TOP5 teas for beginners
For many tea lovers, the path to the world of Japanese tea flavours starts not with the most complex teas like matcha or gyokuro, but with flavours that are more common in the western world, such as roasted or fresher tasting green teas. Here are some ideas to start your tea journey.
Genmaicha is a green tea with fried mochi rice. It is one of the most popular Japanese teas in the world and is often found on menus in Asian restaurants. This tea blend is made using second-picked bancha green tea, which has a fresh and light green tea flavour. Because the toasted mochi rice tastes like caramel nuts, this tea blend is also a favourite with children.
- Green tea with fried rice
- Easy to make
- Taste of caramel roasted nuts
Hojicha – green tea roasted at high temperatures. This type of tea has less caffeine, making it a pleasant companion at any time of the day. Akky-san hojicha has a deep roasted and slightly sweet flavor, with smoke and dark chocolate notes. In Japan, hojicha is often consumed as a drink with food and is a favourite among coffee lovers.
- Roasted green tea
- Easy to make
- Roasted, slightly sweet taste
A common challenge for beginners is the unusual flavour notes of Japanese teas and the improper method of making green tea. Farmer Ryo-san’s sencha is made from the youngest spring leaves and, thanks to the subspecies of the tea bush and the way it is grown, it reveals flavour notes that are somewhat unusual for Japanese teas. It has a light and refreshing taste, does not go rancid at higher temperatures and has a pleasant floral aroma.
- Green tea
- Easy to make
- Light and refreshing taste
This is the last tea of the season, made from leaves that have been “dormant” over the winter and are almost caffeine-free. This type of tea is found in the Kyoto region and is known locally as “baby” tea. Kyobancha has a sweet, toasty flavour reminiscent of hazelnuts and hints of caramel.
- Roast tea
- Easy to make
- Sweet lightly fried taste
Kukicha is a tea that consists of tea stems and stalks that have been separated from the leaves during the brewing of gyokuro, matcha or sencha teas. A cup of Kukicha has a rich, sweet and refreshing flavour with hints of almonds, making it a very pleasant way to start the day or brighten up the afternoon with the flavours and aromas of this tea.
- Green tea
- Refreshing with a hint of almonds
- Easy to make
Difficult to choose and decide which tea is best for you? A great way to discover your favourite flavours is by buying small quantities of different teas. After all, it’s so much fun to discover new flavours and share these new experiences with others!