{"product_id":"houjicha","title":"Houjicha","description":"\u003ch3\u003eThe green tea for people who don't like green tea.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHoujicha is a Japanese green tea roasted over high heat in porcelian pots until the leaves turn reddish-brown and the flavor transforms. The vegetal, grassy character of steamed green tea disappears. What emerges tastes like cocoa, caramel, and toasted nuts. Smooth, naturally sweet, with a clean finish that carries zero astringency. The roasting process also breaks down most of the caffeine and tannins, which makes this the rare green tea you can drink at night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea includes both leaves and stems. In Japanese tea nomenclature, stem-inclusive teas are called \u003cem\u003ekukicha\u003c\/em\u003e. The stems carry more L-theanine than the leaves, an amino acid that contributes a creamy sweetness to the cup. The stems also roast differently than the leaves, which adds textural complexity to the flavor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHoujicha showed up in Kyoto in the 1920s as a way to use older leaves and stems that didn't make the grade for premium sencha. The roasting covered the roughness. What started as thrift tea became a staple: gentle on the stomach, hydrating without stimulating, served in Japanese schools and hospitals for exactly that reason. Warm, toasty, comforting.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yerba Buena Tea Co.","offers":[{"title":"Tea Tin","offer_id":47256369201474,"sku":"SQ0037171","price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Tea Refill","offer_id":47256369234242,"sku":"SQ0037172","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0806\/0862\/4962\/files\/houjicha-loose-tea-ybtco.webp?v=1779851319","url":"https:\/\/ybtco.mom\/products\/houjicha","provider":"Yerba Buena Tea Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}