Green Tea: Hojicha
Last Updated: Mar. 4, 2010
Hojicha, sometimes spelled houjicha, is a Japanese style of roasted green tea. It is heavily roasted (more so that most roasted oolongs), giving the leaves and tea an appearance, flavor, and aroma totally distinct from most green teas, and indeed, from any other teas. Hojicha is a relatively new style of tea; it originated in 1920 when a Japanese merchant wanted to find a way to sell stale bancha.[1] Hojicha is usually made out of roasting bancha, but is sometimes made out of sencha, kukicha, or other varieties of green tea.
The leaves of hojicha are a deep, rich brown color and often have a flakey appearance. The tea brews a dark brown color, the flavor is mild, and the aroma is rich and toasty and lacks the vegetal tones characteristic of most green teas. The level of roast can vary greatly; some hojicha can have a smoky quality as well.
The roasting process destroys much of the caffeine, greatly lowering the caffeine content, and making this tea an excellent choice for those seeking a low-caffeine tea.
References
1. James Norwood Pratt, "Bancha, Kukicha, Hojicha and Genmaicha", T-Ching (blog), Feb. 3, 2009.
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