Korean tea culture goes far beyond green tea. Barley, corn, citron, and buckwheat teas are daily staples in Korea, and most are now easy to find in the UK. Here are six worth trying.
Korean Tea Is Not What You Expect
When most people think of Asian tea, they picture green tea or matcha. Korean tea culture is quite different. The most commonly drunk teas in Korea — barley and corn — contain no actual tea leaves at all. They are grain infusions, served cold in summer and hot in winter, and you will find them on every restaurant table and in every household fridge across the country. They are caffeine-free, subtly flavoured, and remarkably refreshing.
The Grain Teas: Barley, Corn, and Buckwheat
Boricha (barley tea) is the everyday drink of Korea. It tastes toasty, slightly nutty, and almost biscuity — imagine liquid digestive biscuits, but in a good way. Dongsuh's tea bags are the standard brand and each bag makes a full litre. Corn tea (oksusu-cha) is sweeter and lighter, with a natural corn sweetness that needs no sugar. Buckwheat tea (memil-cha) has a more distinctive flavour — earthy and slightly grassy. All three work beautifully chilled and make a far more interesting alternative to water during meals.
Citron and Jujube: The Sweet Ones
Yuja-cha (citron tea) is technically a marmalade rather than a tea. You spoon the thick, honey-sweetened citrus preserve into hot water and stir. The result is a fragrant, warming drink that Koreans swear by for colds and sore throats. Ottogi's version is widely available and strikes a good balance between sweet and tart. Jujube tea is less well known in the UK but is a traditional winter warming drink — sweet, mildly spiced, with a date-like flavour. Damtuh's stick packets dissolve easily and make a comforting alternative to hot chocolate.
Korean Green Tea
Korea does produce excellent green tea, particularly from the southern island of Jeju. Sulloc (also known as Osulloc) is the premium Korean green tea brand. Their teas are lighter and less grassy than Japanese green teas, with a subtle sweetness. At around ten pounds for twenty bags it is not cheap, but the quality justifies the price. If you have only ever tried basic supermarket green tea, Sulloc will show you what the category is capable of.
Brewing Tips
Grain teas should be steeped in boiling water for five to ten minutes, then served or chilled. The longer you steep, the stronger the flavour. Citron tea just needs hot water and a good stir. Green tea should be brewed at a lower temperature — around 70 to 80 degrees — to avoid bitterness. All of the grain teas improve when made in a large batch and kept in the fridge. A jug of cold boricha is a Korean kitchen essential, especially in warmer months.
K-Food → Listicle
6 Best Korean Teas to Try in the UK
From barley to citron, the best Korean teas available in British shops.
Grain teas should be steeped in boiling water for five to ten minutes, then served or chilled. The longer you steep, the stronger the flavour. Citron tea just needs hot water and a good stir. Green tea should be brewed at a lower temperature — around 70 to 80 degrees — to avoid bitterness. All of the grain teas improve when made in a large batch and kept in the fridge. A jug of cold boricha is a Korean kitchen essential, especially in warmer months.
Korea does produce excellent green tea, particularly from the southern island of Jeju. Sulloc (also known as Osulloc) is the premium Korean green tea brand. Their teas are lighter and less grassy than Japanese green teas, with a subtle sweetness. At around ten pounds for twenty bags it is not cheap, but the quality justifies the price. If you have only ever tried basic supermarket green tea, Sulloc will show you what the category is capable of.
03
Citron and Jujube: The Sweet Ones
Yuja-cha (citron tea) is technically a marmalade rather than a tea. You spoon the thick, honey-sweetened citrus preserve into hot water and stir. The result is a fragrant, warming drink that Koreans swear by for colds and sore throats. Ottogi's version is widely available and strikes a good balance between sweet and tart. Jujube tea is less well known in the UK but is a traditional winter warming drink — sweet, mildly spiced, with a date-like flavour. Damtuh's stick packets dissolve easily and make a comforting alternative to hot chocolate.
02
The Grain Teas: Barley, Corn, and Buckwheat
Boricha (barley tea) is the everyday drink of Korea. It tastes toasty, slightly nutty, and almost biscuity — imagine liquid digestive biscuits, but in a good way. Dongsuh's tea bags are the standard brand and each bag makes a full litre. Corn tea (oksusu-cha) is sweeter and lighter, with a natural corn sweetness that needs no sugar. Buckwheat tea (memil-cha) has a more distinctive flavour — earthy and slightly grassy. All three work beautifully chilled and make a far more interesting alternative to water during meals.
01
Korean Tea Is Not What You Expect
When most people think of Asian tea, they picture green tea or matcha. Korean tea culture is quite different. The most commonly drunk teas in Korea — barley and corn — contain no actual tea leaves at all. They are grain infusions, served cold in summer and hot in winter, and you will find them on every restaurant table and in every household fridge across the country. They are caffeine-free, subtly flavoured, and remarkably refreshing.