Kukicha (茎茶)

Most Japanese green teas are judged by their leaves. Kukicha (茎茶) turns that idea around. It’s a Japanese green tea made mainly from the stems and leaf stalks of the tea plant, the parts that finishers sort away when they want a neat, leafy sencha or gyokuro. In English, it often goes by “twig tea” or “stem tea.” Those pale little stems don’t make a lesser cup, though. They usually brew into a light, clear, yellow-green tea with a fresh, almost creamy sweetness and very little bitterness. Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture describes it as a tea with a distinctive sweetness that even beginners find easy to prepare. Quick Facts Japanese name茎茶 (kukicha), also 棒茶 (bōcha) English namesTwig tea, stem tea, stick tea What it isGreen tea made mainly from stems and leaf stalks Where it comes fromSorted out during the finishing of teas such as sencha and gyokuro FlavorFresh, sweet, mildly nutty, low in bitterness CaffeineGenerally lower than leaf sencha, but not caffeine-free This guide explains which parts of the plant go into this tea, how tea finishers separate it from leaf tea, and what names it’s sold under. It also covers green versus roasted styles, flavor, caffeine, brewing, buying, and...