If there’s one thing about the Genmaicha tea story that shines through immediately when you start reading, it’s that it goes way back in history. The exact point tales of the beverage date back to can’t be determined, but it was at some point in the 15th century in the land of the rising sun, Japan.
Japanese fables suggest that the drink came into existence when a servant was pouring tea for his master (which was a luxury item at the time), and as he did, several individual grains of rice dropped out of his sleeve and fell into the tea – and so a legend was born.
What is the Genmaicha Tea Product?
The Genmaicha tea product itself most likely came about as housewives at that point in history would mix inexpensive brown rice with pricey green tea in order that more commoners could afford to drink it. Traditionally speaking, it’s a drink that’s been created with Bancha – a lower grade of green tea than the expensive varieties that were harvested earlier in the season.
In the Modern day, Genmaicha happens to be made up of a blend of high-quality tea options such as Sencha and Adagio. Some manufacturers choose to use the Hojicha and Gyokuro leaves which provide a full-bodied flavor.
When is the Rice Added to Modern Varieties?
In order to create authentic genmaicha tea, it needs to be added to the tea at a ratio of 1 to 1. Brown rice is preferred, as white rice is too fragrant when it’s been roasted and also usually roasts to too much of a dark color. Ideally, genmai rice should be used, but it’s sometimes swapped out for a blend of mochi and other rice types.
When rice isn’t added to the tea, it can’t be said to be true genmaicha, as the poor man’s tea was created as a result of the lofty cost of green tea. Without it, what you’re drinking may be nice, but it’s not genmaicha tea.
What Does Genmaicha Tea Taste Like?
When you brew genmaicha tea, you’ll immediately see its gorgeous yellow coloring, but the most important thing is obviously the taste. Well, due to the sugar it contains, as well as the starch (from the rice), you get a wonderfully warming, nutty taste. It’s something that sits rather well on the stomach.
What you also need to know is that it’s very mild and blends together the tastes of roasted rice and green tea. You need to try it to really understand what a great combination it is.
The Genmaicha Tea Beverage – One You Have to Try at Some Point
So, to summarize, genmaicha tea is a mild, light yellow tea that offers a gorgeously satisfying, nutty taste due to the particular type of rice that’s used to create it. It’s one of a growing number of teas that are gaining popularity all the time across the US.
Take a moment to do some research of your own, and you’ll see that there are as many tastes as there are areas that grow tea, so you’ve got a lot of options to choose from, and Genmaicha should be amongst the first you try.
