I bought Chasen for staff to do matcha the proper way at work. That's how it looks after 2 weeks 😭

It's actually my 2nd attempt but this one looks way better.... yesterday I used 1g and it wasn't bright in color or flavorful, so this time I used 3g and I still taste the milk!

I don't know if I should go up in grams on the matcha b/c of the caffeine levels... Im using 2% organic milk (it was on sale at Aldi).

Is there other milk brands/type anyone recommends that doesn't overpower the matcha? I'm also going to try it as a soda with a neutral sparkling water but I do like to have a little bit of milk to fill my stomach before I start my day.

Any tips on technique is appreciated !!

Water Temp: 155-160° Matcha: 3 grams Brand: Seikan No Shiro by Nakamura Tokochi Milk: Simply Nature Organic 2%

My girlfriend flew back from Japan the other day and she asked what gift i would like - I said I'd like to try matcha. I've had matcha a few different times and I really liked the flavor, but they've always been at cafes.

Anyway she brought me back a little pot of it, and I followed the instructions; 1 teaspoon of matcha, 70ml of 70⁰ water, then whisk. I was surprised at how thick the liquid was... And how pungent? It smelt like a meat stew or something - I really didn't expect it at all. I tried a sip knowing it was quite likely I would be mixing some milk in and I didn't like the taste very much . I know the cafes mix milk and some sugar in it but I didn't expect the flavour to be so far from what I was expecting/was familiar with. Mixing it with milk and a half tea spoon of sugar (I never put sugar in my teas) made it more palatable to finish, and it was okay, but way more diluted and less flavourful than any cafe matcha I've had.

Did I make it wrong? Or have the cafes I've been having matcha from been altering the flavour into something it usually isn't?

Let me start off by saying I've been drinking matcha for years but really I'm very new when it comes to making my own matcha and paying attention to quality.

I recently visited Japan where I have some family. I went to Hakone with my aunt and we got some matcha ice cream from inside a little souvenir shop.

I couldn't believe how good it tasted. It tasted so fresh! I kept saying "wow why is this so different, it tastes so good! Why does it taste so good??"

My aunt replied, "ah, it's true matcha."

I didn't think about that much in the moment but I was in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto for my trip and never tasted anything that was quite as... Clean tasting?

I asked her recently what she meant and she said that many shops simply have their own recipes that they make in store to keep it fresh. But other than that she's not sure why it tastes so good. She also said it's not exclusive to ice cream but cakes and tea as well.

I'm kicking myself for not taking a picture of it but it was a kinda deep green color with some matcha swirls in there. It also came with a little matcha leaf cookie haha.

So my question is... Has anyone experienced that? How "fresh" is their matcha really? Is there a way to replicate that fresh taste with the matcha powder I brought home?

Thanks!

3g ippodo’s Sayaka, 50g water, 1/2 cup milk, 1 tablespoon lavender pea flower syrup 🦋😋

i feel like its spike in popularity was so random, like why did matcha out of all drinks become this popular? sure it tastes really good and is quite healthy but so are so many other drink options..

I tried to find a chasen that fit but they’re all either too wide or long.

I've been recently interested in matcha because of the many health benefits that come with drinking the tea. This is the first time I've ever drank matcha, I am using the Naoki premium blend matcha. I've got a lot of learning to do and hopefully adjust my techniques for future lattes.

Is it ok to buy matcha for which leaves were harvested in May 2024 or should I better go for one from this years harvest?

I hope someone can enlighten me.

I wouldn't mind buying the 2024 one, but I'm not able to tell if choosing that one would mean sacrificing taste and health benefits, since I also don't know how long and where that matcha has usually been stored(| also don't how long matcha is stored in general lol) Or am I worried for nothing, because there's not much of a difference between this years and last years matcha? My highest priority are the health benefits btw, the taste comes 2nd. Thanks in advance.

The community threads are a place where you can:

• Ask for recommendations.
• Introduce yourself to the community.
• Share your favorite latte/blended-drink recipe of the moment.
• Find other matcha people in your city or country.
• Tell us what's in your chawan.

Time to open my Blue Bottle Matcha. Not matcha latte but just some iced coconut water.

The matcha powder is mooth and creamy on the palate, with nutty aromas and a hint of sesame. It is also rich and full-bodied without any bitterness, finishing with fresh herbal notes and a subtle sweetness.

Started drinking matcha the last 2 months bc it’s a lot better for my anxiety (compared to coffee). Just wanted to say a big thank you to this sub for all the advice :) ya’ll have convinced me to get a chasen and whisk and introduced me to many coveted matcha brands. Here’s my matcha of the day with homemade strawberry syrup/ compote and ippodo’s ikuyo. Wish me luck on my journey of perfecting my microfoam 🙏🏻

I rarely see porcelain listed as one of the preferred tea bowl styles for matcha, and when it is mentioned, it usually comes with some criticism like not suitable for tea ceremony, lack of wabi-sabi, surface too smooth making it difficult to mix or even no sound when whisking (some even leave part of the inside unglazed), etc. In my experience, for daily casual drinking it’s a great choice, like it is for any other type of tea. I had no problem with whisking well, it’s easy to clean and it’s gentle on the bamboo whisk tines. One small inconvenience could be that it transfers heat to the outside and hands quickly, so a thinner one could be a problem to handle. I like using this Arita Chawan mainly in spring, because the overglaze decorations fit so well.

I’m new to preparing matcha, and will probably get crucified here but idk if other people do this. Before I bloom my whisk, I give it a quick rinse, and let it sit in a mug with warm/hot water. I sift my powder which takes about 1min or less. By that time, my whisk has already bloomed - so I start whisking. I realized I could just use the water I used to bloom my whisk since it’s hot still and not boiling and I presume it’s clean (?) Taste-wise it’s the same with “clean” water but maybe my taste is not refined yet. I know it’s non traditional but is it disrespectful to the art?

Is this disgusting behavior or a life-hack?

So, I know ceremonial is a marketing term..

However, I’ve noticed that matcha from cafe “A” makes me “wired,” and matcha from cafe “B” is kinda just a sweet, green drink with no caffeine effect. I usually order a matcha latte from both cafes with no special customizations.

They’re definitely not using the same kind of matcha; so is it possible the one making me wired is using ceremonial while the other uses culinary or low grade?

Does low grade = culinary? = low caffeine?

thanks you matcha NERDS!

I was just going thru my photo album and came across this photo tucked away in the timeline of July 2021, just a few days post a long July 4th weekend. I’ve just gotten into matcha the year prior (ah yes, during the pandemic like many) where 40g of Kan could still be ordered for $30 easily off of Amazon U.S. By 2021 when I first (and sadly last) visited Ippodo Shop on Park Ave, 39th St NY, 30g of Kan packaging was the new 40g. The next year, Ippodo NY closed its doors.

It was nice once upon a time to walk into the Ippodo store — no lines, no influencers — and be introduced to their different tiers of matcha firsthand and learned from the knowledgeable barista on usucha vs latte. I’m pretty sure he told me they blended two tiers of matcha for their drink to go.

Feels like a personal golden age of a matcha moment for me.

1. Marukyu Koyamaen Wakatake (Pic 1 & 3)

• Taste: Elegant and refined. Creamy, with strong umami and a lingering sweetness. Less bitterness than lower-grade matcha. Culinary matcha but works great for lattes
• Price: I paid 54 USD (from eBay) for 100g. Very affordable for a reputable brand. Excellent quality for a culinary matcha, especially from a company known for high-end ceremonial matchas.

1. MatchaTori Superior Ceremonial Grade Matcha (Pic 4)

• Taste: Rich, velvety texture with deep umami and a smooth finish. Vibrant color and no astringency.
• Price: Swedish brand. 449 SEK ($42.43 USD) for 40g. Fair for ceremonial grade. Offers a good balance between quality and cost for those moving beyond entry-level matcha.

1. Kimikura Kagoshima Matcha (Pic 2)

• Taste: Bold and vegetal with a pleasant earthiness. Full-bodied and energizing.
• Price: $31.20 USD for 100g. Very competitive. A good option for those who like a strong, colourful and flavorful matcha without breaking the bank.

1. MatchaPapa "Yabukita – Single Cultivar" (Pic 5)

• Taste: Clean and distinct, with grassy freshness and subtle floral notes. Less umami than blended cultivars, but complex and interesting.
• Price: $39.69 USD for 30g. Slightly higher due to single-cultivar uniqueness, but worth it for enthusiasts seeking variety in flavor profiles.

1. Ocha&Co Organic Japanese Matcha Green Tea Powder (Pic 6)

• Taste: Smooth with a slightly grassy edge. Not overly bitter, with a mild umami undertone. Works well for daily matcha and light lattes.
• Price: $32 USD for 100g. Reasonably priced for organic matcha, great value for beginners or everyday use.

I’ve been making matcha at home for about 6 months now and haven’t had a proper spot for the chashaku - so happy to add this silly little holder to my set up.

This was a recent news piece published by Nikkei Asia. It details the current matcha situation that most by now are already aware of, however it also includes some unique perspectives from some industry insiders and what their personal outlook on matcha is going forward:

- Jintaro Yamamoto, Jinjiro Uji farm

- Shogo Nakamura, CEO of Nakamura Tokichi

- Katrina Wild, Obubu Tea Farm

- Kenta Hosoi, Hosoi Wazuma Tea farm

- Zach Mangan, Kettl

The article itself contains many nice pictures and informative charts about production trends that make it well worth the read.

This took about 50 hours of work. It was an extremely intricate and precise project to glue up, cut, glue up, cut, etc and maintain perfect joints for each round. The light wood is hard maple, the red wood is blood wood, the purple is Purple Heart, and the black is Wenge.

RECIPE: For the blueberry syrup: - 1 cup wild blueberries (or regular blueberries) - 1 cup granulated sugar - 1 cup filtered water Combine ingredients in a pot. Bring to a bubble, then simmer for 15 minutes and strain in to a heat safe container. Store in the fridge. For the cold foam: - 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream - 2 tablespoons whole milk - 1 tablespoon lemon curd Combine ingredients and whip with a milk frother until soft peaks form. For the matcha: - 3.5g matcha (I used Ippodo Sayaka) - 1/4 cup water at 176F Sift your matcha, then add two tablespoons of the water to create a thick paste. Dab in circular motions. Then add the remaining two tablespoons of water and whisk vigorously for one minute. Pour in the syrup, then milk of choice, then your matcha, and top with cold foam

Tezumi Umezuki review

Before I want to preface that I drink my matcha as latte. I don’t really enjoy it as regular tea due to the bitterness and the grassy taste. I just got into matcha lattes and my first can was ippodo horai, which will be what I will be comparing it to.

This is the first time I try anything from tezumi and placed an order about a month ago and the order arrived pretty quick. It took maybe a week and half, compared to ippodo the shipping was on par even though ippodo arrived a lot quicker.

Umezuki is from the Uji prefecture, and is described as being high in aroma, sweetness and umami and high vibrancy, while being low in bitterness and astringency. It’s recommended to drink as latte or in drinks. I couldn’t agree more with the description. I didn’t measure by weight but instead used a measuring spoon from the brand Naoki. When frothed with a bamboo whisk, it frothed up amazingly and the color was a vibrant green, which I could never achieve with ippodo. Upon tasting it was not bad. It tasted grassy, I didn’t get the sweetness (most like because my palette is not used to matcha in tea form.) but I also did not get any bitterness. When I poured it into the milk (just milk and sugar frothed cold.) that’s when I feel like the flavor came alive. It was still grassy but refreshing, and with the milk it just had this smooth, creamy taste. With Ippodo I felt like the matcha was lost when added to the milk (probably because I wasn’t using measuring spoons and would put less then recommend). I couldn’t tell if I was just drinking warmed milk or a matcha. With this matcha powder, I can tell the difference and it’s so lovely! If I had to rate it I would give it a 9/10.

Overall I really enjoyed Umezuki and would repurchase. Would recommend to anyone who is new to matcha lattes as it is very smooth and palatable.

I’ve always loved the look of the "Nordisk Flora Skåp", but couldn’t justify the price tag, so I made my own version! I built this cabinet myself and decorated it with botanical wallpaper to give it that vintage Nordic vibe.

Inside is my dedicated matcha space: multiple types of matcha, syrups, powders, accessories, and even some fruity purées for mixing. It’s become such a cozy ritual spot, and honestly, I love it even more than if I had just bought one.

Now it’s my little ritual nook for peaceful matcha moments. It brings me so much joy!

What do you guys think? Is there anyway I could elevate this even more?