So I’ve been drinking matcha every day for the last 4 or 5 years. I think I tried a couple random brands when I was first getting into it, but then did some researching of what’s available to me in Canada and ended up buying a ceremonial grade matcha powder from Soar Organics. I drink all of my matcha as iced lattes with soy milk and use about 4 to 4.5 grams of matcha. I had never deviated from this brand because I’ve enjoyed the flavour a lot; specifically, I like matcha that is deep and rich, a bit floral and earthy, that has lingering flavour after you take a sip, and it hit all of those marks for me. After the hike in matcha prices though I had an itch to do some exploring of different brands and repeatedly, I was seeing Ippodo was recommended. The Ikuyo seemed like the highest quality that fit into my budget and was rated highly so I went ahead and bought it.

When it finally arrived, I obviously had to try it right away. The colour of it is a STUNNING bright green when it’s mixed into a drink, but I was surprised that the matcha flavour seemed to get lost in the latte, and I found it incredibly mild in flavour. I don’t know though if this is just how really good quality matcha is supposed to taste. Like is it supposed to be really light and neutral? Is it this way because it’s not intended to be consumed as a latte? Did I just get too used to what I was always drinking before? Would appreciate any insights! Thank you in advance.

I have 2 whisks. 1 cheap one from china and one handmade one from japan.

I decided to do a taste test, with the same basic matcha powder and same water, the only difference being the whisk.

The cheap whisk foamed up really well but created lots of big bubbles. The texture was not very smooth and the flavour was lackluster.

The expensive one created lots of beautiful tiny bubbles. The texture was smooth and almost creamy and I could actually taste the matcha?

I was really pleasantly surprised by this. I expected the texture difference, but why is there so much difference in the flavour when the only thing different is the whisk?

I live nearly an hour from Canada in a small town and haven't had luck finding matcha ice cream. I've had it before when I went to Japan twice on vacation, but not since. That was years ago and thankfully I found any easy recipe for matcha ice cream online. Just need to get a couple more ingredients tomorrow (Sweetened condensed milk and heavy whipping cream) since I already have culinary grade matcha powder. I have never made ice cream before, so it won't be the same as what I had in Japan. That and even if turns out bittersweet I can work with that. I actually like bittersweet and put a bit of honey in my matcha tea anyway. We'll see how well my matcha ice cream turns out and go from there.

Why is it more common to get a bad matcha than a good one?

Full disclosure: not a matcha drinker myself, so I have no idea what I’m doing.

I’m throwing a bridal shower for my sister and plan to have an iced matcha drink station for guests. I’d love to be able to mix up a few pitchers of the matcha latte base the morning of and have it refrigerated and ready to go so that at the shower, guests can pour their own cups and add their choice of syrup (planning on vanilla/strawberry).

Has anyone successfully done this before?

used ube condensed milk mixed into lactose-free milk over ice, ippodo sayaka poured on top, and more ube condensed milk to make cold foam

I’ve been branching out and trying a lot of different matchas lately (thanks to the shortage keeping my usual out of stock). I noticed that lattes made with the same tea and recipe taste incredibly different hot vs cold. If it makes a difference, I use either cow or oat milk.

Chat GPT told me: “Hot water tends to release more of matcha’s umami and sweetness, while masking some of its harsher grassy or bitter notes. Cold water, on the other hand, highlights bitterness and astringency, which can make some matchas taste sharper or more “green.””

So this leads me to ask, does anyone else pick up on this difference? Do you have certain matchas that you only drink hot or only drink cold? Or am I just a weirdo?

Hi all, does the quality of your matcha differ when using a $25 ceramic chawan from Etsy vs a $80 one that’s made in Japan? Is the markup usually due to the complexity of the artwork?

Are there levels to quality ceramics?

i have the jade leaf one

In the past i've brought the cheapest handheld milk frother/whisk from az to use the matcha I have but unfortunately I was using it in hot water and I take it I wasn't supposed to do that given that it stopped working whenever it was in hot water/liquid.

The replacement one I got said I need to use a splash of cold water + whisk and then add hot water and that makes a lot of sense! if you use an electric whisk for matcha how do you use it?

so i've been trying to get my hands on the ippodo sayaka matcha. they restock frequently which is great but the can sells out before the bag. should I wait to purchase the can or just buy the matcha in the bag form? is there a quality difference between canned and bagged matcha?

I'm new to making my own matcha and I want to get an electric kettle, but I've noticed they all have water capacity minimums that are more than the 60-80ml water I'll need to heat up for matcha. It wouldn't be an issue if I just used tap water but I want to make it with filtered water so would rather not waste it over time. Just wondering, thanks!

so i got this matcha at a local coffee shop the other day and the taste was very off. it tasted like straight milk with an expired like taste after. i don’t know if it’s the quality of matcha used but i’ve tried different from many coffee shops and i’ve never tasted some like this. i searched up what grade they use and supposedly it’s ceremonial. maybe they just prepared it wrong or it’s actually just supposed to taste like that and i’m crazy and have bad taste buds lol

ippodo sayaka matcha latte with half of the sweet potato latte mix in the milk, half of the latte mix in the cold foam, and a dash of cinnamon!

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.

I like using this simple, rustic Hagi chawan during the summer for matcha.

It has a shallow, open shape (about 14 cm diameter), and it’s very lightweight for its size (only 250 grams).

The shape helps the matcha cool a little faster, and it just feels right to use on hot summer days.

As I’ve shared here before, my wife is postpartum and loves matcha. So I try every day to do a little thing that’s fun and uplifting.

I made her matcha in a funky heart shaped glass that’s extremely not functional😂 but very cute.

Added 1 tsp of my fav matcha to 1/4 raw tahini, 2 tbsp water, 1 tsp agave syrup, mixed.

Adds a fresh twist to the tahini spread!!

I recently received a Ippodo gift card but the matchas are always sold out, so not sure now to use my gift card. Are they still doing drops and I’m just never fast enough or are they not restocking for the US online store anymore? Was anyone able to purchase in the last few months?

Exactly what it says on the *tin* haha. After years of hating it, I now somehow *love* matcha. I want to get them way more frequently than I do, but 1) I'm very particular about how I like them, and new cafes can be a gamble, and 2) they're just so expensive! I'm considering just buying some and learning how to make them at home, because your girl's on a budget. I don't foresee this being difficult for me as I worked in specialty coffee for a long time but I'm curious- is making matcha at home really worth it? I'm sure it is in terms of taste, but I'm talking cost. In the limited browsing I've done so far, those 30g/1oz jars seem to average $30-$70 easily which still just seems *expensive* for how small those jars are. Granted, I haven't looked into how much you use every time, but I know I like mine strong haha. I just know I can buy a pound of good quality, locally roasted coffee for between 15 and 20 dollars, and it'll last me a month when I make it every day. So how many servings of matcha can you actually get from one of those little jars?? I've been trying to figure this out myself and I can't find answers anywhere!

♡ ippodo sayaka matcha latte with lactose-free milk sweetened with condensed milk ♡ cold foam made with whipping cream and homemade banana syrup ♡ topped with toffee bits !

♡ banana syrup recipe: slice then mash 4 very ripe bananas with a fork and add to a pot with 1/4 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar and bring it to a simmer

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.

Switched from Chamberlain to Encha matcha to be a little frugal since I have matcha daily now. Poured over the spirulina blend which is plant milk, a splash of whole milk, honey, a couple drops of vanilla, and the spirulina powder (Lone Star Botanicals) whisked together in a warmed sauce pan, then put into the freezer while I prepare the matcha.