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Cha tea is a Japanese green tea made by roasting tea leaves over charcoal, resulting in a nutty, mesquite flavor and a brown hue. Its low caffeine and tannin content make it a popular choice, especially after meals. The process began when farmers found a use for old bancha leaves and twigs.
A Japanese green tea, cha is made from tea leaves that are roasted over charcoal. Green tea leaves are made a deep dark brown when the roasting process is complete. Also called hoji cha tea or hojicha, tea made from these leaves has lower caffeine and tannin content due to the roasting process, making it a popular choice over other teas. Although it is actually a green tea, it has a rich brown hue.
What distinguishes cha tea from other traditional Japanese teas is the process where all moisture is removed from the leaves. Other teas have their leaves slowly dried, while tea leaves are roasted at very high temperatures over coals. The roasting process greatly changes not only the flavor but also creates a brown colored leaf.
Cha tea has a nutty flavor leaning towards the mesquita influence. The nutty, roasted flavor of roasted leaves is what makes them a popular choice for tea lovers. The tea is a delicately bodied tea, with an aromatic strength that largely matches its taste. The reason for its low level of caffeine, which is sought after by many, is that it has a large amount of roasted stems along with the leaves.
While it can be served chilled, but not cold, it is commonly served hot. Cha tea is presented at the end of a traditional Japanese meal. With its low caffeine content and light taste, it is the most commonly chosen tea to serve after the evening meal. For these reasons, cha tea is often Japanese children’s first tea experience.
The process of creating cha tea began when Japanese farmers discovered that the old blooming bancha leaves in late summer did not produce a tea favored by many. The large leaves created a less refined flavor in the tea when steeped, which has left many tea drinkers unhappy. Due to a lack of land for cultivation, farmers found they had to create a use for the bancha leaves and twigs or risk losing much-needed income. After roasting them, the nutty flavor of the bancha leaves and the unique caramel taste have proved quite popular. Although it was first brewed from the cheapest of tea leaves, today many varieties of the leaves are used to create different essences of cha.
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