Genmaicha

I do like this tea.
It is a pretty straight forward Genmaicha.
Smells of rice cakes and popcorn.
In fact there is actual popcorn in the tea.
But, that is where I have some small issues, it is almost like they are trying a bit too hard to achieve the flavor.
The rice pieces and popcorn almost outnumber the green tea leaves.
Which brings me to the leaves itself, not sure if it is just my tin, but when I first opened the tin, some of the leaves were crushed almost to a powder (like someone thought they were making Matcha iri Genmaicha but then realized halfway through their mistake)
As I use more in the tin, the leaves are whole, so I think it must have been a fluke thing.
Overall, it is a good price and it does have that yummy nutty toasted taste that we all love about Genmaicha.
I love drinking this tea in the mid-afternoon when I have the urge to have a snack, it fills that craving nicely.

I have had genmaicha from three different retailers now. I find Harney & Sons to have a more mellow and smooth version than others I have tasted. The toastiness is there, but it blends well with the green tea- I find both the vegetal flavor of the tea and the roastiness of the rice to be well balanced. It’s kind of nice to see popped rice in the mix- makes this a unique tea.

Years ago I purchased Yamamotoyama’s Genmai Cha from Stash Tea and I did not like it. It was horrible-I couldn’t drink it and returned it. It is the only tea I have ever returned to a company, & looking back on it I wish I would have kept it. I also wish I would have brewed it properly. I used boiling water…ssttrriiiikkke one! I steeped it at LEAST 3 minutes…..ssssttttrriiiike two!! I probably used too much tea and failed to experiment with different water temps and steep times…..sssttttrrriiikkkeee three!!! I was so bush league back then-a mere amateur.

Finally I bought this sample from Harney & Sons and had a completely different experience. Enter glass tea press and Genmaicha tea. Open packet, sssnnniiifff deeply, and enjoy the deep, nutty aroma. Steep parameters below are for first infusion, filled with 8 oz filtered water. What a nice medium deep, yellow liqueur-perhaps not as clear as that of the Buckwheat tea. Nutty aroma very present in the wet leaves as well as the cup, lingering on the palate. The second cup-approx. 195* for 1:15- was the strongest (not bitter), very nutty with a natural sweetness. They don’t call this tea popcorn tea for nothing, and I find that to be accurate. My last steep at 205* for 2 minutes was weaker, but still exhibited good nutty sweet characteristics.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tea, but the second cup was almost too nutty for me….and I’m CRAZY! :)) I would drink this occasionally, perhaps with a meal, and try lower temps and steep times. I wish I had more Genmai Cha….oh wait…I DO! Anna sent me a sample. Wish granted! :))

Until we Genmai Cha Cha Cha again.

Cupped Mon/Tue, Oct 24-25, 2011. Reviewed Thu, Nov 17, 2011.

I ordered this partially so that I could compare it to the genmaicha I got from Murchie’s. This tea smell very distinctly of popcorn – just popcorn, not burnt-smelling this time. The taste is surprisingly smooth and mild, and I’m barely getting any grassiness at all from the green tea base. But there’s a sweetness to the flavour that was lacking in the Murchie’s tea.

It lacks the body and the intense savory quality of other genmaichas, but I’ll have a better idea of that after I give it a longer steeping time.

TASTY!!! This is a great way to introduce black tea people to green tea (source: I am a black tea person). I figured it’s time to add some green tea to my collection, mostly black and white tea, even though I don’t prefer the grassy, astringent taste most green teas generally have.

The leaves give off a distinct smell of toasted rice cakes, with a very very distinct hint of the vegetal scent of green tea. Steeping the blend intensifies these scents even further, and the liquor is bright yellowish-green. I let it steep for slightly over two minutes at 175-180 F water.

Like the leaves, the liquid gives off a really strong roasted rice cake smell, which is delicious. That roasty taste is pretty dominant in the tea, and you really have to pay attention to get the vegetal taste of the batcha. Though the rice taste is pretty strong, it’s not quite overpowering and I think provides a nice sweet balance to the batcha. There’s only a very mild astringency, which I actually find refreshing.

I love this stuff. Delicious harmony between grassy, astringent green tea and roasted/toasted rice flavor.

Another green I wasn’t fond of. SHOCKER. The popcorn was a weird surprise, though!

Overall, a nice Genmaicha.

This blend provides a good balance of vegetaliness from the bancha and toastiness from the roasted brown rice.

A nice daily drinker, the flavors are present, however, they are as deep or as exciting as they are with other Genmaicha variations, particularly those that use Sencha.

Pairs well with sushi!

I am a big fan of this brand, but I must say even though this is a very delicious tea, it is not as fresh tasting as Den’s Tea and I just received it today and opened it today; it could be from the nitrogen that the vaccuum sealed, resealable pouch it comes in. It is a good tea.

See my review on Den’s Tea, I am basically reiterating the same review here.

The freshness issue may be reconcilable, don’t really let it keep you from purchasing because it is a good value, 50ct. gourmet sachets for 20 bucks. The freshness is the only reason why I didn’t rate this tea a 100% score.

This is a must buy tea and comes highly recommended for trying something tasty and venturing into something new.

Quite yummy and a great complement to sushi/sashimi.

Nice and roasty, that’s how we like it.