Barley tea is a roasted-grain-based infusion made from barley. It is a staple beverage in many East Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Korea. It has a toasty, bitter flavor.
In Korea, the tea is consumed either hot or cold, often taking the place of drinking water in many homes and restaurants. In Japan, it is usually served cold and is a common summertime refreshment. The tea is also widely available in tea bags or bottled in Korea and Japan. Samurai began to consume it in the Sengoku period. In Taiwan, while barley tea is a well-known bottled barley tea, particularly at restaurants in Taiwan, bottled barley tea had not been widely accepted in the customer market until the 2020s.
Blended barley and similar teas
In Korea, roasted barley is also often combined with roasted maize, as the latter's sweetness offsets the slightly bitter flavor of the barley. The tea made from roasted maize is called oksusu-cha (corn tea), and the tea made from roasted maize and roasted barley is called oksusu-bori-cha (corn barley tea). Similar drinks made from roasted grains include hyeonmi-cha (brown rice tea), gyeolmyeongja-cha (sicklepod seed tea), and memil-cha (buckwheat tea).
Roasted barley tea in ground form, and sometimes combined with chicory or other ingredients, is also sold as a coffee substitute.
See also
- Barley water
- Caffè d'orzo
- Caro (drink)
- List of barley-based beverages
- Postum
- Roasted grain beverage