Hojicha: What Does This Roasted Tea Taste Like?
Roasted leaves, powder, hazelnut notes, and milk drinks: how to taste hojicha and choose the preparation that suits it.
By Roseline Zhou, Founder
Contents
You're looking for hazelnut and toasted-grain notes in a tea. Hojicha is made by roasting Japanese green tea. The heat browns the leaves and gives them a taste that may recall hazelnuts, toasted grains, or a subtle cocoa note. You can brew the leaves or prepare it from powder.
These forms don't have the same texture. Hojicha Terre, which we sell as a powder, disperses in water and works well in a latte; an infusion of leaves is lighter. We suggest a first cup with water to taste the roasted notes, then trying it with milk.
How does roasting change hojicha?
Green tea leaves are heated after their first processing. They turn brown and develop a roasted flavor. You can find hojicha as leaves, sometimes mixed with stems, or as a powder to whisk. The choice changes both the texture and how you prepare the cup.
Before recommending a way to use it, we look at how fine the powder is, how it disperses in water, and how it tastes without sugar. Whole leaves make a clearer infusion. With frothed milk, the powder adds more body. Neither form replaces the other in every preparation.
What does hojicha taste like?
Notes of hazelnut, toasted grains, cocoa, or light caramel may come through. A stronger roast makes for a darker, more roasted cup. Taste it before adding sugar so you know which notes you want to keep.
For a latte, we look for a roasted flavor clear enough to come through the milk without relying on sugar to carry it. If you prefer vegetal notes, the difference between matcha and hojicha can help you choose your cup.
How do you prepare hojicha with water?
With leaves, steep the tea in hot water and adjust the time to the strength you want. For the powder, whisk about 3/4 tsp (1.5 g) of hojicha into 1 2/3 fl oz (50 ml) of hot water at around 167°F (75°C). If the result seems too dense, add about 3 1/3 fl oz (100 ml) of hot or cold water. We prefer to dilute this first cup rather than sweeten it right away; you'll get a clearer sense of the tea's strength.
How do you make a hot hojicha latte?
Plan on about 1 tsp (2 g) of powdered hojicha, 1 1/3 fl oz (40 ml) of hot water at around 167°F (75°C), and 4 to 4 3/4 fl oz (120 to 140 ml) of milk or a plant-based drink. Mix the powder with the water first so the milk goes into a base that is already smooth.
- Whisk the powder with the water until the base is smooth.
- Heat the milk without boiling it, then froth it if you like.
- Pour the hojicha base into a cup, add the milk, and taste before sweetening.
We often choose Hojicha Terre powder for a latte in which the roasted taste still comes through the milk. It's less suited if you want the lightness of an infusion of leaves.
How do you make an iced hojicha latte?
Whisk about 1 1/2 tsp (3 g) of powdered hojicha with 1 fl oz (30 ml) of water. Pour 1/2 cup (120 ml) of milk over ice, add the hojicha base, then stir. Taste before sweetening.
For a black sesame variation, use 1/2 oz (15 g) of sesame paste and 1/2 oz (15 g) of cream or coconut cream. Add about 1 1/2 tsp (3 g) of hojicha, 1 fl oz (30 ml) of hot water, and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of milk. Mix the sesame and cream, whisk the hojicha separately with the water, then bring everything together with the milk and ice.
Do hojicha and genmaicha taste the same?
No. Genmaicha is green tea mixed with roasted rice; hojicha gets its roasted notes from roasting the tea itself. The first recalls toasted rice more strongly, while the second can suggest hazelnuts or cocoa.