Bori-cha: Two Ingredients, One Clear Amber Drink
Only water and roasted barley grains. Bring the water to a vigorous boil, add the grains, keep it at low to medium-low for 5 minutes, then strain out every grain. The finished drink should be a clear amber-brown liquid with no grains left in the cup or pitcher.
Bori-cha (보리차) is a Korean drink made by brewing roasted barley (볶은 보리) in water. The name means "barley tea," but there are no tea leaves in it: the color and the toasty, roasted-grain aroma come entirely from the barley. Once strained, it can be poured warm into a cup, or cooled and kept in a pitcher in the refrigerator to drink cold.
This recipe has not been kitchen-tested for this article. It follows the loose-grain version from My Korean Kitchen: 2 liters of water and 3 Tbsp of roasted barley grains. It starts from grains that have already been roasted, so there is no roasting step. Other recipes use different ratios and times; those are described further down as variations, not mixed into this method.
Ingredients: Water and Roasted Barley Only
The amounts below follow the source recipe as written. The source notes that 1 Tbsp = 15 ml. The source recipe card lists 10 servings, but it does not state the volume of finished liquid or the size of one serving, so treat that number as the card's label rather than a measured yield.
Equipment
- A pot or kettle that holds 2 liters of water
- A fine strainer (or a strainer-style infuser to hold the grains, if you prefer)
- A heat-safe pitcher
- Cups or glasses for serving
Choosing Roasted Barley: Look for Whole, Already-Roasted Grains
Look for packages labeled 볶은 보리 or "roasted barley" at Korean grocers or import food shops. The grains are small, toasted brown, and longer than they are wide, with a natural crease down each kernel.
Ordinary pressed barley or polished barley sold for cooking is not the same as a roasted product, and this recipe does not assume it can stand in. The source recipe also explains how to roast raw barley at home, but this version begins with grains that are already roasted. If you are buying a substitute, choose roasted whole grains.
Beyond Kimchee notes that roasted barley for tea comes both hulled and unhulled. Either is still roasted barley; just make sure what you buy is roasted.
Method: Boil, Brew Gently, Strain
The 5 minutes in step 3 count from when the grains go into the boiling water. The time it takes to bring the water to a boil is not included.
The source recipe's guidance is to let the bori-cha cool, transfer it to a pitcher, and refrigerate it. A safe storage period has not been established for this article, so none is stated here.
Fixing Common Problems
| Condition | What to check | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Grains or bits in the cup | The liquid was not fully strained | Strain again through a fine strainer, or use an infuser in step 2 next time |
| The flavor is lighter than you want | Base amount of barley | The source says you can add more barley to taste. Start from 3 Tbsp and adjust next time |
| The grains look flat or flaky | You may have bought pressed barley or oats | Look for whole grains labeled 볶은 보리 or "roasted barley" |
| The liquid stays pale | The grains may not be roasted | This recipe needs already-roasted grains; unroasted barley is a different starting point |
Other Ways to Brew It
Bori-cha is made with different ratios and methods depending on the recipe. The sources below each describe their own approach. They are noted here to show that range; their numbers are not combined with this recipe.
| Approach | What the source describes |
|---|---|
| Tea bags (My Korean Kitchen) | A separate method from the loose-grain version: barley tea bags steeped in boiling water for about 10 minutes |
| Beyond Kimchee | 2 tbsp roasted barley to 4 cups water, served hot or chilled |
| Dr. Ben Kim | Loose grains at 2 tbsp to 5 cups water, simmered covered for 15 minutes |
If you switch methods, follow that source's own amounts and times as a set.
Bori-cha in Korean Drinking Culture
In Korean, 보리 means barley and 차 means tea. Bori-cha is a drink brewed from roasted grain, not from tea leaves. Korea.net, the official website of the Republic of Korea, describes Korean tea culture as including drinks made from fruits, flowers, leaves, grains and roots, so "tea" in Korea is not limited to leaf tea. That is general background on Korean tea culture, not a history of bori-cha itself; this article makes no claims about when or where bori-cha began.
The Korean Food Composition Table (7th edition), hosted by the FAO, lists 보리차, 침출액 (roasted barley tea, infusion) as a beverage in its own right.
Japanese mugicha is also made from roasted barley, so the ingredients and method are close. The two are similar, but this article treats bori-cha under its Korean name and the way it is drunk at home in Korea. Korean roasted corn tea (옥수수차), and blends of corn and barley, are separate drinks and are not covered here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is bori-cha meant to be drunk hot or cold?
Either. Several recipes describe serving it hot or chilled. For warm bori-cha, pour it after straining. For cold, let it cool, move it to a pitcher, and refrigerate.
Can I make it stronger?
The source recipe says you can add more barley to taste. The base amount in this recipe is 3 Tbsp to 2 liters of water.
Can I use tea bags instead of loose grains?
Yes, but that is a separate method. The source describes steeping barley tea bags in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Use that method as a whole rather than mixing it with the loose-grain steps here.
Can I use pressed barley from the supermarket?
Pressed or polished cooking barley is not the same as already-roasted barley, and this recipe does not treat them as equivalent. Look for whole grains labeled 볶은 보리 or "roasted barley."
How many cups does this make?
The source recipe card lists 10 servings, but it does not give the finished volume or the size of a serving. Treat that as the card's label, not a measured yield.
Related Dish
For a separate Korean dish, see Dakgalbi. It is not part of this barley-tea recipe or a required accompaniment.
Sources
- My Korean Kitchen, "Korean Barley Tea (Boricha)." The main recipe: bori-cha as roasted barley and water; the loose-grain version with 2 liters of water and 3 Tbsp roasted barley grains, boiled water, 5 minutes at low to medium-low, grains removed, cooled and refrigerated; 1 Tbsp = 15 ml; the separate tea-bag method. https://mykoreankitchen.com/korean-barley-tea-boricha/
- Beyond Kimchee, "Korean Barley Tea (Boricha) – How to Brew from Scratch." Roasted barley simmered or steeped in water and served hot or chilled; an alternative ratio of 2 tbsp roasted barley to 4 cups water; hulled and unhulled barley. https://www.beyondkimchee.com/barley-tea/
- Dr. Ben Kim, "Traditional Korean Tea." Another loose-grain method with a different ratio and a 15-minute covered simmer, cited only as an example of method variation. https://drbenkim.com/node/78
- Korea.net, "Tea culture in Korea." General context that Korean tea culture includes drinks made from fruits, flowers, leaves, grains and roots. https://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/HonoraryReporters/view?articleId=192409
- Korean Food Composition Table, 7th edition, Volume 1 (FAO-hosted). Lists 보리차, 침출액 (roasted barley tea, infusion) as a distinct beverage. https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/food_composition/documents/regional/Korean_food_compositon_table_vol._1_7th__2006_.pdf
