50g Loose-leaf Tea - Genmai Houjicha

Double the toastiness and double the tastiness with roasted rice AND roasted green tea! You may have had houjicha or genmaicha before, but how about genmai-houjicha? This tea is comforting and great for daily drinking -- low in caffeine yet high in flavor. When we first saw this tea, we knew it would be an instant hit, and it has become a favorite at our cafe.

Do not be misled by the price, this is quality tea! Each piece of dry leaf is well defined, and the blend has been carefully proportioned for a balanced flavor of rice and tea. The grower, Yoshimitsu Masuda of Zenkoen Tea Garden, is building a legacy for organic growing methods using no pesticides and no synthetic fertilizer, and their dedication to sustainability and safety over profits is commendable.

• Origin: Shimada, Shizuoka, Japan
• Traditional Tea Name: 無肥料自然栽培ほうじ玄米茶
• Other Growing Info: free of pesticide and synthetic fertilizer
• Oxidation Level: light-medium
• Harvest: tea leaf stems
• Shaping: loose and rough chop
• Maximum Brew Temperature:  212° F, 100° C
• Liquor Color: dark orange
• Quantity: 50g, about 8 portions
• Re-steeps: approximately 2-3

Use the label color to help you brew! Steep your leaves with water no hotter than the recommended maximum brew temperature and wait until the liquor color matches. We like brewing this by full-steeping in a spacious vessel such as a teapot, so the rice grains and leaves can steep evenly.

We sourced this tea from Mr. Chun of Yunomi Tea, whose company mission is to connect Japanese tea farmers direct to the world.