Houjicha - Organic Kagoshima by Kawaji san

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Houjicha Background Information:
Houjicha means roasted tea. Although its colour is brown due to the roasting process, houjicha is still a Japanese green tea as it is not oxidised or fermented. It is low in caffeine due to the roasting process, meaning it is ideal to drink at any time of the day and by people of any age, and houjicha is said to be especially good for our bodies during the cold winter season too. There are two main types of houjicha - one contains mainly leaves with little to no stems, whereas the other contains a much higher proportion of stems (sometimes known as kukicha or kuki houjicha). Kuki houjicha tends to be lighter in flavour but the high proportion of stems also contribute some sweetness to the flavour profile.

Notes For This Particular Tea:
This houjicha is a mixture of leaves and stems, picked during the first (spring) harvest. It is quite rare for a houjicha to be roasted from first harvest tea – usually cheaper tea from later harvests is used. It is grown by Kawaji san in Kagoshima and is the only tea that we have been using at the teahouse since opening in July 2016. The flavour profile is distinctly focused on being roasted - almost nutty - and pairs well with just water or cooked with soy milk. We have tried making houjicha with cow’s milk, but preferred the taste specifically with Bonsoy soy milk, so please experiment to find your preference.

Hot brewing guide with water:
Houjicha 5 grams
Water 130ml
First infusion 75°C for 10sec
Second infusion 85°C for 20sec
Third infusion 85°C for 60sec

To pour over ice (kyuurei):
Houjicha 6 grams
Water 125ml
One infusion only 85°C for 90sec

Pour over lots of ice and serve immediately. Alternatively, our personal favourite is to pour over just a few ice cubes (~100g) and enjoy when chilled but not ice cold (or wait for it to warm up closer to room temperature).

Brewing with soy milk:
Houjicha 7-8 grams
Milk 230ml
Pure cane sugar 1 cube (6g, or adjust to preference)
1. Weigh leaves in the pan, add sugar and soy milk.
2. Heat to 60°C on the hob using a medium/high heat, stirring regularly to avoid burning. If you don’t have a thermometer 60°C will be shortly after steam starts to rise.
3. Take off the heat and leave to soak for 5 minutes, or longer for a stronger flavour (15-20mins if you want to make iced houjicha soy) – bear in mind the astringency will also increase the longer you leave it.
4. For iced houjicha soy, sift the leaves out and continue cooling to near room temperature then either store in the fridge, or add ice and serve. Consume within 24 hours.
5. For hot houjicha soy, heat to 70°C, sift the leaves out and serve.

Storage:
Store in the fridge or at room temperature in a cool dry place, and avoid exposure to sunlight and air - both of these will degrade your tea. Best consumed within 3-4 months from when it is first opened, but houjicha is not as sensitive as sencha or matcha so this is not a strict time limit.