Mugicha - Barley Tisane
Kaji ShotenMade from deep roasted, whole-grain barley, this mugicha has a soft and sweet taste along with a powerful, smoky aroma. Brewed hot in the winter and served iced in the summer, it is a classic Japanese household staple.
Compared to the commonly available mugicha tea bags which are made from crushed barley, these intact barley grains yield a smoother, sweeter brew.
This tisane is very versatile when it comes to brewing, and our recommendations below are just a start. For a stronger brew, you can simply steep for longer, or you can try the traditional boiling method.
To boil barley, add 25g of barley to 1000ml of water in a pot or stovetop kettle (not a clay kyusu) and boil for 5 minutes before turning off the heat and letting it steep as it cools for another 5-20 minutes to your desired strength. From here you can strain out the barley and enjoy it hot, iced, or cooled in the refrigerator
Brewing Instructions
Traditional
Hot Tea
Use 10 g (0.35 oz) of tea leaves for every 300 ml (10.14 oz) of water
Heat your water to 95º C (203º F) or let it cool slightly from boiling to bring out the roasty aroma
Let it steep for 2 minutes before pouring slowly until the last drop. Enjoy!
Cold Brew
Sweet and Smooth
Add 8-10 g (0.35 oz) of tea to a vessel
Pour in 500 ml (16.9 oz) of cold water
Wait 1 hr in the fridge
Kaji Shōten (梶商店)
Kaji Shōten is an Osaka-based producer that specialises in traditional Japanese tisanes, such as sobacha, mugicha, tochucha, kuromamecha, and dokudamicha. Since 1962 they have been combining their technical skills and traditional tastes to produce high-quality versions of these classic drinks.