Houjicha/Hōjicha (ほうじ茶) means roasted tea, and generally refers to roasted bancha (late harvested Japanese green tea), and occasionally roasted early harvest sencha. This houjicha is of the bancha variety. While the leaves aren’t green anymore, and the liquor isn’t green it’s still technically green tea, as it’s processed as such before the final roasting stage, this roasting stage significantly decreases the caffeine content per infusion.

This is roasted darker than most Houjichas and as a result of this it has even less caffeine than usual, no bitterness (if you don’t leave it too long) and strong chocolatey, coffee like roasted flavours.

Houjicha is traditionally an after-dinner tea in Japan drunk by children and the elderly due to its low caffeine content.

Use higher leaf to water ratios if you want a stronger infusion.