Yamamotoyama Hojicha Roasted Green Tea Bags

The verdict

Where this pick fits.

Bancha green leaves roasted dark brown over high heat. Toasty, faintly caramel, almost like a thin amber broth. Most of the caffeine cooks off in the roast, so it drinks at any hour — including the late ones, when something warm is still wanted but a stimulant isn't.

Roasted dark. Caffeine cooked off. Drinks at any hour — including the late ones. It earned its spot in our lineup by solving the stage it's supposed to solve — without pretending to solve every stage after it.