Boricha (Korean Barley Tea): My Daily Taste of Home in Adelaide

 

                         A glass pitcher of Korean barley tea (boricha) with a filled glass of iced tea on a wooden table

The Tea That Was Always Just... There

Growing up, no one ever explained boricha to me—it was just always in the fridge, in a big glass bottle, next to the water. My mother never made a big deal out of it. It wasn't a special tea you brewed for a cold or a bad stomach; it was just what you drank instead of plain water, every single day, without anyone thinking twice about it.

It wasn't until I moved to Adelaide that I realized how much I missed having it around. Tap water here just doesn't hit the same, and I found myself craving that nutty, toasty flavor I'd taken for granted my whole life.

 보리차는 어릴 때부터 딱히 누가 설명해 준 적 없이 늘 냉장고 안 물 옆자리에 있던 그런 존재였어요. 엄마도 특별히 신경 써서 끓이는 차가 아니라, 그냥 매일 물 대신 마시는 것뿐이었죠. 애들레이드로 이사 오고 나서야 그게 얼마나 그리운 맛이었는지 깨달았어요. 여기 수돗물은 아무래도 그 느낌이 안 나서, 평생 당연하게 여겼던 그 고소하고 구수한 맛이 자꾸 생각나더라고요.


What Is Barley Tea?

Boricha (보리차) is a traditional Korean drink made by roasting barley and steeping it in hot water. It's completely caffeine-free, which is why it's served to everyone in Korean households—kids, grandparents, everyone. Served hot in winter and ice-cold in summer, it's less a "tea" in the ceremonial sense and more like Korea's answer to plain drinking water.


Health Benefits

🩸 Blood sugar support — Barley tea is traditionally believed to help support healthy blood sugar levels.


🍽️ Easy on digestion — It has a gentle, settling effect on the stomach, especially after a heavy meal.


💧 Sugar-free hydration — Zero sugar, zero calories, making it an easy daily habit.

(Note: These are traditional beliefs, not medical claims.)


How I Drink It

Nothing fancy here — just steep roasted barley in hot water, then drink it warm or let it cool and keep it in the fridge for later. I don't add sugar; the whole point of boricha, in my opinion, is that toasty, slightly bitter flavor on its own.

Where I Buy It in Adelaide

I pick up roasted barley teabags at Korean grocers near Chinatown, usually right next to corn silk tea and roasted rice tea. A box lasts a long time since one bag can be steeped more than once.

Final Thought

Barley tea was never something I thought much about until I no longer had easy access to it. Now it's one of the small things that makes Adelaide feel a little more like home.

 보리차는 특별히 신경 써서 마시던 차가 아니었는데, 막상 구하기 어려워지니 그 존재감이 크게 느껴지더라고요. 지금은 애들레이드를 조금 더 집처럼 느끼게 해주는 작은 것들 중 하나가 됐어요.

👉 Visit my YouTube channel for more Korean culture tips!


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