Matcha Genmaicha is a special and somewhat unusual tea from Japan. As the name suggests, it is a blend of matcha tea (whole green tea leaves ground into a fine powder) and Japanese Genmaicha tea (a combination of Sencha tea with roasted brown rice).

Genmaicha literally means 'brown rice tea' and is very popular in Japan. Originally this tea was intended for poor Japanese, hence the nickname 'folk tea'. The addition of rice served to fill up the precious leaves, making tea affordable.

The dry leaves and rice look green and dusty due to the fine matcha powder. When brewing, this powder is washed away and becomes part of the drink. The color of the tea is a bright pale green, mainly caused by the matcha and has a delicious roasted scent.

Matcha Genmaicha is best brewed at 80°C for 1-2 minutes, depending on your taste. A second infusion can certainly be made from this tea. The matcha content will be lower than with the first infusion, so that there is less caffeine in the tea. This 'popcorn tea' is also delicious to drink cold.