Organic Genmaicha from Fukuoka
Organic Genmaicha from Fukuoka
The people's tea, a heart-warming toasted rice brew. Loved for centuries, the recipe of sencha tea leaves combined with puffed and roasted brown rice nourishes the soul - an absolute classic.
Most genmaichas use lower grade tea leaves in the mix, however this premium tea uses only the leaves from the first harvest, producing a truly irresistible aroma and comforting taste experience of the highest quality genmaicha.
Lovingly produced by Kumiko Koga.
Yame, Kyushu
Heart-warming toasted rice, clean green tea taste with minimal sweetness and a balanced level of astringency and bitterness.
For two cups:
7-8g
200ml / 80-90 °C
40-60s
The tea can be brewed up to 3 times.
Introducing
Genmaicha Puffed Rice Green Tea
Genmaicha is a popular Japanese tea famed for its delicious toasted flavour and irresistible aroma. Enjoyed for centuries, the tea is a mix of roasted brown rice and green tea. Reassuring and heart-warming, it's the perfect drink to raise the spirits - especially during the colder months.
Fictional in nature, there are various myths as to how the tea originated. The most popular version alludes to a 15th century samurai and his servant. One day whilst preparing tea, the servant accidentally spills grains of rice into his master's cup. Enraged, the master moves to reprimand the servant - potentially under pain of death - for ruining the tea, which at the time was an expensive commodity.
The warming aromas of the tea and brewing rice grains drifted over, stopping the master in his tracks. He decides to take a sip... Enamoured and delighted with this unexpected discovery, the servant was spared and pardoned, and thus genmaicha became highly regarded across Japan.
A more practical explanation
A more practical explanation for the popularity of genmaicha was that at the time, tea was expensive and so mixing it with toasted and puffed rice (of which there was plenty available) would make the tea last longer, as well as provide a nice roasted aroma and flavour. As a result this also made green tea more accessible to the wider public.
It's notable that at the time green tea also had a more bitter and astringent taste due to the fact that modern tea cultivation methods (such as processing and cultivar experimentation) had not yet achieved the refined, delicate sweetness of taste that we have today.
Once you try high quality genmaicha, we're sure you will fall in love with it!
Traditional Premium Genmaicha
Most genmaichas use lower grade tea leaves - this includes what's known as 'karigane', which are the stems of the plant rather than the leaves. Using the later harvest leaves and stems results in lower quality genmaicha - with reduction in both flavour and the healthful compounds that are naturally occurring in the 'first-flush' leaves.
Genmaicha has historically been used by monks to aid in fasting, as well as soothe the stomach. The starch and sugar from the rice gives the tea a warm, full, nutty flavour.
Genmaicha is popularly known as 'Popcorn Tea'. This is due to the fact that when roasting the brown (and sometimes white) rice kernels, they pop under the heat. There are some brands that sell genmaicha with actual popcorn in it, however the traditional genmaicha recipe consists of only green tea leaves and puffed brown rice.
Enjoy the authentic savoury and heartwarming magic of genmaicha, produced the traditional way.