Pokka Canned Green Tea Review

I recently tried something that I normally would not drink, while at a hole-in-the-wall sushi restaurant in Newark, Delaware, Mayflower. You can read my review of Mayflower on Yelp. At any rate, what I tried was green tea from a can, from the Pokka brand:



People who know me or read my writings will know that I am not a big fan of bottled or canned teas, and I prefer, when drinking iced tea, to brew it from scratch. But I do like seeing unsweetened products for sale, and I was intrigued by the fact that it was unsweetened, originating from an Asian (not American) company, and available for $1. I had to try it out of curiosity.

The Review:

Like most things from a can, especially drinks with a more subtle flavor, the aroma and flavor was highly metallic. However, I could notice the tea. It had a mild sour flavor, and a hint of bitterness, sweetness, and umami. The aroma was very vegetal, with more of the cooked vegetable and seaweedy tones, and less of the grassy tones, than I expect from a typical Japanese green tea. It was drinkable, and, in my opinion, much more enjoyable than soda, but it was nothing compared to fresh brewed iced tea, even a typical generic black tea.

This tea was produced by Pokka corporation, based in Singapore. I could not find much more information about it. I'm glad I bought it and tried it.