How to Drink Matcha Green Tea

Making Matcha Green Tea the Traditional Way

Boil 3/4 cup (180 ml) of water and pour it into your matcha bowl. A matcha bowl is a traditional tea drinking bowl of Japanese culture. It's small and usually doesn't have handles.

Whisk the hot water with a chasen. A chasen is a Japanese tea whisking tool made of bamboo. This step warms up the bowl and softens the whisk's bamboo tines. As a result, the chasen becomes flexible and springy for effective whisking.

Discard the hot water from the bowl. Dump it into the kitchen sink. Dry the inside of the bowl with a clean, dry cloth.

Scoop 2 tsp (1.5 heaping teaspoons or 10 g) of matcha into a fine mesh strainer. If you use a chashaku, the scoop should be round. A chashaku is a Japanese tea ladle (also known as a teaspoon). The matcha should reach the point where the chashaku starts to bend. For thin matcha ("Usucha" in Japanese), use 1 tsp. (5 g) of matcha and 2 oz. (60 ml) of boiling water. For thick matcha ("Koicha" in Japanese), use 2 tsp. (10 g) of matcha and 1.4 oz. (41.4 ml) of boiling water.

Sift the matcha into your empty, dry bowl. This gets rid of the clumps. As a result, your tea will be smooth enough to enjoy drinking.

Pour boiling water into a teacup. Let the water cool down for a minute. Aim for 185F or 85C.

Add a small amount of hot water into the matcha bowl and whisk it. Take the chasen in one hand and the rim of the tea bowl in the other hand. Carefully blend together the matcha and hot water until you have a solid mixture. For Usucha, whisk the matcha and hot water briskly. Move in a quick, back-and-forth motion as if you were drawing the letter W or M. Use your wrist instead of your arm. Whisk the surface of the tea when it has small bubbles until a thick froth appears. For Koicha, move in a slow kneading motion from left to right as well as up and down. Since you're not aiming for froth, gently rotate the whisk in a 360 motion to achieve a thick, smooth, and even consistency.

Add the teacup water to the bowl until it's 1/3 full and continue whisking. Toward the end of whisking, draw a circle and move the chasen to the bowl's center to finish the whisking. The center will have a slightly higher fluffy foam as a result. Your matcha green tea is ready!

Clean your utensils. You just need warm water and a dry, clean cloth for this step. Thoroughly rinse the chasen and matcha bowl with warm water after each use. Make sure you stand the chasen on its base so the tines are sticking up in the air. Just wipe off the chashaku with the cloth.

Crafting a Matcha Latte for Sweetness

Bring 3/4 cup (180 ml) of milk to a bare simmer in a small pot. You can use unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, or cow milk. Make sure the small pot is over medium-high heat. Don't let it boil. Bring 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water to a boil in a different pot at the same time.

Add 1 tsp (5 g) of matcha in a heatproof cup. If you want a thicker latte, add 2 tsp. (10 g). A heatproof cup can be a tea or coffee mug.

Add in 1/4 cup (60 ml) of boiling water as you whisk it. Whisk in a slightly slow, rotating motion. For more froth, whisk in the shape of the letter M or W. Use an electric hand whisker for a smooth and even consistency. Be careful not to whisk too fast with this tool.

Pour in your milk and continue whisking. Slightly tip the cup to create more foam. Sweeten the tea with agave syrup if you'd like. Now, you can enjoy your matcha latte!

Drinking Matcha Beverages Properly

Drink your beverage at home. This is how the Japanese typically consume matcha green tea. Being in a comfortable environment adds to the calming effect the tea possesses.

Enjoy drinking throughout the day. The Japanese typically drink this tea in the morning, afternoon, and evening. It's a great way to achieve alertness early in the day and relaxation in the evening before bed. It won't keep you up at night.

Drink the beverage quickly. The powdered tea is a suspension. It will settle at the bottom if you let it sit for too long.

Use a small bowl, not a mug. This is the traditional way to go. It's about the sensory experience of cupping the bowl in both of your hands, bringing it your nose, and breathing in the aroma. The dome shape of the bowl over the nose and mouth intensifies the aroma better than a mug.