2 Houjicha questions

[edkrueger]

Green coffee has only about 10% moisture. Light roast probably has considerably less. If dark roast to light roast can increase caffeine content (by weight), maybe roasting tea can too.

I wanted to ask you a question about processing while I am at it: Is when making hojicha from bancha, are the tea leaves processed into to finished tea or aracha first or just roasted? I am pretty sure kyobancha is just roasted, I am not so sure about regular hojicha.

BTW I am not trying to claim the roasting is going to have a big difference on caffine content. I think claim that roasting is the reason that hojicha has less caffine –if it does– is wrong.

[Kevangogh]

I believe it's just aracha from the third or fourth harvest and not bancha, though I'm sure you could use bancha and get pretty much the same result.

[edkrueger]

Thanks.

[riccaicedo]

Well, for some reason houjicha is always described as a Japanese tea with very low caffeine while bancha or aracha aren't.

You mean it's a myth?

And that would also mean that caffeine isn't lowered because of the roasting process.
Hence what it says about houjicha in wikipedia (both US and Japan versions), Ippodo Tea website and Ito En website (Japanese companies, which should know better than those in US) are all lies according to you?

[Chip]

... discuss Japanese tea ... civily.

[riccaicedo]

Sorry about that, . I meant no disrespect.

[edkrueger]

Caffeine is lowered because of the roasting process.
Is the part I am claiming is dubious.

[Chip]

At least the kuki-houjicha version is known for certain to be significantly lower in caffeine since the kukicha is already lower.

I do not recall seeing many scientific studies on whether the caffeine is reduced by such a short roasting. This would have to be done side by side with a control sample of the same leaves, not roasted.

Anyone have links to such studies?

[riccaicedo]

The websites of the companies I mentioned before directly state that caffeine is lowered in the roasting process.

I agree with you guys: It's an unproven claim until evidence shows otherwise.

It could be a myth such as the low-caffeine white tea.

[edkrueger]

Wikipedia could easily say different things. I should point out that there is no source on any of these sites.

Oh, and some anecdotal evidence... Lighter roast yancha seems to have less caffeine that higher roast yancha. I think other will corroborate this with their personal experiences.