Made from Camellia sinensis, it’s a roasted green tea from Japan, known for its nutty, smoky flavour and low caffeine content. It’s rich in antioxidants, gentle on digestion, offering an entry point for those seeking subtlety.
Reason why matcha has been racing is its caffeine profile. A typical matcha serving is within one-and-half to one teaspoons, with anywhere between 38mg- 176mg of caffeine whereas, an 8-ounce (240mL) cup of coffee contains around 100mg of caffeine.
Often made from first or second harvest of the plant, only a small fraction of first-time drinkers in India have returned to hojicha as culturally Indians tend to pick high caffeine drinks as their choice of beverage.
The appeal to create your own and invest technically lacks when it comes to hojicha, as you skip steps of roasting the leaves. Hojicha powder doesn't require whisking with hot water, usually brewed like a regular leaf-tea
Hojicha is yet to find its own footing in India. Those that fill their cups with hojicha right now either are looking for curious about alternative to coffee or stimulant-laced matcha and not as replacements.