Barley Tea

For centuries barley tea has been a staple beverage in Korean and Japanese culture. Just about everyone drinks it, even infants. It's a no caffeine, no sugar, no dairy kind of tisane that gets served hot or cold and at any time of day, often in lieu of water.

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What Is Barley Tea?

This is one food that's as simple as it sounds, it's a light brown tisane made with roasted barley and hot water. The barley gets steeped in boiling water for about five to ten minutes and served either hot, on ice or chilled, depending on the country in which it's being consumed.

In Japan, barley tea is also called mugicha, and often is poured cold and in the summer as a refreshing beverage. In Korea, barley tea is called boricha and is consumed more readily. The tisane is taken hot or cold and often is drunk in lieu of water. Another way barley tea is prepared is with the addition of roasted corn, making a drink called oksusu boricha, or corn-barley tea. This can offset the barley's natural bitterness. 

Traditionally barley tea is made using already roasted barley grains purchased from the market, or raw barley that's roasted at home. It's preparation is similar to that of loose leaf tea. Once brewed the barley is discarded.

In the 1980s pre-packaged tea bags containing ground barley started hitting the shelves, and in many cities this is how the tea is often made. There are kid-friendly tea bags featuring non-bleached wrappings. Pre-made bottled barley tea is also found in many convenience stores and vending machines in Korea and Japan. For a more coffee-like experience, barley tea can be mixed with chicory. 

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Uses

Because barley tea doesn't have many calories and contains no caffeine, it's drunk all day long in many Asian countries, especially in Korea and Japan. Sometimes through traditional Chinese medicine practices, this drink is used to help treat diarrhea, fatigue and inflammation.

How to Drink Barley Tea

Steep roasted barley in boiling water for about five to seven minutes. This can be done with loose barley or pre-made tea bags, which can be found in many specialty grocery stores. Drink it hot or chilled and over ice.

A cup of barley tea has earthy, toasty nuances and tastes a little like roasted coffee, albeit watered down. It resembles black tea, but lighter and with more of a starchy grain essence. Some drinkers find barley tea bitter, something that's often tamed with the addition of corn.

Buying and Storing 

Barley tea bags can be found in many Asian grocery shops, and occasionally as a health food in some specialty stores. Barley tea bought in a tea bag is the same as barley soaked in boiling water, the only difference being the bagged tisane contains ground barely and the other uses whole, roasted grains. Barley tea can be found under the labels mugicha in Japan, boricha in Korea and dàmài-chá in China.

Finding loose barley proves much more common, and most supermarkets carry some version of raw and/or roasted barley. It can also be sourced in the fill-your-own bag style from bins at certain shops like Whole Foods and Sprouts. If the barely isn't roasted, that step is easy to do at home in five to ten minutes with a hot pan and wooden spoon.

Barley tea is also sometimes called barley water when served cold. Customers can find barely water chilled and pre-made in a bottle in many East Asian markets.

Keep all grains in dark, dry spots in the pantry. It's best to use an air tight container, but not necessary. If the barley tea is already bagged it can be stored with other teas as long as it's kept from direct sunlight and moisture. 

Barley Tea Recipes 

There isn't much to making barely tea, simply roasted grains steeped in water. However the drink, also called barely water sometimes when served cold, can get additions that make it stand out. 

• Korean Barley Tea
• Lemon Barley Water

Barley Tea vs. Genmaicha

Though barley tea and genmaicha don't contain any of the same ingredients, the toasty profile of the beverage has them often confused. Barley tea is a tisane made with roasted barley, where genmaicha is a green tea flavored with roasted brown rice.

These teas are both primarily drunk in Asian countries and served hot, though barley tea is also drunk cold. Aside from ingredients, another major difference between the two is caffeine. Barley tea has none where genmaicha is made with green tea leaves, which do contain caffeine.