Hojicha

Hojicha (also Houjicha, Japanese焙じ茶, dt " Rösttee ") is a roasted green tea from Japan. The leaves of the Hojicha be brown by roasting, at first glance, it resembles the black tea. The taste is quite different from the "green" green teas.

Production

For Hojicha lower quality green teas are mainly used. Most are Sencha or Karigane of low quality or Bancha or larger tea leaves that are picked at harvest with and sorted out later.

At the beginning Hojicha is processed similarly to green tea. After harvesting, the leaves are steamed on the same day, the green color is retained. Subsequently, the tea leaf is rolled under heat supply in different ways. After the tea is roasted at high temperature and so gets a brownish color and a unique, spicy and slightly nutty flavor.

When is drunk Hojicha?

By roasting the tea loses much of its caffeine content, as well as parts of other typical ingredients. Thus Hojicha seems less encouraging and contains less acid. He is one of the teas that are classified as easy on the stomach. In Japan he is drunk especially in the evening, the elderly and children. Even toddlers and babies drink in Japan Hojicha. In restaurants Hojicha accompanies the meal. In the hot Japanese summer it is served chilled.

Preparation of Hojicha

By roasting the tea is less sensitive to high temperatures and can be infused with almost boiling water without being bitter.

Approximately 12 g Hojicha tea leaves are needed for 650 ml of tea. The hot water (90-100 ° C) is poured over the leaves, the infusion takes only 30 seconds. Hojicha is poured up to three times.