Hōjicha (Houjicha) (ほうじ茶) is a Japanese green tea that is distinguished from others because it is roasted in a porcelain pot over charcoal; Japanese tea is usually steamed.
The tea is fired at high temperature, altering the leaf colour tints from green to reddish-brown. The process was first performed in Kyoto, Japan in the 1920s and its popularity persists today.
Hōjicha is often made from bancha (番茶, "common tea"),[1] tea from the last harvest of the season, however other varieties of Hōjicha also exist, including a variety made from sencha, and Kukicha, tea made from the twigs of the tea plant rather than the leaves.
Hōjicha infusions have a light- to reddish-brown appearance, and are less astringent due to losing catechins[2]
during the high temperature roasting process. The roasted flavours are
extracted and predominate this blend: the roasting replaces the
vegetative tones of standard green tea with a toasty, slightly
caramel-like flavour.
The roasting process used to make Hōjicha lowers the amount of caffeine in the tea.
Because of its mildness, Hōjicha
is a popular tea to serve during the meal or after the evening meal
before going to sleep and even preferred for children and elderly.
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