Goishicha tea (碁石茶) is one other type of Japanese tea that is famous among tea lovers. Originally, Goishicha tea hails from China. However, across time, it became vastly adapted in Japan eventually becoming localized to become Japanese tea. Goishicha is notably different from the common types of green tea around.
Goishicha accrued its name partly from its appearance. When closely examined, you would see the physical resemblance between Goishicha tea and the black stones of the famous Asian board game “Go”. Goishicha can be better classified as a bancha despite its big characteristic deviation from green teas. While it is popularly drunk all over Japan and the world at large, it is also a popular ingredient in cooking Japanese rice porridge called Chagayu.
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How Goishicha is Made
Commonly while being rightly categorized under Bancha, goishicha tea is also referred to as black tea. This name is because this tea is a post-fermented tea. What this means is that it undergoes fermentation under the effect of molds, bacteria, and other ferments.
Harvesting and processing of Goishicha
By the middle of June, Goishicha leaves are harvested straight from the branches. They are chopped off these branches mechanically with a sickle. After been separated from the branches, the Goishicha leaves are made to undergo steaming possibly in a large barrel.
When compared to other types of black teas, goishicha tea doesn’t undergo oxidation. Rather this tea is passed through two stages of fermentation. We will still touch on this later on. The first fermentation process is carried out with aerobic fungi. Then the second fermentation is carried out under the effect of anaerobic bacteria.
The fermentation process of Goichicha
The first fermentation (which comes after the sorting phase) is anaerobic as said so the Goishicha leaves are yet in contact with air. Using the traditional means, the Goishicha leaves after being stacked are covered. A straw mat would do for the covering in this regard. The temperature of the fermentation process is very significant. With this in mind, you would have to control the temperature across the process. In the situation where the temperature excessively increases, the leaves would get pressed down. This is not very ideal.
Next, the Goishicha leaves are covered with yellow mold. There are over 4 types of bacteria here. The fermentation could take place in barrels. You could also add the juice extracted from the steaming of the Goishicha leaves, and seal the barrel with a lid. This is the anaerobic fermentation done in the absence of oxygen.
Goishicha After Fermentation
Now when the second stage of the fermentation (that is the anaerobic fermentation carried out with bacteria) is concluded, only the strongest of the bacteria would be retained by the Goishicha leaves.
The lactic acid bacteria
Commonly this remaining bacteria could be a lactic acid bacteria which most times is of vegetal origin. This type of bacteria plays a vigorously active role in intestinal regulation. University studies have revealed that this type of lactic acid bacteria (of vegetal origin) is more active at intestinal regulation than the lactic acid bacteria which is of animal origin.
What happens after fermentation?
So we see that for a long stretch of weeks, the Goishicha leaves after being fermented are compressed in a barrel. In the early part of August, the Goishicha leaves are removed, followed by cutting them into squares. The dimensions of this square cutting (for the leaves) could be somewhere around 4 centimeters. After cutting these leaves, are dried for a number of days in the sun. When spread on the floor, these square Goishicha leaves form a landscape reminiscent of pieces of the famous Asian game Go. This as we pointed earlier contributed to its naming.
Well even though the Goishicha tea undergoes fermentation, its flavor yet distinctly differs from other black teas like the Chinese fu-cha or even the puerg shu.
How Goishicha Tea Has Been Coming Along
Goishicha started off in Ōtoyo
Well, it is very correct to say that the Goishicha tea is not a millennial drink or a typical twenty-first-century beverage. This is because the Goishicha tea has been around for a very long time historically. It is recognized that Goishicha famously started off in the lovely town of Ōtoyo resident in the remote mountains of central Kochi Prefecture. This is located in the island of Shikoku.
The decline in popularity
As said, the name Goishicha stems from its identical appearance with Igo stones. It is right to identify Goishicha tea as the only fermented tea Japan offers. The after fermentation process is very uncommon and most times indigenous. While this tea is amorously celebrated by the people of Setonaikai (which is the Inland sea of Japan), its global appeal at a time was fading as seen in its deteriorating universal popularity.
This decline in popularity translated into a large slump in demand which correspondingly transcended into a large slump in production. The quality of the Goishicha tea was then declining as well losing its flavorful grip and enchantment.
So largely did the production of Goishicha tea shrink down that at a time, only one producer was still in the business of producing Goishicha tea.
The resurgence in popularity
Amusing isn’t it? However, before the final demise of Goishicha tea, the local Japanese government stepped in and revitalized the production process, injecting mechanization and technology into it as well. A better quality of lactic acid bacteria was used, wholesomely improving the fermentation.
Once again the love for Goishicha tea resurrected and the renewed interest in the tea (as encouraged by the resurgence in quality) brought about the world loving Goishicha tea again.
The infusion Process of Goischica
The infusion process to a great length would determine the eventual flavor of your Goishicha tea. Basically, from the sun drying of the square-cut Goishicha leaves, the Goishicha tea takes on a kind of camphoric fragrance. Of course, the preparation process of Goishicha is delicate.
Step 1: Boiling your water
Using the traditional means, you will boil your Goishicha first boiled in water for say 5 minutes, it can be more, but it should strictly not exceed 10 minutes.
Step2: Infusing your Goishicha
You could also use a 350 ml teapot and infuse your Goishicha for 5 minutes in the boiling water. Should you desire, you can go more than one round of infusion.
You must also keep an eye out for the quantity of water in the infusion process. Understandably, using a large amount of water would make the Goishicha tea quite excessive while still dropping down its quality and the strength of its flavor. Also, the manner of the infusion process also determines the acidity of the Goishicha tea. The acidity is largely dependent on the length of the first infusion process. The acidity in this regard is also reliant on the temperature, with measurable cooling, the acidity would reduce.
Step 3: Serve and drink
The smell is woody while still bearing a bit of the aforementioned camphoric fragrance. However, when you drink it, you would not notice the aromas strongly. The reality is that not everyone would love Goishicha tea at first taste like pizza. Most times, it requires a phase of adaptation to get used to it. When you have finally acclimatized to it, you will definitely love it.
Tasting Goishicha Tea for The First Time
The taste of Goishicha tea is quite a curious and amusing one. Certainly, you would not easily find the taste of Goishicha among your common types of tea. The taste is even more distinctive on your first drinking.
Steeping the Goishicha, you can use 2 grams of Goishicha for about 350g of water. As we said before now, you could boil for 5 minutes. You can go up to four infusions of your Goishicha tea.
Following the first infusion, the shape of the Goishicha leaves will not really change more. Rather the taste would start to change. By now, you should be adding more sweetness with an increasing soy sauce taste. The aroma at this stage could resemble that of prune. Notwithstanding it wouldn’t smell much which is quite uncommon compared to your normal wet tea leaves.
Talking about the taste more precisely, it has lesser astringency compared to other green teas. The flavor yet is light although quite acidic, tasting more like you added lemon. It has this sweet undertone to it as well.
Health Benefits of Goishicha Tea
Goishicha tea has great benefits to our health. Let us examine some of them.
Goishicha tea improves digestion
Basically, Goishicha tea contains probiotics. This plays a great role in maintaining the bacterial balance of your body more particularly your stomach.
These probiotics as vastly composited in Goishicha can be very helpful in stimulating the development of beneficial bacteria in your stomach. These bacteria are a great addition, enhancing your digestive process, enabling you to process your food more as well as adequately absorb nutrients from your food. So with your Goishicha tea, you are getting close to maximum value for your meal nutritionally.
Goishicha tea will impressively increase your energy levels
Of course, we all need energy. This is why Goishicha tea is always a big bonus as it raises your energy levels. This high energy level capacities can be attributed to its composition of caffeine. Just in similarity with your coffee, your Goishicha tea would make you feel stronger reenergizing you while also revitalizing your mood.
Admittedly, the amount of caffeine in Goishicha tea is not as high as other green teas, but it is enough to get the job done.
Goishicha tea improves circulation around your body
Goishicha tea helps your blood circulate better. How does it attain this capability? Your Goishicha will help you absorb iron better thereby optimizing your body’s cardiovascular function enabling the blood to flow more freely. Therefore with increasing iron absorption by your body, your system is further equipped to produce more healthy red blood cells which will enhance the delivery of oxygen as well as other vital nutrients around your body.
Goishicha and Your Heart
Now owing to the exposure of your Goishicha leaves to microbes in course of the fermentation process, the Goishicha darkens, releasing vital metabolites which are very instrumental to the health of your heart and body in general.
The Goishicha tea reduces the levels of triglycerides in your heart. This is very crucial to the health of your heart. Triglycerides here is closely connected to the breakdown of tissues as well as blood vessels. This increases your vulnerability to suffering strokes, as well as heart attack. This is why your heart affectionately loves the Goishicha tea.
Also, the fermentation process of Goishicha tea gives it the capacity to reduce inflammation courtesy of the anti-inflammatory compounds released in course of fermentation. The antioxidants in Goishicha tea can also save you the penury of chronic pains.
Side Effects of Goishicha Tea
Well even in face of its attractive health benefits, Goishicha tea comes with some of its downsides as well. A study in 2011 disclosed the possibility of Goishicha tea inhibiting the neutrophilic infiltration in the lung. By this, it increased the airway resistance in the lung. Goischica was also found to possibly raise the production levels of adiponectin.
Goishicha Tea vs Other Fermented Teas
Just like Goishicha tea, Kurocha tea (another type of Japanese tea), undergoes two stages of fermentation. This is the first aerobic fermentation which it is followed by the anaerobic fermentation. In the fermentation process of Kurocha tea, there is the kneading of the leaves after the anaerobic fermentation. However, for Goishicha, it is different.
Agreed, both Kurocha tea and Goishicha tea have lesser levels of catechins as well as reduced levels of caffeine when measured against other green teas. Yet both teas possess antioxidant capacities regardless of the tea. For Goishicha tea, its characteristic flavor can partially be traced down to its fermentation process lactic acid bacteria as well as fungi (for the two stages of fermentation).
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