When I was first getting into green tea (and teas in general) I was also overly tunnel visioned on intaking only organically. So this organic Hojicha was one of the first teas I drank religiously. I drank so much of this tea in the beginning. I remember thinking it was the best green tea I’d ever had, and at the time it probably was. But then I started opening up my palette and bringing in teas that weren’t organic but were actually higher in quality. And when I went back to the Hojicha, I thought it tasted awful and I stopped drinking it.
Well, I need to clear out my tea cupboard and make room for newer, fresher teas, so I brought this in to work. I steeped it in an infuser with 140 degree water for only about 10 seconds. It has the same qualities as the Ma Zha Oolong I’d been drinking. This is probably due to the fact that both teas are roasted. Both have a similar nose and color. Dark with hues of red and yellow. It’s not as bad as I remember it. It has a tinny taste (that can be due to the metal infuser I used and the tin I kept the tea in). For as dark as it brews, the flavor is pretty light. I could probably brew this for a little longer before the tannins take over the taste. Hints of sweetness and notes of saltwater. It’s not a bad choice if you’re not used to other Japanese greens like Sencha.
