This was a sipdown from yesterday, but I thought I’d write a proper review of it now that I remembered to look on the empty bag and find which company it was from.
I’m a very big kukicha fan (and houjicha too) because I love the sweet, woody, toasted grain flavour. This wasn’t a great kukicha as a few of the cups were bitter. It was about 50/50 on the bitter vs not bitter over the 6 or so cups I made. I still enjoyed it, but do remember this needs a higher steep temperature. Steeping at lower temps (80-90 C) will get you weak flavoured tea or tea with flavour that is bitter. Go with more leaf, hot water, and a moderate steep time for the best flavour.
Flavors: Earth, Roasted Barley, Toasted Rice, Wood
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I love houjicha! I have never tried kukicha, does it have a similar flavor profile to houjicha? I am going to have to try some sometime!
I’m the opposite as I’ve only tried Kukicha and loved it.
This kukicha was the stems mixed with sencha, but most kukicha I have tried (and enjoyed the most) were stems only. Houjicha is the roasted leaves and kukicha is the roasted stems. They share a lot of the same flavours. Kukicha is lower in caffeine because the stems contain almost no caffeine (plants make caffeine in leaves to discourage insects and herbivores, but few insects eat the tougher stem tissue.)
Houjicha is definitely one of my favorite teas, I have a friend who introduced me to it who is a big fan and neither of us have tried kukicha. Seems like we are going to have to change that at some point! Sounds like a good fit! I’m very intrigued.
I love houjicha! I have never tried kukicha, does it have a similar flavor profile to houjicha? I am going to have to try some sometime!
I’m the opposite as I’ve only tried Kukicha and loved it.
This kukicha was the stems mixed with sencha, but most kukicha I have tried (and enjoyed the most) were stems only. Houjicha is the roasted leaves and kukicha is the roasted stems. They share a lot of the same flavours. Kukicha is lower in caffeine because the stems contain almost no caffeine (plants make caffeine in leaves to discourage insects and herbivores, but few insects eat the tougher stem tissue.)
Houjicha is definitely one of my favorite teas, I have a friend who introduced me to it who is a big fan and neither of us have tried kukicha. Seems like we are going to have to change that at some point! Sounds like a good fit! I’m very intrigued.