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| How To Make Matcha Green Tea - Full Brewing Instructions |
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING ONE BOWL OF MATCHA GREEN TEA
UTENSILS NEEDED:
• A matcha bowl
(Chawan)
• A bamboo matcha whisk
(Chasen)
• A bamboo matcha scoop
(Chashaku)
• A linen tea cloth
(Chakin)
• A matcha sifter
(Furui)
• Bowl for boiling water
• Thermometer to measure water temperature
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you try to use western utensils to prepare matcha, it most likely won’t turn out well. We strongly advice you to obtain and use the traditional Japanese matcha utensils as it will enrich your matcha experience and increase your chances of making the perfect bowl of matcha.
Our brewing suggestions for preparing both usucha (thin matcha) and koicha (thick matcha) are shown below. There are other slightly different variations of preparing usucha and koicha that you may have learnt and enjoy using. If so, please feel free to use that method instead.
USUCHA INSTRUCTIONS:
| STEP 1: |
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Preheat the matcha bowl and whisk with hot water by placing the whisk in the bowl. Once the bowl has thoroughly preheated, empty out the water and dry the bowl out (preferably with a chakin), so that it is completely dry. Set the wet whisk aside, and retain 70ml (approx. 2.3 fl oz) of water in a separate bowl to cool. |
| STEP 2: |
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Use the bamboo scoop to measure about 1½ - 2 scoops of matcha and place it into the bowl. It is also advisable to sift the matcha to avoid any clumps forming. For best results use 1½ - 2 scoops for our Uji matcha and 2 scoops for our Yame matcha. |
| STEP 3: |
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Once the water from STEP 1 drops to 70°C (158°F) - 80°C (176°F) pour it into the matcha bowl. For best results use 70°C (158°F) for our Uji matcha and 80°C (176°F) for our Yame matcha. |
| STEP 4: |
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Take the whisk in one hand and hold the matcha bowl with your other hand and start to whisk the matcha. Whisk briskly using your wrist (not arm). Whisk in a W motion until the matcha has a thick froth with many tiny bubbles on the surface. The matcha is now frothy and ready to drink. |
KOICHA INSTRUCTIONS:
| STEP 1: |
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Preheat the matcha bowl and whisk with hot water by placing the whisk in the bowl. Once the bowl has fully preheated, empty out the water and dry the bowl out thoroughly (preferably with a chakin), so that it is completely dry. Set the wet whisk aside, and retain 40ml (approx. 1.3 fl oz) of water in a separate bowl to cool. |
| STEP 2: |
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Use the bamboo scoop to measure about 3 scoops of matcha and place it into the bowl. We highly recommend sifting matcha prior to preparing koicha. |
| STEP 3: |
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Once the water from STEP 1 drops to 70°C (158°F) - 80°C (176°F) pour it into the matcha bowl. The water should be just enough to cover the powder. Pouring the water in two parts (40% and 60%) sometimes produces better results. |
| STEP 4: |
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The idea with koicha is NOT to make a frothy consistency with a fast whisking action like usucha. Instead, a slower kneading action from left to right, up and down, and a calm 360 degree rotating action as shown in the image (to the left) can be used to make a thick consistency. The resulting tea should be reasonably thick, smooth and without froth. |
Basic differences between usucha and koicha preparation:
| |
Usucha (thin matcha) |
Koicha (thick matcha) |
| No. of Scoops |
11/2-2 |
3-4 |
| Water Volume |
Approx. 70ml |
Approx. 40ml |
| Water Temp |
70°C(158°F)-80°C(176°F) |
70°C(158°F)-80°C(176°F) |
| Type of Whisk |
80-120 hosaki (prongs) |
32-64 hosaki (prongs) |
| Whisking Action |
Rapid ‘w’ action |
Kneading/rotating |
| Consistency |
Thin with froth |
Thick with no froth |
MATCHA FAQ:
What is matcha?
Matcha, the Japanese tea ceremony beverage, is a powdered green tea which entails a high price mainly as a result of the labor involved in producing it. In Japan, high quality matcha is always expensive and there really isn't any chance of finding a high quality matcha at a low price. It is important to know that there are many grades of matcha from ceremonial grades to food grades. Food grades are low quality and only used in cooking or as an ingredient. They're often sold off in bulk and very cheap.
How is matcha produced?
Matcha is produced in the same way as gyokuro (another type of Japanese green tea). The tea plants are covered under 90 percent shade for 3 weeks - 2 months prior to harvesting the leaves. The length of shading time is very much dependent on various aspects including such things as the quality of matcha which is being grown and weather conditions. Higher quality matcha and tea gardens that produce matcha from handpicked leaves are, on average, shaded for 4 weeks or more. The harvested leaves are then steamed the same as other Japanese green tea, but are not rolled. Instead, they are dried and then all stems, twigs and leaf veins are removed by machinery and the resulting leaves left over are known as tencha. The tencha is then stone-ground and the resulting powder is known as matcha. Real high quality matcha is produced from the first soft buds that appear in spring and stone-ground very slowly.
Could you explain the two different tea ceremony matcha types usucha and koicha?
In Japan, there are two types of matcha served in Japanese tea ceremony. They are usucha (thin matcha) and koicha (thick matcha). Usucha is the more common of the two and is served in every tea ceremony. It is made from the buds and leaves of the finest young tea plants and is usually machine harvested. Koicha has a milder taste and thicker consistency. It is produced from the buds of older tea plants and is usually handpicked.
How much matcha per day do you recommend?
Most people who consume matcha on a daily basis drink 1-2 servings a day. If you are new to matcha it is best to start by consuming 1 serving a day. There is no known matcha overdose!
Does matcha have caffeine?
Matcha has about half the amount of caffeine found in a cup of coffee, but the impact of caffeine found in matcha is quite different from that found in coffee. Coffee caffeine tends to be absored very quickly into the body which is why coffee caffeine is well known for its quick engery spikes. On the other hand, matcha caffeine is absorded much slower into the body (6-8 hours) and gives a slower release of energy. Therefore, matcha caffeine is not associated with the well known negative side effects that coffee caffeine is associated with.
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