Hōjica, one of Japan’s best-kept secrets was first invented in the Kyoto prefecture of Japan in the 1920s when a tea merchant attempted to make the most out of the leftover green tea leaves, stems, stalks, and twigs in order to maximize the use of the plant by roasting them over charcoal. This unique method of fixing the tea stepped outside of the traditional Japanese method of steaming the leaves and created a whole new way to enjoy tea. Today hōjica is one of Japan’s most widely consumed teas in the nation. Usually consumed during lunch or dinner, many restaurants and tea shops will purposefully brew hōjica near the street in order to lure in new customers, as the smell of hōjica is incredibly intoxicating. The roasted nature of the green tea removes almost all bitterness from the tea had, leaving a savory roasted nutty flavor behind that’s incredibly unique.
Hōjica is made using many different variations of green tea such as sencha, bancha, or kukicha. Typically you will see hōjica made from bancha leaves as it’s the best tea to use in order to create the signature hōjica flavors and aromas you will come to expect.
Hōjica is made using many different variations of green tea such as sencha, bancha, or kukicha. Typically you will see hōjica made from bancha leaves as it’s the best tea to use in order to create the signature hōjica flavors and aromas you will come to expect.
Caffeine Content in Hōjica:
- Low levels of caffeine, usually ranging from 7-10mg, making it perfect for an evening green tea. A typical cup of coffee has 80-200mg. At most the caffeine in a cup of hōjica can reach 30mg after 1 session which is brewing the leaves 3 times.
Brew like a pro:
- Heat soft water (not distilled) within the range of 175°-200°F. Soft water creates the best tea experience, the extra minerals in hard water will clash with the contents of the tea creating an undesirable film on top of the tea.
- The great thing about high-quality hōjica is that you can steep it up to 3 times. In order to make the most out of the 3 steepings I recommend starting with around 185°F for the first steep, then around 175°F for the second steeping, and 195°F for the third infusion.
- Timing is the other important area to keep in mind when making hōjica. During the first steeping, keep the time around 40 seconds (time range suggestions will be on the package of hōjica), followed by dropping the time slightly for the second steeping, and then raising the time to around a minute for the third steeping.
- Infusing (steeping) hōjica for too long and/or at too high of a temperature will result in a bitter and undesirable flavor. Timing and temperature are something of personal preference, so play around with them until you find what works best for you.
Suggested Articles
Contact Us Terms Privacy Policy
Thanks for Reading!
Email us if you have any concerns or questions
teamadesimple@gmail.com