Kuki Hojicha (Roasted Stems)

Tea type
Green Tea
Ingredients
Not available
Flavors
Autumn Leaf Pile, Campfire, Dry Grass, Mineral, Roast Nuts, Roasted, Smoke, Smooth, Sweet, Toasty, Walnut, Woody, Earth, Green, Tobacco, Wood, Hops, Roasted Barley
Sold in
Loose Leaf
Caffeine
Low
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Cameron B.
Average preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 1 min, 45 sec 7 g 8 oz / 243 ml

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8 Tasting Notes View all

From Ippodo

For those who love hojicha, we also offer Stems Hojicha – a stems-only version of hojicha. Compared to our regular Gokujo Hojicha, Stems Hojicha has a deeper roasted flavor and a unique “stems” character- round, hearty, and crisp. If you love the taste of Gokujo Hojicha, but are looking for a tea that is more full-bodied, then this is a must-try.

For your first taste of hojicha, we recommend the leaves and stems version, Gokujo Hojicha.

About Ippodo View company

Company description not available.

8 Tasting Notes

88
280 tasting notes

Maybe it’s been a while since I’ve had houjicha, but the aroma that came from the teacups was excellent, and mostly, a lot stronger than I expected. Usually I have to put my nose in the teapot to take in a nice aroma— here, it felt like the whole kitchen had been filled (at least momentarily) with a delicious roasted aroma.

And this houjicha is perhaps the best example I’ve had of a tea that has been successfully roasted to the point of caramelization. The first cup or two I drank hot, but used the majority of the kettle I brewed to make a big pitcher iced. It is delicious either way, but I almost think I prefer it hot, since the aroma is even better. Either way, this is definitely some of the best I’ve had.

As for Ippodo as a whole, this was my first order, and everything about them is really impressive. The way they wrap the teas, the info. packets they provide about brewing, about the company and products… they are all excellently and professionally made. You can tell they put a lot of care and thought to every detail.

sherubtse

I have been thinking about ordering some houjicha for the summer. It will be a nice change from all of the senchas I have been sucking back lately.

Glad to hear you were impressed with the co. I have thought about ordering sencha from them, but am not thrilled that they only allow EMS shipping and have no PayPal option at checkout.

But, who knows?

Best wishes,
sherubtse

Shinobi_cha

Yes, only EMS will certainly limit the number of times I would potentially order from them, but I totally understand why they would chose to do that as a business. It is strange that they don’t allow PayPal, since that does seem to be a fairly standard option.

I often like to have another kind of tea around (other than sencha) so I can change things up…. houjicha, gyokuro, or some kind of unrelated black tea. Though, that sometimes means I just drink sencha and the other …. :-)

CHAroma

Sorry, what’s EMS?

Shinobi_cha

Express Mail Service – the expensive option of shipping (I’ve only seen it from Japan but it may be used elsewhere); usually starting at 1200 JPY ($15). But it is fast and insured. Some Japanese companies offer only EMS as a shipping method because SAL (surfaced air mail) while cheap, can be unreliable.

sherubtse

Some companies (e.g., O-Cha) also offer 1st class airmail, which is my preferred shipping option. It is quick and (relatively) cheap.

Best wishes,
sherubtse

Shinobi_cha

Ah, I didn’t know there was another type. (Or, I assume 1st class airmail is the same as SAL). I have ordered from O-cha and used the cheaper option before, I but I don’t believe it was insured.

sherubtse

The cheaper option from O-Cha is not insured. But it is quick, taking just 2-3 days longer than EMS. And, it is faster than SAL (albeit more expensive as well).

Best wishes,
sherubtse

CHAroma

Cool, thanks for the info!

Cole

Miss your musings, bud! Let me know if you ever decide to order from Ippodo again — there’s a laundry list of things I’d like to try but could never afford by my lonesome :)

Shinobi_cha

Hey Cole! Mostly, I just use teachat now. I like steepster, but decided I didn’t enjoy it enough to keep writing. Wanted to just enjoy tea as it is without thinking about how I’d write about it. And on teachat, they have cool tea tasting initiatives where you get to try a bunch of teas for cheap. ‘OTTI’ it’s called – check it out!

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80
20 tasting notes

Great hojicha, but too strongly roasted / intense to be a daily drinker.

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82
4126 tasting notes

Sipdown! (6 | 367)

One of the last of the teas I bought in Japan in 2019. The Ippodo storefront in Kyoto was so lovely, with kind and knowledgeable staff, plenty of tasty tea, and even a cute tearoom where we had tea and wagashi. I miss Japan, time to go back! :P

Anyway, I digress. This is a yummy hojicha, with a roast that’s a bit on the darker side. There’s just a whisper of woodsmoke in the background – not enough to make it taste like a smoked tea, just the right amount to give it optimal cozy, autumnal vibes. Predominantly woody with mineral and fallen leaf notes, perhaps a touch of roasted walnut as well.

Honestly, I don’t have a strong preference among different hojicha (aside from my favorite Kyobancha), so I don’t know that I would buy this specific one again. It’s more of a general toasty vibe to me, and I always have a plethora of Obubu options on hand from my subscription anyway. So farewell, tea with fond memories! :)

Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Campfire, Dry Grass, Mineral, Roast Nuts, Roasted, Smoke, Smooth, Sweet, Toasty, Walnut, Woody

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 2 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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95
1191 tasting notes

Huge fan of the robust roast of this tea. Plus, I can have it in the evenings because it’s low caffeine. I usually get at least two and up to five steeps out of it, depending on amount of leaf and length of steep. I bought a bunch of it a few years ago and then neglected it for a while, which is a sin with tea this good. I’ve been on a delightful mission to drink it down over the past few months. This has led to some experimentation that the tea is probably too high quality for, but I do occasionally enjoy it with oat milk, vanilla agave, and pumpkin spice honey (so basically a hojicha pumpkin spice latte).

Mastress Alita

Maple also goes great in a houjicha latte!

AJRimmer

Pumpkin spice honey sounds amazing!

Kaylee

Yes maple! I love maple syrup in hojicha and also coffee.

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80
306 tasting notes

Thank you Cameron for this sample!

I am still brand new to Hojicha. This one was pleasant but I found the flavor profile a bit mild for my taste. The warmth roast quality comes through and makes it a relaxing, peaceful cup. I like how earthy and soothing it is, but I’m looking for a little more oomph in flavor with my weaker taste buds to be a higher rating. People should enjoy this one, however.

Flavors: Earth, Roasted

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 5 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 5 OZ / 147 ML
Cameron B.

The kukicha version is often milder, as the stems are milder and sweeter than the leaves!

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86
48 tasting notes

Very solid daily drinker. Has a very pleasant roasted taste without getting overpowering. Lasts for many steeps. Can go all day and it won’t lose taste much even after a dozen steeps.

Flavors: Green, Roasted, Tobacco, Wood

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 30 sec 7 g 5 OZ / 150 ML

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31
7 tasting notes

Expensive offering from Ippodo i thought. This Hojicha was nothing special for a roasted tea and I fel it was overated. I prefer making my own which is easy.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 15 sec

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93
3 tasting notes

Awesome tea. Really like the flavor and aroma. It also have a very low caffein level, so you can drink it whenever you want. Totally recommended!

Flavors: Earth, Hops, Roasted Barley, Tobacco

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 7 OZ / 200 ML
Alejandro Paniagua

Esta rico eh? jejejeje

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