Does hojicha have caffeine?

Yes, but only a little. The high-heat roasting burns off much of the caffeine, so hojicha has less than matcha, sencha, or coffee, which makes it a common afternoon or evening drink.

What Is Hojicha? A Beginner's Guide

Q: What is hojicha?

Hojicha is a Japanese green tea roasted over high heat, which turns the leaves reddish-brown and gives it a toasty, nutty, almost caramel-like flavor.

by hoji ben

Hojicha (ほうじ茶) is a Japanese green tea that’s been roasted over high heat, which turns the leaves reddish-brown and gives the tea its toasty, almost caramel-like flavor. If matcha is grassy and vegetal, hojicha is warm and nutty.

How hojicha is made

Hojicha starts as ordinary green tea, usually bancha (mature leaves), and sometimes sencha or the stems known as kukicha. Instead of being steamed and dried for a fresh green flavor, the leaves are roasted in a porcelain pot or drum over charcoal or gas. The roasting:

Turns the leaves from green to brown.
Develops toasty, woody, caramel notes.
Burns off much of the caffeine.

What does hojicha taste like?

Toasty, nutty, lightly sweet, and smooth, with very little of the bitterness or astringency people associate with green tea. That low-bitterness, low-caffeine profile is exactly why it works so well as a latte and as soft serve.

Is hojicha caffeinated?

Yes, but lightly. The high-heat roasting reduces the caffeine, so hojicha has less caffeine than matcha, sencha, or coffee, which makes it a common afternoon or evening drink. See how much caffeine hojicha has.

How to drink hojicha

Brewed straight: the purest expression of the roast.
As a latte: steamed milk smooths it into something cozy.
As soft serve or in desserts: increasingly common in San Francisco.

Ready to taste it? See the best hojicha in San Francisco or jump to the full leaderboard.