Bancha Green Tea

By Stephanie Harkins

Not many people are familiar with the different types of tea available, let alone the different grades of tea, however, I would like to introduce you to a very special Japanese tea called ‘Bancha’, or what the Japanese would call common, everyday ‘tea’.

Strangely, Bancha is a low grade of green tea. While there are over twenty individual grades of Bancha, Bancha is overall the lowest grade of green tea available.

This may come as some surprise to those who have tasted Bancha in the past, as Bancha actually brews up a most delicious mellow and earthy cup of tea, with nutty undertones. Bancha is frequently used to make Hojicha, which is a Japanese tea created from dark roasted Bancha leaves and has a distinctly smoky and toasted flavor.

In addition to Hojicha, Bancha is also used to make Genmaicha, an incredibly lovely tea made from Bancha and roasted brown rice, which has the mellow taste of Bancha to compliment the popcorn-like flavor of the toasted rice. In fact, Genmaicha is one of my own personal favorite types of tea.

So even though this tea is labeled as being low grade, because it is harvested later in the season than the higher grade Sencha, and from leaves that are grown from lower portions of the tea plant, it is still a remarkably tasty tea that is so full-bodied and rich that it hardly ever gets bitter or unpleasant. The aroma of the leaves as well as the brewed tea is a crisp, straw-like aroma which is very relaxing and centering.

Bancha is also a good source of Vitamin A, niacin, iron and calcium, and makes a wonderful tea for any time of day. Like all Japanese teas, this tea is best served hot without any added sweetener or milk, although if you like iced green teas, this is a great anytime iced tea. Bancha also goes well with food, so it makes a most excellent dinner beverage.

Bancha green tea is lower in caffeine than most green teas are because the broad, coarse leaves are harvested late in the season.

Because Bancha is considered a lower grade of green tea, it is usually sold at very reasonable prices that make it so perfect for everyday drinking. Sencha is considered a higher grade than Bancha, and whereas Bancha is mellow and earthy, Sencha is much more grassy and bright, so it is also a matter of your personal preference in flavor when deciding which Japanese green tea to drink. A properly blended Bancha can taste as good as the finest sencha when brewed properly!

Stephanie is the publisher of the Tea Review Blog.