Corn Tea
Corn tea is an infusion of roasted corn kernels (Zea mays), caffeine-free and a comforting everyday drink in Korea, where it is called oksusu cha. The flavor is mild, gently sweet, and unmistakably popcorn-toasty, making it one of the easiest and most crowd-pleasing of the roasted-grain infusions. It is frequently blended with roasted barley, a combination served so casually that it often stands in for plain water at the Korean table.
Look for kernels roasted to an even golden brown that smell clearly of toasted corn or popcorn, with no scorched or sour notes. A fresher batch gives a rounder, sweeter cup; stale corn tastes flat and cardboard-like. Whole roasted kernels generally brew cleaner and sweeter than fine-ground tea-bag material, which can be cloudy. Many products are sold as a corn-and-barley blend (oksusu boricha), so check the label if you specifically want pure corn or pure barley. Note that roasted corn-kernel tea is a different product from corn silk tea, which is made from the dried silky threads of the plant and has its own traditional folk uses. As with all roasted-grain infusions, keep it sealed and use it within a reasonable time, since the toasty aroma fades.
The material is roasted kernels of maize, Zea mays, a cereal grass, prepared much like other East Asian grain teas. Korea is the heartland of roasted corn tea, often blending it with barley, and roasted-grain infusions are common more broadly across the region. Processing involves roasting the dried kernels until deeply aromatic, then steeping or boiling them. Being grain-based, it contains no caffeine.
Hot: use about 8 to 10 g of roasted kernels per liter, water at 95 to 100°C, and steep or gently simmer 5 to 10 minutes, then strain. Cold brew: add kernels or a tea bag to a jug of cold water and refrigerate for several hours for a smooth, naturally sweet result. It is very forgiving and will not turn bitter, though long sitting on the kernels can cloud the liquor, so strain when it reaches the strength you like. A second steep on used kernels is possible but distinctly weaker.
Very cheap: about €3-8 (about $3-9) per 100 g for roasted kernels or tea bags, with corn-and-barley blends priced similarly.
Prices reviewed June 2026
Barley Tea (Mugicha)
Roasted barley is corn tea's usual blending partner in Korea, nuttier and slightly more savory, where corn tea is sweeter and more popcorn-forward.
Buckwheat Tea (Soba Cha)
Soba cha is the earthier, maltier roasted-grain option, sharing the caffeine-free toasty base but with more nutty depth than corn's gentle sweetness.
Genmaicha
Genmaicha gets a comparable toasted-grain note from roasted rice, but it is blended with green tea, so it carries vegetal flavor and caffeine that corn tea lacks.
In Korea, corn tea and corn-barley blends are so routine that they are commonly poured in place of water at restaurants and at home. Corn silk tea, made from the plant's wispy threads rather than its kernels, is a separate preparation traditionally used in folk medicine as a mild diuretic.