Genmai Cha

I haven’t tasted other genmai cha’s and I imagine they’re all an acquired taste. The green tea used in this one is pretty strong, which I like. It helps balance the also strong taste of toasted grains. I find the toasty quality to be warming. This would be great on a cold, rainy day.

It needs no sweetener (I cant even imagine how that’d taste!) and can be re-steeped once. I’m sure the taste isn’t for everyone but personally it’s one of my favorites.

Like liquid popcorn w/a lot less calories. Great in the afternoon for a light pick me up. It had a very light and clear flavor-it was not strongly vegetal. It is definitely a taste that takes some getting used to…

This is a great Japanese green with popped rice. It’s not as grassy as most Japanese greens, and has a nice, mellow toasty taste. Great for multiple steeps.

Mmmm! Genmai cha is one of my staples. So, after a 60 hour work week and 7 hours of sleep in the last 2 nights (combined) I brewed a cup of this. The toasty flavor is just perfect on a rainy, dreary day. I’m on my second steep now.

I tried it in my new sampling kit from adagio because I was a little wary of it, but I’m definitely leaving the leaves in for a second steep! Great, fun taste, good for an afternoon movie or book.

I love the history behind this tea.

Trying this category of green tea for the first time, and I’m kicking myself for not trying it sooner! It tastes like a rice bowl with seaweed furikake in the very best way. It’s almost curbing my appetite by some sort of magic? In a blind sniff test I wouldn’t be able to discern it from dinner (again, in the very best of ways) and it’s fascinating me. I don’t know if I’m just suggestable but it almost tastes somewhat like a beef broth to me. I’m going to try more of this in the future for sure!

It’s apparently the season for me to get completely swamped with teas – my orders from Adagio, Teavivre and Liquid Proust (the 2019 Sheng Olympiad) came in…and then I received gifts from DAVIDsTEA, Bird & Blend, Harney & Sons AND the Mystery Teabox just arrived a couple days ago. I’m in a bit over my head, honestly. :o

Before diving into the Mystery Tea Box – because it’s going to be an all-day event – I took a moment to brew up one of my favorites. I adore genmai cha in almost every variation I can get my hands on and this basic blend is no different.

I always err on the site of a very light steep and can usually get around 3 good cups out of a scoop. The liquid brews up light gold with mild green hints, transitioning to a deeper amber in later cups.

Adagio uses a quality green as their base, it seems, as the grassy/vegetal notes come through cleanly without any astringent notes. The rice is what makes this a comforting cup for me – something about that toasted note really fills the mouth and reminds me of warm bread.

As it cools it does go a little flat and metallic – might be the tea, might be my water – but generally I’m not letting them sit around to that point, anyway. :)

Prefered this tea to a couple of other genmai cha’s I’ve had.

It’s goods for the price. Admittedly I much prefer buying my own bancha leaves and genmai seperate and mixing to my own personal taste. Of course it doesn’t look like Adagio used bancha leaves here. Of course bancha takes a different definition depending on which part of Japan you’re in. Of course I come bearing my own bias. Of course, of course, of course.

Is this tea good. Yeah. Should you buy it. Sure, give it a shot. Is it special and will it take you to your happy place? No, and maybe……but there are much better genmaichas out there. I prefer older, thicker, and larger leaves in a genmaicha as they contribute to the sweetness of the brew. Using the sencha leaves here makes for a more bitter brew.

Again, like in my Adagio Gyokuro review, forgo the offered brewing instructions and brew much lower. 180F is much too high. Try 160F instead.

My full video review can be watched here on my website!

https://worldteapodcast.com/videos/2017/5/16/world-tea-podcast-review-adagios-gyokuro-genmaicha-pouchong