Browncoat Genmaicha

Tea type
Green Tea
Ingredients
Cacao Nibs, Genmaicha, Organic Flavours
Flavors
Chocolate, Nutty, Roasted Nuts, Sweet, Toasted Rice
Sold in
Bulk
Caffeine
Medium
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Skysamurai
Average preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 0 sec 2 g 10 oz / 294 ml

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49 Tasting Notes View all

  • “Oops. Missed one. Back up to 184! I also missed my 500th tasting note, so hello 503! Wow. Anyways. This one is tasting soapy to me right now. It tastes like a genmaicha, but with soap. :( I have...” Read full tasting note
  • “How to begin describing this? It reminds me of a Nestlé Crunch but not half as sweet. The smell and taste are also reminiscent of my mom’s chocolate covered rice crispy squares, which use a very...” Read full tasting note
  • “(backlog) Eeeek, I really don’t know what I’ll do with my packet of this. The chocolate is not exactly my idea of authentic. Quite fake. I don’t think I’d even want it as a base in my food. Some...” Read full tasting note
    60
  • “Sipdown!! (213? I think) So I have been on a bit of a genmaicha kick recently if you have not noticed from my constant talk about it (Sorry steepster for my obsessive blabbering :S). This is one of...” Read full tasting note
    65

From 52teas

We think Captain Mal would appreciate this week’s Tea of the Week.

For those of you unfamiliar with genmaicha, a little history: genmaicha was originally the beverage of choice for poor Japanese folk; the toasted rice served to stretch the more expensive sencha. Sounds to me like something you’d see in the outer colonies. The thing is, what started as a poor man’s attempt to stretch his tea, soon became known as “the people’s tea”. The roasty-toasty goodness of the toasted rice was a great compliment to the sea-kissed sencha.

So, you might be wondering: how could we possibly hope to improve on “the people’s tea”? Simple: we add CHOCOLATE!

Our Browncoat Genmaicha is a premium Japanese genmaicha with organic cacao nibs and organic chocolate flavors. (Yes, it’s vegan too!) I’ve been doing some experimenting with genmaicha and while I normally would never think of blending green tea with chocolate, the toasty rice element in genmaicha makes it perfect for some rich, sweet chocolate tones. This being one of our nerdy homages, I don’t think it’s going to last very long, so get yours while it lasts. Speaking of nerdy homages, you might notice on our In-Stock page, we’ve reblended the Weeping Angel!

For anyone who does not get the Browncoat reference, you lose 50 nerd points and need to buy the Firefly series on DVD or watch them on Netflix.

Keep flying!

Our Tea of the Week for the week of December 10, 2012

About 52teas View company

At 52teas.com, you will find unique, hand-blended artisan loose leaf teas: a new limited edition creation every week of the year. We pride ourselves on offering truly unique, one-of-a-kind tea blends that you won’t find anywhere else.

49 Tasting Notes

2291 tasting notes

Oops. Missed one. Back up to 184!

I also missed my 500th tasting note, so hello 503! Wow.

Anyways.

This one is tasting soapy to me right now. It tastes like a genmaicha, but with soap. :(

I have enough for one more cup, so I’ll try again another time.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 0 sec
OMGsrsly

LOL. I found a blank note and deleted it, so 503. :D I will probably do 504 before bed, though.

Shmiracles

oh cool! CONGRATULATIONS! i’ll drink to that :)

Shmiracles

oh hah woops i probably confused things. by deleting my first comment. but i realized twinsies wasn’t accurate because i only log each tea once blah blah blah, but still we are totally both on the same tea train! choo choo

OMGsrsly

I’m kinda glad I haven’t tried 500 different teas yet. I can’t imagine how the tea would have taken over my apartment by this point. :) It’s a noble goal. One day. :)

Sil

Lol no comment.

OMGsrsly

:D Sil, some of us don’t have a hollow leg just for tea consumption!

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1442 tasting notes

How to begin describing this? It reminds me of a Nestlé Crunch but not half as sweet. The smell and taste are also reminiscent of my mom’s chocolate covered rice crispy squares, which use a very pungent, somewhat sour and cheap Hershey-like chocolate. Yes, chocolate covered baked rice crispy squares, and maybe some hot cocoa, is what this reminds me of.

It has all the roasted, nutty, and buttery notes of genmaicha (one of my favourite teas). If anything, the American chocolate enhances that “bitter nut” quality to me more than it creates a true chocolate sensation. Perhaps Nutella? I don’t know. I feel the chocolate and roasted rice meet mid-sip then linger together.

This is different but it works! It’s quite the comforting beverage.. until it reminds me that a certain show will never have a season two. Then it’s not quite so comforting. Bitter nut.

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 1 min, 30 sec
Sil

Awe…. No second season sigh

TeaLady441

You make this sound so amazing!

Crowkettle

It is a dreaded chocolate tea but if you ever want to try some, or the weeping angel tea, I have enough to spare :)

TeaLady441

Thanks! Maybe we could do a swap if I have something you like!

gmathis

This sounds wonderful and I suddenly have a hankerin’ to watch “Shindig.”

Crowkettle

I need to sit down and run through all the episodes again; I’ve almost forgotten how frilly and pink that dress was (good episode)!
@Cavocorax, Zen Tea? Darjeeling? Cherry Cola? Anything you would love to get rid of? I’m easy going :)

TeaLady441

Shindig is awesome! I need to watch that again too!

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60
1759 tasting notes

(backlog)
Eeeek, I really don’t know what I’ll do with my packet of this. The chocolate is not exactly my idea of authentic. Quite fake. I don’t think I’d even want it as a base in my food. Some sips are ok as a plain genmaicha, but then others? yikes. It reminds me of the sugar free chocolate my grandfather used to eat, since he was a diabetic. The one candy I would dread getting offered but always accepted out of guilt!
This is my third try and still, no go.

Kashyap

wonder if they added carob to it…

Indigobloom

Probably. I dislike carob. and chicory to

ms.aineecbeland

oh my; you poor dear! Genmaicha is already an acquired taste and to have to mix it with chocolate…52teas do seem to go boldly as none might other wise. OK, I think I am clever with wordings. I would not like this either is what I mean.

Indigobloom

I go through phases. Love/hate with Genmaicha. So I was really hoping this would be great!!

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65
6444 tasting notes

Sipdown!! (213? I think)

So I have been on a bit of a genmaicha kick recently if you have not noticed from my constant talk about it (Sorry steepster for my obsessive blabbering :S). This is one of many and it came by way of a swap package from JennyFur. I recall having this once before and not being particularly impressed but I usually try to have at least two cups to ensure the first was not simply lacking due to human error.

Reading my tasting note on this one, I can’t help but feel my initial impressions were spot on. This tastes like a genmaicha, a decent one at that, but not much else. If you are going to advertise a flavor, I want to be able to taste it and I am getting none of that here. Though I still enjoy the cup for the tasty genmaicha that it is, I would not order this, especially when there are more easily accessible genmaichas around. All in all, this is good but nothing special. The last tsp of this is going out to Roswell Strange to see if she has better luck finding the cocoa. However, I am very happy I got to try this if for nothing else than my curiosity might have gotten the better of me and I may have purchased a 2oz package if it became available and then have been disappointed. So thank you JennyFur for the opportunity to try this without having to commit to such a large amount. That really is one of the many beautiful things about swaps!

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 30 sec

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80
1598 tasting notes

So I’ve had genmaicha before, but it was only the grocery store variety and it was super nutty. Almost TOO nutty. I had to be in the right mood before I could enjoy it.

This was a nice treat though – thank you again to crowkettle for the sample! Oh man – Steepster is GREAT for swaps. Everyone is so generous. I think I’m over 100 teas now because of all the swaps I’ve been doing. (At least they don’t take up too much room because most of them are samples… :P)

Anyways this is much milder than I expected genmaicha to be. It’s nicely chocolately, nutty and green. I really love this combination. I ended up resteeping it, and I may just try it again in the morning to see if there’s any more life in it.

If Frank ever reblends this, I’ll be sure to pick some up!
(Another note – I love how Steepster allows us to get on a first name basis with the people we buy tea from!)

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 2 min, 45 sec
Crowkettle

I really want a reblend of this.

TeaLady441

Totally. I really appreciate you sending me some. If I ever manage to get my hands on more (outside of a reblend), I’ll be sure to send you some.

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68
16414 tasting notes

Another “In and Out” Sipdown (209)!

Mmm, Genmaicha! There’s so much of it in my house right now that I absolutely had to take advantage of the one cup sample size of this from VariaTEA and drink it all up tonight! Yummy!

My parameters were the whole sample, in 8 oz. of 80 degree celsius water steeped for a little shy of three minutes.

I’m a little disappointed because I don’t get chocolate out of this at all! Not in the dry or steeped smell, and not in taste either. What a shame! That said, it’s still a really nice Genmaicha and it’s hitting the spot so well right now!

I debated adding some Nesquick Chocolate Milk Syrup into the mug just to give it that chocolate touch I was looking for, but decided against it – plain Genmaicha is doing nicely for now.

I’m really loving this as a plain Genmaicha, but I’m gonna rate it sort of low despite that because it’s not supposed to be a plain Genmaicha (definitely not living up the the description).

VariaTEA

Did I send you Nina’s Japon?? You should try that. So tasty…

VariaTEA

I didn’t get chocolate either. My impressions of this were spot on to yours.

Roswell Strange

Yes you did :)

VariaTEA

I have this huge fear that I have hyped the tea WAY too much but I just love it so much.

TeaLady441

I remember liking this one, and the reblend falling flat…:(

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89
421 tasting notes

Ok being a huge Firefly fan I HAD to order this tea! Shiny! Besides the idea of adding chocolate to Genmaicha really got my curiosity going.

This is an interesting one…dry leaf smells like toast and chocolate. While the steeped tea smells more like traditional Genmaicha with a slight hint of chocolate. The taste? A weird blend of chocolate and toasted rice. Not my favorite two things together, but it isn’t my least favorite either. Different is the best way to put it and I do like it. Way to go Frank!

Preparation
170 °F / 76 °C 2 min, 45 sec
Hesper June

Haha! Shiny:) Love it.

Frolic

I’m really hoping this will taste kinda like coco krispies.

IllBeMother221B

You know it did a little. :)

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1220 tasting notes

This tea is so weird, totally not in a bad way. It is roasty, chocolatey, and a bit creamy…it actually really reminds me of chocolate ice cream and I’m not sure how. I think it’s just that it’s such an odd combination, and yet it’s working for me. It’s chocolate genmaicha.

Sweet Canadian

I had this today too! I like it a lot, but it smells really funky dry.

Crowkettle

Also just finished a cup of this. It’s quite different!

Kittenna

Ooooh, can’t wait for the Lupicia order to arrive so you can send me my teas and I can finally try this one! And the other five!!! :D

Sil

Haha kittenna… Get back to your sip downs!

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89
4843 tasting notes

Backlog:

This was really quite yummy. I loved the way the bittersweet chocolate notes complemented the roasty-toasty notes of the genmaicha. Definitely a winner!

Here is my full-length review of this tea: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/01/26/browncoat-genmaicha-from-52teas/

Kittenna

I’m really wondering what’s different about my package from everyone else’s…. the chlorine smell was seriously causing me to gag :( I’ll have to give it another shot soon…

Sil

Get some of IB’s to see if there’s something ring with your bag

Indigobloom

mine is off to, but you are welcome to try it! I don’t quite get chlorine though. More waxy fake chocolate

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51
836 tasting notes

1.25 tablespoons for 375 ml of water

The brewed tea has a note of chocolate in the aroma. Genmaicha scent is at the forefront.

On the sip I’m detecting an out-of-place fruity note. Chocolate flavour is very mild and only present near the end of the sip into the aftertaste. Genmaicha flavour is quite mild. Hint of roasted taste near the end of the sip. There is an odd chlorine-like flavour near the middle of the sip which I think is the result of the mild cocoa and genmaicha mix.

I found that there was a good amount of chocolate-y flavour near the end of the cup with the tea sediment bits that sink to the bottom of the cup.

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 2 min, 30 sec
Alphakitty

I almost bought this one when it first came out, but the reviews seem pretty so-so and this is the second mention of chlorine I’ve seen so I guess it’s good I skipped it!

Kittenna

Yeah mine smelled strongly of chlorine. :/

Indigobloom

Really hoping that another few weeks fixes everything!

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