutty taste and aroma. If you are steeping tea leaves of hojicha make sure to let the tea cool in order to fully enjoy its sweetness.
Iced Hojicha
Hojicha may turn bitter in the event of overbrew, however, it’s much more simple to make unlike other types of green teas. Usually, the iced tea is prepared using English black tea from Japan. However, some prefer Iced Hojicha Milk Tea to get an unusual and interesting scent.
Recently, it’s become more popular to use Hojicha in iced teas, and it is gaining popularity. To drink iced tea, Hojicha must be brewed fairly vigorously to obtain the lovely fragrant flavor of the tea. If you don’t it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to detect it properly. The iced tea drink is a well-loved drink in cafes in Japan particularly in the summer season, though it’s not as popular as in the US.
It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to relieve joint pain, battle an illness, or simply take pleasure in its warm, soothing, and delicious taste Hojicha is a great tea for each and every person.
