Made 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