Tamba Roasted Black Bean

Odagaki Shoten is located in Tamba Sasayama, a historic agricultural region in the Hyogo Prefecture of Japan. This 300 year old company is credited for Tamba black bean's sweeping popularity across Japan.

To this day, they work directly with regional growers. Their black bean tea is hand sorted and net-roasted over direct flame with far-infrared heat; a very old technique that produces a clean taste with a deep, roasted aroma.

What makes the Tamba varietal different from other black soybeans is primarily time: a standard black soybean matures in about 70 days, whereas it takes Tamba Black around 100. Longer maturation time means that they absorb more nutrients, grow larger, and develop a richer, sweeter, more full-bodied flavour.

We are honoured to be the first shop outside of Japan to carry products from Odagaki Shoten. After agreeing to work with us they spent 6 months preparing this special batch of black bean tea for Cultivate.

In a final stage of crafting this tea Odagaki Shoten breaks the beans apart into pieces that are the right size for brewing, so the tea itself looks a bit like crumbled cacao. It brews a cloudy liquor that slowly turns plum colour as the pieces of bean settle in the carafe. The smell and taste of the strained liquor is incredible, and somewhat unexpected — like coffee, but without any acidity. It has a broth-like mouthfeel and a sharp, sweet finish.

This delicious, caffeine free tea can be enjoyed hot or chilled. Enjoy it knowing that it has many health benefits, and is even considered a beauty tonic in Japan. It is very comforting to drink in the evening, after dinner, and you will not have to worry about it affecting your sleep.