What temperature should water be for hojicha?

194–212°F (90–100°C). Unlike most green teas, hojicha takes very hot water, even straight off the boil, because roasting has removed most of what makes green tea bitter.

How long should you steep hojicha?

30 to 60 seconds. It's quick to brew. Longer steeps make it stronger and toastier but rarely bitter.

Does hojicha have caffeine?

Yes, but usually less than other green teas, often around 10–20 mg per cup. Roasting reduces the caffeine slightly, and it's often made from more mature leaves and stems, which have less to begin with.

Is hojicha a green tea?

Yes. It starts as a Japanese green tea, usually bancha or sencha, and is then roasted, which turns the leaves brown.

What's the difference between hojicha and genmaicha?

Hojicha is roasted green tea. Genmaicha is green tea mixed with toasted rice. Both taste toasty, but hojicha is deeper and more caramel-like, while genmaicha is lighter and nuttier, with a fresh green tea note.

Can you make a latte with hojicha?

Yes. Hojicha lattes are popular in Japan. Use hojicha powder, or brew a strong concentrate from the leaves, and top with steamed milk.

How to Brew Hojicha

Steep time: 30s – 1m
Water temperature: 90°C – 100°C

About Hojicha

Hojicha is Japanese green tea roasted over high heat until the leaves turn reddish brown. It was first made in Kyoto in the 1920s, reportedly by a tea merchant looking for a use for leftover leaves and stems. Roasting changes almost everything about the tea: it burns off much of the bitterness, lowers the caffeine a little, and replaces the grassy notes with toasty, caramel ones.

What it tastes like

Toasty, nutty, and sweet, with notes of caramel, roasted grain, and a hint of smoke, and almost no bitterness or astringency. The liquor is a clear amber-brown.

Step by step

Measure your tea Use about one teaspoon of Hojicha leaves per 8 oz cup.
Heat the water Bring fresh water to 90°C – 100°C. Water that is too hot will scorch the leaves.
Steep Pour the water over the leaves and steep for 30s – 1m. Start at the shorter time and taste as you go.
Strain and serve Remove the leaves as soon as the steep is done so the tea does not turn bitter.

Brewing tips

Hojicha is a good evening tea for people who are sensitive to caffeine. It has less than most green teas, though it isn't caffeine-free.
Smell the leaves before brewing. Freshly roasted hojicha smells strongly of toasted nuts; if the aroma is faint, it's getting old.
It goes well with rich, oily, or fried food, which is why it's often served with meals in Japan.

Timer

Hojicha steeps for 30s – 1m — start the clock as you pour.

Hojicha

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Other ways to brew Hojicha

In a mug or teapot

Hojicha leaves are big and light, so use about two heaping teaspoons (2–3 g) per 8 oz (240 ml) cup. Pour water at 194–212°F (90–100°C), right off the boil is fine, and steep 30–60 seconds. Unlike other green teas, it needs hot water to bring out the roasted flavor.

In a kyusu or dobin

Use about 5 g in 10 oz (300 ml) of boiling water and steep 30 seconds. In Japan hojicha is often brewed in a large clay pot (dobin) and poured into big, everyday cups.

Iced hojicha

Brew double strength, about 5 g in 8 oz (240 ml) of boiling water for a minute, and pour over ice. It's mellow and refreshing, with no bitterness.

Cold brew

Use about 10 g per 34 oz (1 l) of cold water and refrigerate for 4–8 hours. Cold-brewed hojicha is smooth, sweet, and toasty, and makes a good alternative to iced coffee.

Can you re-steep Hojicha?

Yes, two or three times. Steep the second and third rounds for about the same 30–60 seconds with water straight off the boil. Hojicha is forgiving, so a few extra seconds won't spoil it.

If your Hojicha doesn't taste right

Weak? Use more leaf. Hojicha leaves are bulky and light, so a level teaspoon holds less than you'd think. Make sure the water is close to boiling.
Burnt or acrid? Some heavily roasted hojicha tastes charred when it's fresh. A shorter steep helps. A lighter roast suits people who find it too smoky.
Flat or stale? The roasted aroma fades fairly quickly once opened. Keep it airtight and use it within a couple of months. Some tea shops roast it to order.

Ways to drink Hojicha

Hojicha latte

Use hojicha powder, or steep about 5 g of leaves in 3 oz (90 ml) of boiling water for 2 minutes to make a strong concentrate. Add a little sweetener and top with steamed milk. It tastes like a lighter, toastier chai.

Kukicha hojicha

Made from roasted stems rather than leaves. Even sweeter and lower in caffeine than leaf hojicha.

Kyobancha

A Kyoto specialty made from large, mature leaves roasted until they look like fallen autumn leaves. Smoky and very low in caffeine; brew it by simmering for a few minutes.