I love bold everyday teas and I love Japanese greens so getting some bancha was kind of a no brainer. Its leaves are lighter in color than the senchas I have and it brews up to a light green color. The brewed leaves range from small chunks to almost entire large leaves.
It’s taste is savory, grassy, and low in bitterness and astringency. It’s less floral than sencha and seems less caffeinated. I even did a second western style brewing and it’s still good.
This is definitely the type of tea I had while in various small establishments in Japan. It’s good with food and for cutting through sweets. One of my best experiences was being offered a cup of hot bancha with a matcha shaved ice. The contrast was so lovely, perhaps I’ll drink this with some ice cream?
