Matcha iri genmaicha is taking the world by storm! Because we don’t want you to miss out on this delicious and colorful green tea, we thought we’d put together this short guide that contains everything you need to know about genmaicha matcha iri.
We’ll take a look at the health benefits of this tea, the flavor, where to find it and even how to pronounce it. Let’s get started, and take a deep dive into the wonderful tea that is matcha iri genmaicha!
Let's define what is Matcha Iri Genmaicha
Genmaicha
Genmaicha is made by combining green tea leaves with toasted rice, and it has a very unique flavor to it that a lot of people like. It has a nutty flavor and is considered a more economical option compared to pure green tea.
Matcha powder
Matcha is a fine powder made from ground green tea leaves and has a strong, distinctive flavor and bright green color. It is a staple ingredient in Japanese tea ceremonies and is prized for its health benefits, including high levels of antioxidants and caffeine. Does matcha give you energy? Yes!
Combining both teas creates Matcha Iri Genmaicha
As you may guess, Matcha iri genmaicha is simply a type of Japanese green tea that is made from a blend of matcha powder and genmaicha tea.
Matcha iri genmaicha is a popular choice for tea lovers that want a little extra kick in their genmaicha tea. To make the tea, a farmer will blend the tea leaves with roasted rice and matcha powder.
When preparing the genmaicha matcha iri in a teapot or infuser, the matcha powder is released to create a vibrant green color and a strong flavor profile.
Let’s take a moment in the next section to discuss the unique attributes that make genmaicha matcha-iri the popular tea that it is.
Flavor of Matcha iri genmaicha
Because of the addition of the matcha powder, the flavor of genmaicha iri matcha is much stronger.
This is a good thing because one of the complaints about genmaicha tea is that it is too strong on these roasted rice notes, and as a result the tea isn’t quite as balanced.
What you really want is this perfect marriage between the warm nutty flavors of the toasted rice, and that classic Japanese green tea flavor.
This is achieved beautifully by the addition of the matcha powder in the genmaicha matcha-iri.
The tea flavor is boosted in this tea, which allows it to pair perfectly with the toasted rice and create a tea that is more balanced overall.
Benefits of matcha iri genmaicha
In addition to having a great flavor, matcha iri genmaicha has a plethora of health benefits.
These mostly come from the addition of the matcha powder. When you consume matcha tea, you are not just getting an infusion of the leaves, you are actually consuming the entire leaf when you drink it. This means you’re getting a heavier dose of all the nutrients the tea has to offer!
If you are a fan of genmaicha, or you’re simply curious about the health benefits of this Japanese Green tea, you might be interested in reading our article called 👉 Our Tea Expert Explains all the Genmaicha Tea Benefits
But for the purpose of this article, let's focus of the matcha iri genmaicha benefits specifically! 👇
Caffeine content
Genmaicha moderate caffeine level
A lot of people like to ask is genmaicha caffeinated or does genmaicha have caffeine and the answer is yes. You have to keep in mind that any drink containing tea leaves will have some level of caffeine.
Each tea will have varying levels of caffeine, but all teas will contain some caffeine.
The tea leaves used to blend the matcha iri genmaicha will define it's initial caffeine content.
Powerful matcha caffeine level
Matcha is notoriously high in caffeine, and its addition in the matcha iri genmaicha makes this a high caffeine tea as well. The reason the caffeine in matcha is so high has to do with the long and labor intensive production process.
First the tea leaves are cut off from sunlight which boosts the levels of caffeine, chlorophyll and theanine. Then, the top 3 sprouts of the tea plant are selected, which are the highest in caffeine. Next, the stems are removed, which contain only ⅓ the amount of caffeine when compared to the leaves. Finally, the tea is ground into a fine powder in a large stone mill and mixed directly into water. This means you get all the caffeine at once, rather than it being released in a few different brewings.
Energizing caffeine content of the matcha iri genmaicha
By adding the matcha powder to the matcha iri genmaicha, you end up raising the caffeine content of an otherwise low caffeine tea. This makes the tea perfect for people who like the toasted rice flavor, but are ultimately looking for a higher caffeine tea.
High in antioxidants and theanine
In addition to being high in caffeine, matcha iri genmaicha is also high in antioxidants and theanine. This again has to do with the inclusion of the matcha powder.
When you consume the entire leaf, you get a much higher concentration of these antioxidants like EGCG, which can help your body in the fight against damaging free radicals and aging. Genmaicha matcha iri can be a good friend to have in your quest for better health.
How is Best Matcha Iri Genmaicha produced?
The best Matcha iri genmaicha is a type of Japanese tea that combines matcha green tea with roasted brown rice (genmaicha). Here's how it's produced:
- Harvesting: The first step is to harvest the tea leaves in order to make the matcha (made from younger tea sprouts) and the bancha or sencha that it will be combined with.
- Selecting the premium complementary leaves: This step will define which tea leaves will be blended with the matcha and toasted rice. At this stage the farmers decide if the blend will be made using bancha, gyokuro tea or another type of green tea. The premium leaves are the ones harvested from shaded teas such as the gyokuro plant.
- Grinding of Matcha: The next step is to grind the tea leaves into a fine powder using a stone mill, which creates the characteristic bright green powder that is matcha.
- Roasting of rice to produce "genmai": To produce genmaicha, brown rice is roasted until it it becomes crispy. During the roasting process, some of the rice actually pops, similar to popcorn. The rice is then cooled and sorted to remove any impurities.
- Blending of Matcha, tea leaves and genmai: The matcha powder, tea leaves and roasted rice are then blended together to create the final product, matcha iri genmaicha.
- Packaging: Finally, the tea is packaged carefully so that it can be protected from moisture, light, and air, which can degrade its flavor and aroma.
Now that you know how the best iri genmaicha is produced, it's time to find the best one! No need to panic, we built a clear checklist explaining how to do just that! If you are keen to learn how, make sure to read 👉 We reveal you How and Where to Find the World’s Best Genmaicha Tea
Pronounce and spell iri genmaicha the right way!
By now everyone should know how to pronounce matcha, but what about iri genmaicha? This is the part of the name that people struggle with most. The “iri” is two characters in the Japanese phonetic alphabet and they should be pronounced as “ee ree” with long sounds.
Genmaicha should be pronounce with a hard “g” which is where most people make a mistake. If you want to learn more about how to pronounce genmaicha, you can become a master with our guide to genmaicha pronunciation.
Fun fact, did you know that there is a debate in the tea community about how to spell matcha, maccha or even macha. We wrote a very entertaining article about the topic. Make sure to read the article 👉 Is it Maccha or Matcha?
