Barley tea is a caffeine-free infusion made by steeping or boiling roasted barley grains in water, producing a toasty, nutty, gently bitter amber drink. It is enormously popular across East Asia, where families brew it by the pitcher and drink it all day, hot in winter and ice-cold in summer. Because it comes from a roasted cereal grain and not from the tea plant Camellia sinensis, it contains no caffeine at all.
You will see it under different names depending on where it is made: boricha in Korea, mugicha in Japan, and damaicha in China. Whatever the label, the idea is the same: an everyday roasted-grain brew that tastes faintly of toast, popcorn and dark caramel.
What is barley tea?
Barley tea is a roasted-grain beverage, not a true tea. True teas, the white, green, oolong and black ones, all come from the leaves of one plant, Camellia sinensis. Barley tea is made instead from whole barley kernels that have been roasted dark, then brewed in water. That single difference matters: because there are no tea leaves involved, there is no caffeine, so it is gentle enough to serve to children, to older relatives and to anyone winding down in the evening.
The roasting is what gives the drink its character. Raw barley tastes flat and starchy, but a deep roast develops toasty, bready, slightly bitter notes with a whisper of natural sweetness, a little like the crust of fresh bread or the bottom of a bag of popcorn. The brewed liquid is clear and amber to deep brown, depending on how darkly the grain was roasted and how long it steeped.
If you want to understand where roasted-grain drinks sit in the wider world of brewed beverages, our overviews of what herbal tea is and the tea plant Camellia sinensis are a useful companion read. They explain why "tea" is sometimes a true tea and sometimes a herbal or grain infusion that simply borrows the name.
Boricha, mugicha and other names
The same drink travels under several names, and the small differences are mostly about roast level and local habit.
- Boricha — the Korean name. Korean barley tea is often roasted a touch darker, which gives it a fuller, nuttier, more roasted flavor. It is a fixture in Korean homes and restaurants, frequently set out in place of plain water, hot in winter and cold in summer.
- Mugicha — the Japanese name. Mugicha is the classic Japanese summer refresher, almost always served ice-cold from a jug in the fridge during hot months.
- Damaicha — the Chinese name for roasted barley tea, enjoyed for the same toasty, everyday character.
There is also a popular blended version. Roasted corn is sometimes mixed in with the barley to make oksusu boricha, or corn-barley tea. The corn's natural sweetness rounds off the barley's faint bitterness, and the result is softer and a little sweeter, which makes it a favourite for children and for anyone who finds plain barley tea too sharp.
What roasted barley tea tastes like
The flavor of roasted barley tea is comforting and savoury rather than floral or fruity. Expect:
- Toasty and nutty — the dominant note, somewhere between toasted bread and roasted nuts.
- Lightly bitter — a clean, grain-driven bitterness, not the astringent edge of over-steeped green or black tea.
- Faintly sweet — a subtle caramel sweetness from the roast, with no sugar added.
- Clean and round — there is no tannin grip, so it never dries the mouth the way strong true tea can.
Because the flavor is so mild and savoury, barley tea pairs effortlessly with food. In Korea and Japan it is a default mealtime drink, sitting comfortably alongside rice, grilled meats and noodle dishes the way water would, but with more character.
How to make barley tea
You can brew barley tea two main ways: hot on the stove, or cold in the fridge. Both start from the same roasted barley, sold loose as roasted grains or packed into teabags. (If you buy raw barley, you can dry-roast it yourself in a pan over medium heat, stirring, until it smells toasty and turns deep brown, but most people simply buy it pre-roasted.)
You will need
- Roasted barley grains, about 2 to 3 tablespoons, or 1 to 2 teabags
- Around 1.5 to 2 litres (6 to 8 cups) of water
- A saucepan or kettle, and a fine strainer if you use loose grains
- A jug or bottle for chilling
Hot method (stovetop)
- Add the roasted barley to the water in a saucepan.
- Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes. A shorter simmer gives a lighter, mellow brew; a longer one gives a darker, more robust cup.
- Turn off the heat and let the grains steep a few more minutes for extra depth.
- Strain out the grains (or remove the teabag) and serve hot, or let it cool. For a quick teabag version, you can simply steep a bag in just-boiled water for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Cold-brew method (fridge)
- Drop a teabag or a measure of roasted barley into a jug or bottle of cold water.
- Refrigerate for several hours, or overnight, until the water turns amber.
- Remove the bag or strain the grains, and serve over ice. This is the classic way mugicha is made for summer.
Brewed barley tea keeps in the fridge for about two to three days in a sealed container. If you enjoy chilled grain and herbal drinks, our guide on how to make iced tea covers the same cold-brew principles you can apply here.
Why families drink barley tea every day
Barley tea earns its place at the table mostly through convenience and gentleness. It is caffeine-free, so there is no reason to limit it by time of day or by who is drinking it: parents serve it to small children and pour the same jug for grandparents. It is inexpensive to make, asks for nothing but roasted grain and water, and tastes good hot or cold, which makes it a natural year-round substitute for plain water.
In many East Asian households a jug of boricha or mugicha simply lives in the fridge as the default drink, the thing you reach for when you are thirsty. That everyday, all-ages role is exactly why it is so beloved: it is hydration with a little toasty comfort, and none of the stimulant load that comes with coffee or true tea. For a broader map of the brewed-drink landscape, our guide to the types of tea places grain infusions like this alongside true teas and herbal blends.
Barley tea vs barley water: not the same thing
It is easy to confuse barley tea with barley water, but they are different drinks with different textures and purposes.
| Feature | Barley tea (boricha / mugicha) | Barley water |
|---|---|---|
| Main grain | Roasted barley | Usually unroasted (pearl) barley |
| Flavor | Toasty, nutty, lightly bitter | Mild, starchy, often lemony or sweetened |
| Color | Clear amber to brown | Cloudy, pale |
| Sweetener | None (savoury by default) | Frequently sugar and citrus added |
| The grains | Strained out and discarded | Sometimes left in for body and fibre |
| Caffeine | None | None |
In short, barley tea is a clear, roasted, savoury infusion that you strain and sip like a tea, while barley water is a cloudier, milder, often sweetened drink that may carry the cooked grain along with it. Both are caffeine-free, but they taste and behave quite differently in the cup.
Serving ideas
Serve barley tea hot in cooler weather, where its toasty warmth makes a soothing alternative to coffee or black tea in the evening. In summer, brew it strong, chill it, and pour it over plenty of ice for a clean, refreshing drink that cuts through heat and rich food alike. It needs no milk and no sugar, though the corn-barley blend is naturally a little sweeter if you prefer that. Keep a jug in the fridge and it quickly becomes the most-reached-for drink in the house.
The bottom line
Barley tea is one of the simplest and most welcoming drinks you can make: just roasted grain and water, with no caffeine and no fuss. Whether you call it boricha or mugicha, it offers a toasty, gentle flavor that suits every age and every season. If you are curious about other caffeine-free brews, there is a whole world of grain and herbal infusions worth keeping on hand, and barley tea is the everyday jug you never have to think twice about pouring.