Houjicha (ほうじ茶, also spelled "Hōjicha") is a roasted Japanese green tea.
Most Japanese green teas, like sencha and gyokuro, are steamed. Houjicha, however, is roasted in a porcelain pot over charcoal, producing the golden brown color of the leaves.
Houjicha has the lowest level of caffeine among green teas due to this unique roasting process. It's easy to drink and has little to no bitterness. As such, it can be enjoyed any time of day. If you want to sweeten your cup, try adding some cinnamon or honey (or both!).
You can get TWT's organic houjicha in a 5-sachet sample pack, a 20-sachet tea pouch, or a 2oz. loose leaf tea tin. Scroll down to buy.
"This is my new go-to morning green tea! it has a lot of similarities to coffee, but with way less caffeine and way more flavor." - Kate M., Boston
"I've had a lot of Japanese green teas, but I must say this is one of the best I've ever had. It's so different than your ordinary green tea with chestnut and caramel notes. Delicious!" - Roger O., Denver
"Roasted to perfection. One of the most versatile teas. I drink it hot, iced, straight, and with milk. It's delicious no matter how I prepare it." - Nisha Z., Los Angeles
Once infused, houjicha has a nutty, toasty, and sweet flavor with little to no bitterness.
🍵 Brew 1 sachet in 8 oz. of 185° water for 3 minutes
🍵 While you wait for the houjicha to steep, froth or steam 8 oz. milk of your choice
🍵 Mix the brewed houjicha with the steamed milk
🍵 (optional) If you want to sweeten up your latte, add some honey or cinnamon
Enjoy!
The process of making houjicha was discovered in Kyoto, Japan in the 1920s when a tea merchant accidentally roasted some "bancha" (also known as "common tea"). The flavor that was created through the roasting process came to be known as "houjicha."
Not only did houjicha help minimize wastefulness, since it used leaves from different harvests, but it also boosted tea retail shops because the irresistible, smoky aroma of the roasted houjicha enticed customers to come in and try the tea. Today, houjicha is one of the most popular green teas in Japan.
Although the first types of houjicha were made with tea from the last harvest of the season, TWT's houjicha is organic and made with a combination of first and second harvest organic green tea leaves.
