Short answer
Matcha is a fine powder made from shade-grown green tea leaves called tencha, ground to a powder and whisked into water or milk. You drink the whole leaf rather than an infusion, which gives a vivid green color and a rich, grassy-sweet taste.
Matcha is a fine green powder made from shade-grown tea leaves that are steamed, dried and ground. It is whisked into hot water or milk rather than steeped, so you drink the whole leaf. That gives matcha a bright green color and a rich flavor that is grassy, slightly sweet and a little bitter.
What is matcha made from?
Matcha is made from tencha, the leaf of the Camellia sinensis tea plant grown under shade for several weeks before harvest. After picking, the leaves are steamed, dried and de-stemmed, then ground into powder.
Shading the plants raises chlorophyll and amino acid levels in the leaves, which is why matcha is a deep green and tastes savory-sweet. Sencha, a common steeped green tea, is grown in full sun and rolled, so its leaves and flavor differ. Matcha and sencha come from the same plant species but are processed differently.
How is matcha made?
Matcha is made by shading tea plants, picking the young leaves, steaming them, drying them flat, removing stems and veins, and grinding the leaf into a fine powder, traditionally with stone mills.
- Tea bushes are covered with shade for roughly three to four weeks before harvest.
- New leaves are picked.
- Leaves are steamed to stop oxidation.
- Leaves are dried and sorted into tencha.
- Stems and veins are removed.
- The tencha is ground into powder.
Stone grinding is slow, and the powder it produces is extremely fine. Machine grinding is used for some culinary grades.
What does matcha taste like?
Matcha tastes grassy, slightly sweet and savory, with a gentle bitterness and a smooth, creamy feel. Good matcha has a mellow, rounded flavor, while lower grades taste sharper and more bitter.
Taste varies with grade, freshness and how it is prepared. Water that is too hot can make matcha bitter. A well-whisked bowl has a light foam and a clean, fresh finish. Many people describe the flavor as similar to spinach, fresh-cut grass or seaweed, with a sweet edge.
What are the grades of matcha?
The main matcha grades are ceremonial, premium or daily, and culinary. Ceremonial is for drinking plain, and culinary is for cooking and sweetened drinks.
| Grade | Typical use | Color | Taste |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceremonial | Whisked with water | Bright green | Smooth, sweet, low bitterness |
| Premium or daily | Daily drinking, lattes | Green | Balanced |
| Culinary | Baking, smoothies, desserts | Duller green to yellow-green | Stronger, more bitter |
Grade names are not strictly regulated, so one brand’s ceremonial can differ from another’s. Color, smell and the origin on the package are better guides than the label alone.
How do you make matcha at home?
To make matcha at home, sift about one teaspoon of powder into a bowl, add about 2 ounces of hot water at roughly 175 degrees F, and whisk in a zigzag motion until frothy.
- Warm the bowl with hot water and dry it.
- Sift 1 to 2 teaspoons of matcha into the bowl.
- Add about 2 ounces (60 ml) of water that is hot, not boiling.
- Whisk quickly in a W or M pattern until a fine foam forms.
- Drink right away.
A bamboo whisk, called a chasen, and a small bamboo scoop, a chashaku, are the traditional tools. A small electric frother also works if you do not own a whisk.
What can you make with matcha?
Matcha is used in drinks such as lattes and smoothies, in baking such as cookies, cakes and shortbread, and in desserts such as ice cream, mochi and chocolate.
- Drinks: hot or iced matcha latte, matcha lemonade, smoothies.
- Baking: cookies, pound cake, cheesecake.
- Desserts: ice cream, pudding, soft serve, mochi fillings.
- Snacks: matcha chocolate, wafers and biscuits.
Use culinary grade for most cooking. Heat dulls the green color, so baked matcha goods look olive rather than bright green.
What is the difference between matcha and green tea?
Matcha is a powdered tea you drink whole, while regular green tea is an infusion of leaves that are removed after steeping. Both start from the same plant, Camellia sinensis.
| Feature | Matcha | Steeped green tea |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Fine powder | Whole or rolled leaves |
| Growing | Shaded before harvest | Usually grown in sun |
| Preparation | Whisked into water | Steeped, then leaves removed |
| Flavor | Rich, savory-sweet | Lighter, more astringent |
| Caffeine | Higher per serving, since leaf is consumed | Lower per serving |
How do you store matcha?
Store matcha in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, and in the refrigerator once opened. Matcha is sensitive to light, air and moisture, which fade its color and flavor.
Let a refrigerated tin come to room temperature before opening so condensation does not clump the powder. Use opened matcha within a month or two for the freshest taste. Faded color and a dull smell indicate that the matcha is past its best.
Where can you find matcha and matcha snacks in San Antonio?
Matcha powder is sold in Japanese and Asian grocery stores, tea shops and some supermarkets. Matcha snacks, such as matcha biscuits and candy, are common in Japanese grocery aisles.
This guide is independent and is not Minnano Japanese Grocery. Google Maps describes the store as importing dry goods, drinks and snacks, but no list of specific products is published, so this guide cannot say whether matcha powder is in stock. Stock changes, so call (210) 340-7900 to ask. See the hours and location page for opening times and the FAQ page for answers about the store.
What does matcha look like when it is good?
Good matcha is a vivid, slightly bluish green, smells fresh and sweet like cut grass, and feels silky between the fingers. Dull, yellow-brown powder with a stale smell is usually old or a lower grade.
Use these quick checks when you look at a tin:
- Color: bright, even green rather than khaki or brown.
- Smell: fresh, grassy, faintly sweet. A flat or dusty smell suggests age.
- Texture: very fine and soft, with no coarse grains.
- Packaging: sealed, opaque tin or pouch, since light fades the color.
- Date: a recent production or best-before date, which the pack should show.
Origin is usually printed on the label. Uji in Kyoto, Nishio in Aichi and parts of Kagoshima and Shizuoka are regions often named on Japanese matcha.
How is matcha served in Japanese tea culture?
In Japanese tea culture, matcha is prepared in a ceremony called chanoyu or sado, where the host whisks a bowl for each guest and serves it with a small sweet. The sweet is eaten first so the tea tastes less bitter.
Two styles of tea are served in a formal setting. Usucha is thin tea, whisked light and foamy, and koicha is thick tea, kneaded into a paste with more powder and less water. At home, usucha is the everyday way to drink matcha.
Traditional sweets served with matcha include wagashi such as mochi, bean paste confections and seasonal sweets shaped like flowers or leaves. At home, a plain biscuit or a small piece of chocolate works just as well to balance the tea.
Common questions
How do you pronounce matcha?
In Japanese it is said mah-cha, with the first syllable short and both vowels clear. In American English, many people say mat-cha, which is widely understood. Either way, the word means rubbed or ground tea.
Does matcha have caffeine?
Yes, matcha contains caffeine because it is made from tea leaves. Because you drink the whole leaf, a serving carries more than a typical steeped green tea, though less than a strong coffee. Amounts vary by brand and serving size.
Why is matcha so expensive?
Matcha takes extra work. Leaves are shade-grown, hand-picked, steamed, dried, de-stemmed and slowly stone-ground. Higher grades use the youngest leaves and yield little powder, so prices reflect labor and low output.
Can you cook with matcha?
Yes. Culinary grade matcha is meant for baking, smoothies, ice cream and desserts. It adds color and a bittersweet tea flavor. Ceremonial grade is better saved for drinking, because heat and sugar mask its nuance.
How do you store matcha?
Keep matcha in an airtight tin away from light, heat and moisture. Once opened, keep it in the refrigerator or a cool cupboard and use it within a few weeks to a couple of months for the freshest flavor and color.
Everything practical is on the home page: Minnano Japanese Grocery hours, menu and directions.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Minnano Japanese Grocery itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.