All About Matcha: The Green Tea Powder from Japan

In this first blog, we’ll explore Matcha, the vibrant green tea powder from Japan. Matcha has been enjoyed for centuries, particularly during traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. Today, it’s gaining international popularity, there’s even a dedicated Matcha Bar in New York City where you can try all sorts of creative matcha drinks.

In the Netherlands, Matcha is slowly making its way into cafes and kitchens, but many people are still discovering it. Matcha isn’t just ordinary tea—it’s made from finely ground whole tea leaves, giving it a unique flavor, color, and nutritional profile.

How is Matcha Made?

Matcha is produced differently from other green teas. About four weeks before harvest, Camellia Sinensis tea plants are covered with shade screens. This limits sunlight, boosting chlorophyll levels in the leaves and giving the tea its vibrant green color.

Once harvested, the leaves are:

• Steamed to prevent oxidation
• Dried carefully
• De-veined and de-stemmed, leaving only the soft leaf material called Tencha

Finally, the Tencha is stone-ground into fine powder, creating Matcha. This process is highly labor-intensive: it takes seven hours to produce just 100 grams of Matcha!

The Six Steps of Making Matcha

1. Shade: Tea plants are covered with mats during the last four weeks before harvest, protecting them from the sun.
2. Pluck: The first flush of leaves is picked in spring. These young, tender leaves are the highest quality (Class A) and also used for Gyokuro tea.
3. Steam: Leaves are steamed in special pans.
4. Dry: Leaves are carefully dried.
5. Tencha: Only the soft leaf material remains, called Tencha.
6. Grind: Tencha is ground slowly into fine Matcha powder using stone mills.

Matcha Quality

Not all Matcha is the same. The greener the powder, the higher the quality in terms of sweetness, flavor, and creaminess. Lower-quality Matcha is often used for cooking or baking, like Matcha cakes.

At HUG THE TEA, we offer Class A Matcha, the highest quality. It’s full of flavor, with fruity, bittersweet, grassy, and creamy notes.

How to Make Matcha

Making Matcha is a ritual in itself. Here’s how you can brew it at home:

1. Add 1 bamboo spoon of Matcha to a bowl.
2. Pour 1 tablespoon of hot water and mix into a smooth paste using a bamboo whisk.
3. Add 60 ml of water at 80°C (176°F).
4. Whisk for about 20 seconds in a combination of ‘4’ and ‘W’ motions until creamy and frothy.
5. Enjoy it as a teashot or in a traditional cup!

Check out our Instagram video: How to make Matcha in 1 minute! Matcha is a true SUPER FOOD. Read more about the health benefits of Matcha!