Kukicha is commonly referred to as “stem tea” or “twig tea.” The reason for these nicknames is because the tea itself is mainly comprised of the twigs/stems of the bush. Since kukihcha is primarily comprised of the stems of the tea bush, it is considered to be a second-grade tea, however, don’t let that fool you, if you've tried sencha, and weren’t a fan of the bitterness, then kukicha would be a great choice. Naturally, the tea plant contains theanine and catechins. Catechins are created when theanine is exposed to UV light; these catechins are the culprit behind the bitterness of the tea, which is can be an undesirable characteristic for some. Since the leaves of the bush receive most of the sunlight, while naturally shading the stems of the bush, the stems have higher levels of theanine and lower levels of catechins, resulting in a sweeter taste.
Kukicha has a light grassy and straw-like aroma, with a rich umami and sweetness profile, which is reigned in by a balance of bitterness and astringency.
Kukicha has a light grassy and straw-like aroma, with a rich umami and sweetness profile, which is reigned in by a balance of bitterness and astringency.
Caffeine Content in Kukicha:
- Low levels of caffeine, usually ranging from 12-20mg, a typical cup of coffee has 80-200mg. Kukicha has lower levels of caffeine because the stems used to make the tea have usually been taken from the bush 3 years after they were grown, resulting in most of the caffeine leaving the stems when they were younger. At most the caffeine in a cup of kukicha can reach 60mg after 1 session which is brewing the leaves 3 times.
Brew like a pro:
- Heat soft water (not distilled) within the range of 170°-185°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 kukicha 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 175°F for the first steep, then around 165°F for the second steeping, and 180°F for the third infusion.
- Timing is the other important area to keep in mind when making kukicha. During the first steeping, keep the time around 25 to 30 seconds (time range suggestions will be on the package of kukicha), followed by dropping the time slightly for the second steeping, and then raising the time to around 40 seconds for the third steeping.
- Infusing (steeping) kukicha 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.
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