Matcha-iri genmaicha (抹茶入り玄米茶)

Pour a cup of plain genmaicha and it comes out thin, clear, and pale yellow-green, calm and unassuming in the cup. Pour a cup of matcha-iri genmaicha next to it, and the difference is obvious before you even taste it: a deeper, cloudier green, with a faint shimmer of powder that never quite settles. That’s matcha doing its work. Matcha-iri genmaicha (抹茶入り玄米茶) is genmaicha, green tea leaf blended with roasted rice, with a small amount of matcha powder mixed in on top. The matcha doesn’t replace anything in the original blend. Rather, it layers a third ingredient onto genmaicha’s existing two: the tea leaf still brings its grassy base, the roasted rice still brings its nutty warmth, and matcha adds umami, a rounder body, and that brighter color on top of both. Quick Facts Japanese name抹茶入り玄米茶 (matcha-iri genmaicha) What it isGenmaicha with matcha powder blended in Matcha ratioRoughly 3 to 5g of matcha per 100g of genmaicha PreparationSteeped and strained like leaf tea, not whisked CaffeineSlightly higher than plain genmaicha Best forGenmaicha fans who want more depth and umami This guide covers what matcha-iri genmaicha is, how producers make it, and how it compares with both plain g...