Houjicha Karigane (ほうじ茶雁が音)
I always associate this tea with being warmed up during a cold winter, or relaxing at the end of a long day but it’s certainly suitable for any time and season. Houjicha is green tea which has been roasted, and if you happen to be lucky while strolling the streets around tea merchants, you’ll smell the toasty aroma wafting from the shops. As a result of the roasting, houjicha has little caffeine which is why it is often consumed by younger children and older adults, as well as in the evening before bed. Poor quality houjicha can often taste burnt, but high quality houjicha preserves the aromatic notes of the green tea from which it originates - and Ujitawara houjicha is prized as some of the most aromatic. My favorite is this “karigane” houjicha which is the separated stems of the shade-grown green teas (like gyokuro) which have been roasted. Compared to standard houjicha, karigane stem tea has a gentle sweetness and aroma, with the roasted notes not overwhelming. Since it had traditionally been seen as a “sorted out” product of tea production focused on the leaves, karigane tea is very affordable despite being from high-grade, shade-grown plants. It’s also refreshing iced - either brewed hot and poured over ice, or cold brewed (mizudashi) in our iced tea pitcher.
Net weight: 80g (about 10-12 servings)
Brewing Guidance:
All Sanriku teas can be brewed up to 3 infusions with full flavor.
Please note: When brewing Japanese tea, all of the water is meant to be poured out with each infusion (as opposed to Western-style brewing, where leaves are left in the water).For this reason, “kyusu” teapots (see here) are smaller to allow for full emptying between infusions, and making a fresh infusion each time.
Tea leaves: 3 Tbsp (7-8 grams, or 2 heaping scoops with a “Chasaji” cherry bark tea scoop). NOTE: Houjicha is less dense than sencha or other teas, therefore use twice the amount in the teapot (kyusu).
Water temp: 100C (212F) boiling water
Water amount: ~200-300mL (size of one typical “kyusu” style teapot)
Brew time: 1 minute for 1-2 infusions, then 2 minutes for 3rd infusion
For cold brew: We recommend at least 5-6 Chasaji tea scoops (about 15 grams) in the iced tea pitcher, and left in the refrigerator to brew overnight. When ready to drink, swirl the pitcher prior to pouring out to ensure a uniform taste
Feel free to experiment with water temperature and brewing time to your taste. If desiring a stronger flavor, we recommend using more leaf or slightly less water rather than pushing the temperature higher or infusion time longer (as this will bring out more astringency in the tea but not necessarily more flavor).
I always associate this tea with being warmed up during a cold winter, or relaxing at the end of a long day but it’s certainly suitable for any time and season. Houjicha is green tea which has been roasted, and if you happen to be lucky while strolling the streets around tea merchants, you’ll smell the toasty aroma wafting from the shops. As a result of the roasting, houjicha has little caffeine which is why it is often consumed by younger children and older adults, as well as in the evening before bed. Poor quality houjicha can often taste burnt, but high quality houjicha preserves the aromatic notes of the green tea from which it originates - and Ujitawara houjicha is prized as some of the most aromatic. My favorite is this “karigane” houjicha which is the separated stems of the shade-grown green teas (like gyokuro) which have been roasted. Compared to standard houjicha, karigane stem tea has a gentle sweetness and aroma, with the roasted notes not overwhelming. Since it had traditionally been seen as a “sorted out” product of tea production focused on the leaves, karigane tea is very affordable despite being from high-grade, shade-grown plants. It’s also refreshing iced - either brewed hot and poured over ice, or cold brewed (mizudashi) in our iced tea pitcher.
Net weight: 80g (about 10-12 servings)
Brewing Guidance:
All Sanriku teas can be brewed up to 3 infusions with full flavor.
Please note: When brewing Japanese tea, all of the water is meant to be poured out with each infusion (as opposed to Western-style brewing, where leaves are left in the water).For this reason, “kyusu” teapots (see here) are smaller to allow for full emptying between infusions, and making a fresh infusion each time.
Tea leaves: 3 Tbsp (7-8 grams, or 2 heaping scoops with a “Chasaji” cherry bark tea scoop). NOTE: Houjicha is less dense than sencha or other teas, therefore use twice the amount in the teapot (kyusu).
Water temp: 100C (212F) boiling water
Water amount: ~200-300mL (size of one typical “kyusu” style teapot)
Brew time: 1 minute for 1-2 infusions, then 2 minutes for 3rd infusion
For cold brew: We recommend at least 5-6 Chasaji tea scoops (about 15 grams) in the iced tea pitcher, and left in the refrigerator to brew overnight. When ready to drink, swirl the pitcher prior to pouring out to ensure a uniform taste
Feel free to experiment with water temperature and brewing time to your taste. If desiring a stronger flavor, we recommend using more leaf or slightly less water rather than pushing the temperature higher or infusion time longer (as this will bring out more astringency in the tea but not necessarily more flavor).
I always associate this tea with being warmed up during a cold winter, or relaxing at the end of a long day but it’s certainly suitable for any time and season. Houjicha is green tea which has been roasted, and if you happen to be lucky while strolling the streets around tea merchants, you’ll smell the toasty aroma wafting from the shops. As a result of the roasting, houjicha has little caffeine which is why it is often consumed by younger children and older adults, as well as in the evening before bed. Poor quality houjicha can often taste burnt, but high quality houjicha preserves the aromatic notes of the green tea from which it originates - and Ujitawara houjicha is prized as some of the most aromatic. My favorite is this “karigane” houjicha which is the separated stems of the shade-grown green teas (like gyokuro) which have been roasted. Compared to standard houjicha, karigane stem tea has a gentle sweetness and aroma, with the roasted notes not overwhelming. Since it had traditionally been seen as a “sorted out” product of tea production focused on the leaves, karigane tea is very affordable despite being from high-grade, shade-grown plants. It’s also refreshing iced - either brewed hot and poured over ice, or cold brewed (mizudashi) in our iced tea pitcher.
Net weight: 80g (about 10-12 servings)
Brewing Guidance:
All Sanriku teas can be brewed up to 3 infusions with full flavor.
Please note: When brewing Japanese tea, all of the water is meant to be poured out with each infusion (as opposed to Western-style brewing, where leaves are left in the water).For this reason, “kyusu” teapots (see here) are smaller to allow for full emptying between infusions, and making a fresh infusion each time.
Tea leaves: 3 Tbsp (7-8 grams, or 2 heaping scoops with a “Chasaji” cherry bark tea scoop). NOTE: Houjicha is less dense than sencha or other teas, therefore use twice the amount in the teapot (kyusu).
Water temp: 100C (212F) boiling water
Water amount: ~200-300mL (size of one typical “kyusu” style teapot)
Brew time: 1 minute for 1-2 infusions, then 2 minutes for 3rd infusion
For cold brew: We recommend at least 5-6 Chasaji tea scoops (about 15 grams) in the iced tea pitcher, and left in the refrigerator to brew overnight. When ready to drink, swirl the pitcher prior to pouring out to ensure a uniform taste
Feel free to experiment with water temperature and brewing time to your taste. If desiring a stronger flavor, we recommend using more leaf or slightly less water rather than pushing the temperature higher or infusion time longer (as this will bring out more astringency in the tea but not necessarily more flavor).