guide to matcha green tea

home | guide to matcha green teae

matcha is hard to miss. whether it's in the vibrant glaze of a cake, spiking your afternoon smoothie, or on the menu at your local café, its earthy flavor, vibrant color, and buzzy effects are unmistakeable. matcha is a world of its own, it's fascinating, complex, nuanced—there is so much to learn and appreciate. for people who want to switch up their caffeine habit, hone their taste buds, or just set aside a few minutes for a meditative practice (that, side benefit, produces a delightful drink!), matcha is a flavorful, timeless choice.

ceremonial or culinary grade matcha?

this is the single most common question about matcha, and one of the most difficult to answer—mainly because in japan, distinctions prevalent in the U.S. tea market such as “ceremonial grade” are not used.

matcha does come in a wide range of quality, which can be measured by flavor, particle size, color, and amino acid content. but with little regulation in the west on grading terms, tea vendors are free to label matcha as whatever grade they think will sell.

how to select quality matcha

if you can’t rely on a packaged tea’s “grade” as a marker of quality, how do you pick out a great matcha?

first of all, look for origin information to confirm the matcha is a product of japan; if you see the words “stone-ground,” so much the better.

you may see a maker tout their matcha as hand-picked or from an early spring harvest. consider these likely indicators of quality, though not a guarantee. hand-picking is generally preferable to machine-harvesting, but japanese machine-harvesting techniques are fairly advanced, and spring is not the only season that can produce delicious matcha.

other than that, forget about the packaging and inspect the tea itself.

quality matcha should be a bright, lustrous green, like if pantone made a color called magical forest. dull olive or brown hues indicate low chlorophyll content or oxidation. then smell the powder: you should detect rich vegetal and pine aromas, with hints of chocolate, nuts, and cream. if a matcha’s aroma is muted, its taste likely will be as well. the consistency should be fine, like cornstarch. clumps are normal, a result of electrostatic charges that build up as the canister is agitated during shipping.

matcha taste

ultimately, of course, it’s a matter of taste. great matcha is intense, with layers of bitterness, sweetness, and umami. It will feel dense and rich on the tongue, which is partially a matter of whisking technique but more about particle size. and it should finish with a vibrant, verdant aftertaste. good matcha can also make you feel good—gently energized, with a sense of clarity and focus.

by the time you’re able to inspect matcha this closely, you’ve probably already had to buy the tin. but the more you taste and learn about matcha, the more informed you’ll become for your next purchase.

matcha shelf life and storing

all of our matcha tins and bags are nitrogen-flushed and sealed at origin, so there is no air in contact with the tea, and thus no oxidation. kept in a cool place, the matcha can last for years with minimal loss in quality.

once the canister is opened, the countdown begins. matcha does not improve with age and is best consumed within six months of opening for optimal flavor. store it in the refrigerator after opening to further slow oxidation.