Loose-leaf Houjicha (Hojicha), Japanese Roasted Green Tea, from Wegmans

In Albums: tea

Oct 2nd, 2013, by Alex Zorach

This photo shows loose-leaf houjicha (hojicha), sold by Wegmans supermarket for about $50 a pound.

Compare this photo to Yamamotoyama's hojicha, a different example of this style of tea. This particular batch is a slightly lighter roast than Yamamotoyama's; this is most evident in the flavor, but it is also subtly evident if you look closely at the hue of the leaf: although both look dark brown at first glance, there is a slight greenish cast to the leaves in this picture, whereas the Yamamotoyama example has a more reddish-brown hue, with less green. The leaf in this sample is also more intact, whereas Yamamotoyama's is more flakey, reflecting the fact that the leaves have become more dried out from heavier roasting.

You can read my review of this tea on RateTea. I thought it was good but on the expensive side for a style of tea that tends to be cheaper.