Gen Mai Cha

The last time I tried this genmaicha (which was a part of my awesome swap package from Missy & Dylan a while back), I couldn’t taste much, so couldn’t really review it. This time, however…. WOW! This is one delicious genmaicha! I both smell and taste almost a vanilla-y flavour, which could potentially be from cross-contamination, but fits in beautifully with the toasty rice and slightly astringent/seaweedy green tea. Reminds me of a more toasty version of 52teas’ Marshmallow Treat Genmaicha. I am really really enjoying this! The one downside is that I think I brewed this a touch too strong, but it’s only a touch – it just brings out a bit of astringency from the green tea that I’d rather tuck back in behind the toasty rice.

Thanks SO MUCH for this sample! If Frank doesn’t bring back enough Marshmallow Treat for me to be satisfied, I’ll look into picking some up this up and… adding marshmallows to flavour it myself?!

ETA: Second cup (2:30/82C) doesn’t have the vanilla overtones, and is pretty much your basic light genmaicha. Decent and drinkable, but nothing special.

So here is another awesome sample from Dylan and Missy. This is actually the tea that sparked the super care package.

I get it. I totally understand Dylan’s fervor for this. I love the roasty foretaste. I always want to taste popcorn first, but am quickly hit with the reminder that it’s rice not corn. The slightly vegetal, yet still sweet green comes in to wrap things up. Together they make for a nice flavor combo. I really like the juxtaposition between the light feel of the green base with the hearty flavor profile of the toastiness.

I will surely place an order for this one. This will likely be a constant in my cupboard.

Mmmm… Genmaicha.

Genmaicha will always hold a place in my heart. It more or less kicked off my journey into loose leaf tea. A box of Serendipitea’s Genmaicha was left in my cupboard from when a friend of mine had rented a room for a bit, and out of curiousity more than anything, our loose leaf tea journey was born.

For such a simple blend, it is truly an amazing flavor combination. The earthiness of the toasted rice, with that rich, roasted flavor that just fills up inside of you. Unlike any other tea I’ve ever drank, this tea makes me feel comforted and soothed. I think that’s part of the reason Missy chose to brew this genmaicha tonight… it was comfort tea, to wash away the horrible memories of the icewine.

The green tea in this particular blend is a little vegetal, probably more than I’d typically be okay with. But for some reason, it seems to fit in this tea. It probably has more to do with the ‘green’ coming in after the somewhat ‘brown’ taste of the rice, the green is more of a second string than a first seat. The toasty-ness is really the star of the flavor profile.

It also has a fairly charming color to it, as it develops into this translucent green that almost glows, like you’ve stumbled across the key to life… itself!

At some point in time I’d like to try someone else’s variant of genmaicha, but I really do enjoy Serendipitea’s. It doesn’t hurt that I can get it from Amazon for a ridiculously cheap amount, and it’s at my door in two days (Prime membership makes impulse buying far, far too easy). Though, we had just recently bought another 8 ounces before we had found the wonder that is Steepster, and the many other tea peddlers that are out there.

This tea has opened my eyes to green teas in general. I never really thought I would enjoy a green much but this is really good.

The roasted rice bits in there almost make me feel that I’m eating some thing with my tea. They don’t overwhelm the tea, which is bonus.

It does well with multiple steepings.

I feel this is a very comforting tea. Not too complex just very relaxing. Some thing to enjoy on a day that’s been less than stellar.

First thought when drinking this, Horseradish and Chinese Mustard. Odd taste, cant say I favor it, but it was something that was oddly pleasing, something different then that dirty water they call coffee. Will have to try again sometime.

This tea has been waiting for me in a plastic package since December. While that’s not too long I can definitely tell it has taken a toll on the dry aroma. At first when I poured in the water it smelled like burning hair at a salon but now that brown rice, like a senbei rice snack. The wet aroma is glorious. Toasty with rice notes but also toasted rice snack. A gentle, rolling brown rice flavor. Slight grass notes but you have to seek them out. The aftertaste lingers with some pleasant toasty notes and slight grass. I’m on my fourth infusion now.

On a side note… I’m going to Japan in June. I’m taking a master’s course with the Global Tea Association in Kyoto. I’m trying to rally up the amount of learning I am doing so let me know if you have any suggestions.)

Full disclosure I have very large nostalgia goggles for this tea as this was the first tea that my mother ever made me and even as bitter as the taste is the memories attached to it for me are very sweet.

I generally drink SerendipiTea’s Jasmine Yin Hao, but the girl behind the counter at my favorite coffee/tea shop recommended I try this. Sorry to say that I didn’t care for this at all. The aroma and taste reminded me of stale Rice Krispies.

I drink this all year, often cold-brewed. Great taste survives multiple infusions.

This is my go-to green tea. Perfect for the early morning tea, or an afternoon/evening drink.