Genmaicha (Harney & Sons)

Wednesday is Green Tea, White Tea, Rooibos, Oolong and Tisane (Herbal) Review Day!

When drinking a green tea it’s sometimes difficult to note the subtle differences in flavor. This can be especially true if you don’t frequently make green tea part of your tea collection. But then, Genmaicha isn’t your standard green tea!

Genmaicha quickly became one of my favorite teas. Earthy in flavor but with a long tail Genmaicha is both pleasing to drink, and memorable for your palette.

Sometimes called “popcorn tea” because of its trademark roasted brown rice, Genmaicha is a typically standard Sencha matched with a rural brown rice. This was done to help farmers and rural Japanese stretch their tea supplies out longer. Luckily for us, it also provides one of the most pleasing aromas for a green tea.

The blend of Genmaicha offered by Harney & Sons is top rate. Smooth and comforting, the flavor aroma and boldness are what I would expect from a brand which prides itself on quality.

Often times Genmaicha seems to be a missed opportunity, an afterthought where the excess of low grade Sencha or Bancha is combines with poorly roasted low quality brown rice. We don’t see that from Harney’s blend, and I was very pleased with the results.

Steeping recommendations: Wikipedia recommends a water temperature between 175°F and 185°F (80°C to 85°C), but I prefer a hotter setting as I find it helps the flavor permeate more completely.