What is Matcha?
The antioxidants in Matcha Tea deliver a powerful energy boost, but how does it taste? This article will discuss what matcha is and what flavour notes matcha has.
Japanese green tea powder is made from Camellia Sinensis leaves called matcha. The green tea plant is grown and processed differently than matcha. Matcha is made by covering the plants and growing them under shade for three to four weeks before harvesting, steaming, drying, and grinding the leaves into powder.
What is the significance of this? When tea leaves are grown in the shade, chlorophyll increases, making the leaves bright green, adding nutrients, and altering the flavour notes.
The antioxidants in Matcha Tea deliver a powerful energy boost, but how does it taste? This article will discuss what matcha is and what flavour notes matcha has.
Japanese green tea powder is made from Camellia Sinensis leaves called matcha. The green tea plant is grown and processed differently than matcha. Matcha is made by covering the plants and growing them under shade for three to four weeks before harvesting, steaming, drying, and grinding the leaves into powder.
What is the significance of this? When tea leaves are grown in the shade, chlorophyll increases, making the leaves bright green, adding nutrients, and altering the flavour notes.
Matcha – What Does It Taste Like?
With mellow vegetal, grassy notes, a natural sweetness, a touch of bitterness, and a pleasantly savoury finish, Ceremonial Matcha Organic Green Tea has a complex flavour profile.
Matcha’s umami flavour makes it irresistible to drink. Umami is the 5th and final flavour after sweet, bitter, sour, and salty in the Japanese language. This flavour deepens and intensifies as it is savoury.
What is your experience with matcha? It is impossible to describe matcha’s taste in one way or another. The unique taste may be earthy or hard to describe because it is so difficult to describe.
If you have heard that matcha is too bitter, it’s because of the process of making it involves many factors. Having a smooth and flavorful tea beverage is possible using the best matcha hacks.
Consistency in texture and colour
Prepared matcha tea has a smooth and frothy mouthfeel, while plain organic green tea is light and delicate. You consume 100% of the stone-ground tea leaf in a matcha beverage since you’re consuming a liquid suspended in the stone-ground tea leaf. The leaves are steeped in water and then discarded before drinking the tea.
Taste-affecting factors
- Water-type. Due to its pH level, fresh spring water enhances matcha. Filtered water is excellent. Avoid using well water or hard water.
- If you have a temperature-adjustable kettle, boil water and let it sit for a few minutes to cool it down. As boiling water can make matcha bitter, you want to avoid using it.
- The ratio of matcha to water.
Plain Japanese tea can be made in two ways: Usucha and Koicha.
- Usucha is a process for making matcha thinner for everyday drinking. Add one teaspoon of organic matcha powder to 70 millilitres of water (14 cups plus two teaspoons). Add more water to taste.
- Koicha (thicker matcha with a fuller body) is typically used for Japanese tea ceremonies. For 40 millilitres (2 tablespoons plus two teaspoons) of hot water, add two teaspoons (4 grams) of matcha. You will taste an intense matcha taste and a creamy mouth feel.
4. Origin. From Japan’s Shizuoka prefecture, we source our organic matcha tea.
5. Grade matching.
- Organic ceremonial grade matcha contains the purest flavour—a smooth, creamy finish with a sweet, grassy flavour.
- Organic matcha green tea with a bold flavour that is perfect for adding to lattes and baking to enhance the grassy notes of the matcha.
6. Organic versus non-organic. We only sell organic products at Fraser Tea. Tea sprayed with pesticides might have a different taste. We only sell organic teas. When drinking matcha, you consume the whole tea leaf, so it’s even more important to drink 100% organic.
7. Sweeteners. Should we use them? If you’re new to matcha, you can take the edge off the bitterness by adding a little bit of sugar or sweetener alternative of choice. Our family has been drinking matcha for generations, and we love it.
Conclusion
We hope you will try matcha soon now that you know what it tastes like. This article should help you decide if matcha is for you or not.