We don't know when or if this item will be available.
“(Free sample provided by Hamasaen. Thank you!) Setup - Vessel: Glass teapot (250 ml) - Leaf: 6 grams - Water: 100 Celsius - Steeping time: 2 × 30 seconds Leaf & Infusion Dry leaf – The dry leaf...” Read full tasting note
Rough translation (Google Translate): Those roasting (crop) willow. Aroma, less caffeine and tannin, mouthfeel was neatly with hypoallergenic diet is ideal. The kettle is heated to 200 ℃ that contains ceramic particles, in the Garden佐beach, fried up golden brown in 30 seconds. It is a feeling like “popcorn” burn at high temperatures. In the same way as “stone-roasted sweet potato” “roasted chestnuts” is from the old days, this process has been using far infrared rays emitted from the heated sand (particles of ceramic). Reduce the astringency of willow (crop) by roasting, and pull out the flavor. Please by all means enjoy the beach佐Hojicha Garden. Extraction time of 30 seconds (servings 2) 6g tea leaves 260ml hot water temperature of around 100 ℃ hot water will be shipped in a nitrogen-filled aluminum pack, the fresh tea leaves.
Company description not available.
(Free sample provided by Hamasaen. Thank you!)
Setup
- Vessel: Glass teapot (250 ml)
- Leaf: 6 grams
- Water: 100 Celsius
- Steeping time: 2 × 30 seconds
Leaf & Infusion
Dry leaf – The dry leaf itself gives a poor impression, dull brownish tones of broken and frail leaves, just like a random of autumn dry leaf pile. But these leaves give out a deep roasted background with notes of dried sawdust, giving a clue that these aren’t just a random bunch of leaves. Not many twigs either.
Wet leaf – As the leaves increased in volume I’m having a difficult time finding the twigs among them, and the leaf color show some changes of dark olive green tones along the veins. Similar change can be seen with Dan Cong Oolong.
Infusion I (30s) – This is where the magic starts, that is if you follow exact instructions provided by the producer/seller. I tried my ways, all which ended in poorer results. First 30 second infusion gives a clear liqour with cognac tone that is more common with some darker Oolongs such as Oriental Beauty or Da Hong Pao. With first sip of Hojicha that I’ve never tasted before I got something that I wasn’t expecting: light mouthfeel and rich and intensive comeback of roasted, caramel and even some fruity sweetness on the front of the tongue. The aftertaste is intense and long lasting with constant intensity with each sip. Now I get why
this tea is drank after the meal; the palate gets saturated in “sweet” notes as taste buds take a rest from heavier flavors. A perfect slow-sipper.
Infusion II (30s)Second infusion proves to be a more sweet and less roasted/caramel, fruity aspect keeps up the pace and there can be sensed a particular sugary bite in the throat. Liquor color has slightly shifted to orange tone.
Conclusion – Very pleasing tea, not an everyday drinker (at least not for me), something to be highly considered for calming down taste buds after flavorful meals and as solution to sinless caramel crave. Did I mention it’s low in caffeine?
I adapted this tasting note from my blog post that I wrote the other day:
http://dobricajevi.blogspot.com/2012/11/houjicha-hamasa-en.html#more
your pics are really beautiful on your blog – very nice review as well
Thank you :)