About Matcha
What is Matcha?
Matcha is powdered green tea from Japan that can be made as a tea or
used as an ingredient. Premium grade matcha is described as either
"thin" (usucha) or "thick" (koicha) and used in making matcha as a tea.
Ingredient grade is used in cooking and drink making. Premium matcha is
made in limited amounts in Japan. It is the heart of the "way of tea"
and its preparation is celebrated in the Japanese Tea Ceremony.
Why is matcha so green? Matcha is cultivated with great care. To
naturally produce a tea so green, the farmers cover the tea plants with
bamboo mats several weeks prior to harvest. This step increases
chlorophyll content and turns the leaves dark green. These harvested
leaves are then steamed, dried and de-spined (stems are removed).
Before being stone-ground into powder, these leaves are called tencha.
What does matcha taste like?
It depends on how you prepare it. Matcha made in the traditional
Japanese style, whisked only with water, is a full flavored green tea
that pulls your attention to the moment. The initial taste is vegetal
and bitter, followed by a lingering sweetness. It's similar to one's
first taste of dark chocolate. When added as an ingredient, the taste
of matcha becomes subtler. It adds the flavor and color of green tea to
your creation, be it a smoothie, pastry, savory sauce, green tea ice
cream etc.
Does matcha have caffeine?
Yes. When drinking matcha, whole tealeaves are consumed, providing 4 to
6 hours of mild, steady energy. It is both a stimulant and a relaxant,
perfect for focusing on work, mediation, exercise or play.
How is matcha prepared?
Matcha can be prepared in many different ways. We
offer guidelines and ideas. Click here to read our Preparing Matcha Guidelines.
Why is matcha expensive? How is it priced?
Japanese tea, in general, tends to be more expensive than teas produced
in other countries. It’s the rule of supply and demand. Japan is a
small country that only exports about 1 percent of its teas, due to
high domestic demand.
Taking that into account, matcha production is limited. Covering the
fields with bamboo mats, weakens the tea plants, and a longer recovery
period is needed before they can be harvested again. Matcha has always
been specially crafted tea in Japan, expensive and made in limited
amounts since its introduction to Japan from China in the 1200’s.
The pricing of matcha in Japan is directly related to which leaves are
used, where they were grown and which farmers cultivated it. When you
look to buy matcha, you’ll find the most expensive ones are the
greenest color and the softest in texture. This denotes that only the
youngest leaves were used and de-spined (all coarse fibers, i.e. the
stems, removed). Matcha grown in the Uji, Kyoto region carries a
historical significance, as it’s the traditional region for cultivating
matcha.
What does Thick and Thin mean?
Premium matcha is divided into two categories: Thin and Thick. It
denotes grade and the style of tea it is used to make. Thin matcha is
used to make thin tea. Thick matcha is more flexible and is used to
make both thin and thick styles.
- Thin Matcha, also called thin tea, is prepared with less tea to more water. The tea is wetter and sweeter prepared in this style.
- Thick Matcha can be made
as thin or thick tea. It is the highest grade of matcha, stone-ground
from the youngest tealeaves. This delicateness gives you the chance to
make it as thick as you like, as strong as you like, while still
keeping the complexity of taste.
What is ingredient grade?
Ingredient grade matcha is made from the same plants as premium grade;
the difference is which leaves are used and the process of grinding it
into a powder. With ingredient grade, the leaves used are found below
the top leaf and bud set of the tea plant. These lower leaves are a
little older and less delicate; their stems are not removed when ground
into powder, as with premium grade. The taste is less complex and
bolder, holding up well to other ingredients, hence the name. It is
ideal for cooking and making drinks with. It compliments both savory
and sweet recipes.
Which size is best?
Matcha begins to lose its freshness when opened. We recommend choosing the amount you plan to use within a month's time.
Size
| Servings Per Tin
| Perfect For... | 20 grams
| 10-15 servings
| drinking several times a week
| 40 grams
| 20-30 servings
| drinking everyday or a couple who shares a few times a week
| 100 grams
| 50-65 servings
| households, office staff or groups |
How do I store matcha?
Keep matcha cool in the refrigerator to help maintain its freshness.
When making tea, scoop out a serving of matcha and replace tin
immediately back in the refrigerator. It is best if the matcha tin does
not produce condensation.
Still have questions?
E-mail your matcha tea questions to info@matchasource.com.
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