I am a black tea sort of girl. Black just seems to work best with the flavorings I tend to reach for so typically when I am shopping, I hang out in the black tea section of shops. This has always been the case and though I have grown to enjoy other types of tea, I do still tend to gravitate towards black. However, since starting my tea journey, there has been one exception and that is genmaicha teas. Something about genmaichas just called to me and I made it my mission to try them all. This is one I have not tried so when I saw the familiar roasty rice and popcorn pieces peeking out of the traveling teabox I had, I immediately got the kettle brewing.
After just two quick minutes in 175 degree water, I had what my sister described as a canary yellow. Then she told me its like the color of a canary singing it’s melodic song that hints at its mellow nature. This is why I continue to ask her how she would describe the colors of my tea. I would have probably just said “yellow”.
As far as genmaichas go, this is a nice one. The first thing I noticed is that this has a strong roasty rice flavor. There is a touch of umami but mostly it is a rich, roasted note. The base is buttery and smooth and a tiny bit vegetal which provides the perfect counterbalance to the popped rice flavoring. Harmony tea seems to be a fitting name for this Mellow Monk blend since the flavors blend harmoniously (see what I did there?!).
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Mellow Monk
Description
Harmoney Tea™ is a genmaicha — green tea mixed with roasted brown rice. The rice imparts a nutty, toasty flavor that makes genmaicha one of the most popular types of green tea in America. Unlike some tea growers, this artisan roasts his own rice, which he buys from local farmers. (During roasting, some of the rice grains pop like popcorn. This popped rice is also included in the mixture to enhance the flavor.)
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Peep Crispies from A Quarter To Tea. . . .
I have one, very important rule about Easter candy: Peeps. Must. Be. Stale.
Now. I understand that this is a very divisive stance. Statistically, about 50% of you right now are probably nodding in impassioned agreement, thinking “of COURSE! What other way is there to eat them?!” and the other 50% of you are probably sharpening your pitchforks and chanting “off with her head!”
Okay. So maybe not *quite* that impassioned. But little did I know that there was even room for another rule in the world of Peeps: they should be brewed. As a tea. And sipped often.
I know. You’re thinking I’ve lost my mind– and I promise, I’m not actually sticking sugary marshmallows into cups of tea and waiting for them to melt (because that sounds like a sticky mess)– but with this green blend from A Quarter to Tea, I may as well be for as delightfully spot-on as this flavor is. A green genmaicha with toasty, popped rice, marshmallow root, and adorably bright sprinkles, this tea is maybe a little bit closer to a toasted (dare I say it– or even a stale) peep than a fresh & puffy, right-out-of-the-package little guy, but if that’s even close to sounding tasty to you, you must give this one a try. All of the seasonal delight with so much less of the high fructose corn syrup and neon-colored sugar dusting. I’ll be sipping this one long after Peter Rabbit has finished his seasonal duties and left for summer vacation.
Now, there’s only one thing left to do– leave the bag open for a few days and see if peeps tea is as good stale as the actual marshmallows. Can’t hurt, right? 😉
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
A toasted marshmallow delight with roasty genmaicha, marshmallow, and brightly colored sprinkles
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Strawberry Flavored Genmaicha from 52Teas. . . . Sounds Delish!
I am a sucker for flavored genmaichas. I absolutely love them. Once I tried flavored genmaicha, plain genmaicha never tasted the same! So, of course, when I saw that 52 Teas had come out with a new flavor I definitely had to try it. I am not opposed to fruit blends but they’re also not my favorite. Strawberry is yummy, though, so I was excited for this.
Upon opening my taster packet I could just smell the strawberry and toasted rice! Yummy. There were also chunks of freeze dried strawberries throughout the whole blend which made me happy. I did notice there’s also flavoring that was added, which made me happy as well. For the most part, tea’s flavor usually comes from added flavoring. The pieces of dried fruit are mostly for show and dont give off much flavor when steeped, but I still like to see them in there.
I steeped this one for about 3 minutes with hot water and upon taking my first sip I knew I loved it. It had a subtle-but-there strawberry flavor and it mixed well with the green tea and toasted rice. The only thing I would say was that I wish there had been one more component and what came to mind for me in that respect was maybe vanilla. Like, a strawberries and cream genmaicha. Or maybe a strawberry shortcake gemaicha. Maybe Anne had wanted to just make this one simple, straightforward, and yummy- and she totally achieved that. But, for me, I feel like I was left wanting just a little bit more of “something”. Either way, this was still delicious and if you like strawberry, you’ll definitely like this!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This blend is no longer available but click below for blends that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Mary Enjoys Cease & Desist from 52Teas. . . . .
With a name like Cease & Desist, I knew this tea had to have a good story. And with a company like 52 Teas? I knew it had to be a good tea!
Apparently, this tea was originally named after a favorite alcoholic horchata-esque treat (that rhymes with Thumb-chata), but after being served with a cease & desist letter, the name had to be changed. Lo and behold! We’re left with this tasty, cheekily-named delightful genmaicha.
First things first: this tea is a treat to brew. Big green leaves and toasty popped rice, it was ever-so-fragrant– my mouth was watering on the smell alone. I’ll admit I took a sip of it straight and while it was tasty, I knew a bit of cream + sweet could really take it to that next, crumb-chata level of deliciousness. Sure enough, a touch of coconut milk + maple syrup and I couldn’t slurp up this sweet, cinnamon-y treat quickly enough. My only note is that this one didn’t quite hit on the alcoholic horchata notes for me as much as it did straight-up milk-of-Cinnamon Toast Crunch. (Or in keeping with brand-name avoidance: Flinnamon Boast Lunch. Maybe?)
I’d wager that this is even better than its original intention– the flavors were spot on breakfast cereal for me, and I loved every second of it. I think this probably has something to do with the addition of the toasty popped rice making it a genmaicha that really pushed those cereal-y notes over the top.
Fun flavors and a touch of anti-establishmentarianism? Count me in.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Checking out Genmaicha from New Mexico Tea Company. . . . .
I have had very little genmaicha. The first I tried was a sample that came with an order, and since I didn’t know anything about genmaicha, I thought I had done something terribly wrong and burned it!
The second was a flavored genmaicha, and it was great. But, it had lots of added flavors.
So this is only my third genmaicha, and it is my first time tasting unflavored genmaicha while knowing exactly what it is! This is Japanese bancha, usually harvested in June after the Sencha has been harvested around May. There may be little bits of twig in the mix to sweeten the tea. And the critical addition is rice – brown pellets of heavily toasted rice, tiny but numerous.
The smell of the steeped tea made say, “Whoa now! Back that up!” My daughter looked at me in trepidation before sipping hers. We both sipped, and….
Aaaaaaah. This is pretty good! Way different than what we usually drink. Hearty. Roasty. No sour taste, no grassiness, no astringency. In its own roasty toasty way it reminded me of Lapsang, a tea dear to our hearts.
I can see this becoming a tea that one craves, that one associates with certain foods or places. If you grew up drinking it, I think it would be the Japanese tea equivalent of comfort food. I will never face a cup of genmaicha with trepidation again. I may even start craving it!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: New Mexico Tea Company
Description
Made with a little bit of luxury, ObubuÕs Genmaicha (玄米茶) or Brown Rice Tea is made with sweet mochi rice (also grown in Wazuka) combined with Yanagi Bancha.
The strong, sweet flavor of the roasted rice fills the air as the tea steeps and mixes with the sweetness and bitterness of the sencha to produce a delicious tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
