Matcha tea

Follow up

This is a follow up to yesterday’s post “Turbo Tea”. There have been several questions I’d like to answer:

What kind did I get – I got two kinds so I could see what the difference is between them.

I got a $11 – 1 oz – “The Republic of Tea” brand, Supposed to be ceremonial quality Tencha which I’m drinking today

I got a $32 – 1.06 oz Do Matcha Brand tea, Green label Organic – which is what I had yesterday

tools – I didn’t get the whisk or the strainer but I used a metal whisk I had at home (you’ll need it)

I didn’t sift the powder, but I bet it would help dissolve it in the water

Could I tell a difference?

Yes, the expensive stuff has a more subtle interesting flavor – not quite as “dry” tasting, maybe a little sweeter?

The good stuff didn’t have the dry after taste that the cheaper one had.

I really hate to say it, but the DoMatcha Organic at $32 was way better than the Republic of Tea Ceremonial at $11

Maybe it is like “they” say, you get what you pay for, especially in Matcha Tea.

BuZZ

Yesterday I got the most amazing tea buzz from the Matcha. It might have been a caffeine buzz from drinking the Lapsang first, but my increased energy level lasted almost all day, plus I was mellow and in control at the same time. I’ll let you know if there is a difference between the affects from the cheaper one today. FYI about caffeine. Matcha tea caffeine is on the same level as black tea, which is the strongest of the teas, but only about 1/2 as much caffeine as coffee and the affect is spread out over 6-8 hours because of the tannin in tea.

Conclusions

You really need to do your own experiments to determine which flavors you enjoy more. I’m doing the Matcha because of the HUGE health benefits. The flavor of Matcha isn’t what you’d call normal beverage flavor, but you can mix it in other things and I don’t think you’d ever taste the tea. Consider that I like strange and different things, like peaty single malt scotch, etc., I enjoy the grassy flavor of green tea.

Both of these tins are supposed to last 30 days. If I stick to the good stuff, that would be a buck a day. I’ve spent more to get less, so that isn’t terrible. I like the energy boost, but I’m very sensitive to chemicals and my reaction might be more than someone else’s. As I write this line I’m finishing the last of my first cup of the cheaper Matcha and I must admit, the flavor doesn’t compare favorably to the better tea. I’ll be using the cheaper tea for coloring in mixed drinks and foods. The experiment continues – Jug

Matcha Tea has been Acquired

I don’t think I’ll need a razor blade and a hundred dollar bill to consume this Matcha tea, but it looks like a green version of the stuff the “older guys” warned me about. My first cup of Matcha – Green Tea is ready to be enjoyed as I write this post. Generally my day starts with a pot of my favorite black tea, Lapsang Souchong which is a very strong flavor, possibly tainting this review a little.

Matcha Tea Price

Yes, Matcha tea is expensive. I just paid over $30 for 1 ounce of the good stuff. I’ll let you know if the cheaper Matcha tea is a better deal when I do the math. I only used 1/4 heaping tsp in my first 8 oz cup of tea.

Differences in Quality

My research has found at least two (2) different catagories of Matcha Tea with variations on those.

Ceremonial Grade and Culinary Grade matcha are the main Grades determined by the quality of the appearance, processing method and ingredients.

Within these grades inspectors look for, color, quality and texture density of the product. Next the makeup of the powder is determined; e.g. was it made from stems or leaves or a combination? Finally the coarseness of the powder is considered, the finer the better.

Once the quality of the product itself is judged, the handling of the product is considered. Has it been exposed to oxygen for any length of time? What method was used to grind it and how was it treated prior to processing.

Ceremonial Grade Matcha is the finest and therefore the most expensive grade. It should not be mixed with anything else but enjoyed on its own.

Culinary Grade had five (5) levels within the grade. It is a less expensive product making it more affordable to being used daily or mixed with other ingredients.

For a more complete description and explanation of Matcha and its grades, please visit “Epic Matcha” on line.

The Ceremony

As with many of life’s guilty pleasures, half the fun is the ceremony. The cigar has it’s ceremonial clipping, smelling and lighting. Wine has the ceremony of viewing the label, smelling the cork, decanting the bottle, “nosing” the wine while swirling the glass and looking for it’s “legs“. The older guys tell me about a ceremony involving a white powder chopped with a razor blade and snorted with a rolled 100 dollar bill, but I digress.

The Matcha Tea ceremony is no less involved.

First Impressions

I think I was expecting a very strong green tea flavor. You know, something that may be an acquired taste, but that isn’t the case. I taste a somewhat grassy subtle undertone on the front of my tongue with that familiar green tea full mouth taste. Reviews say that Matcha tea is naturally sweet. That may be so, but the sweetness isn’t sweet like sugar, it is more like the sweetness of coffee with just a little cream in it. The flavor I detect is really more the lack of bitterness more than sweet.

Finish Notes

As the Matcha tea cools off, I detect a stronger “grassy” flavor. I’ve just noticed that even though I used a whisk to mix the tea there is still at least 1/2 of the 1/4 teaspoon on the bottom of my cup undissolved. Note to self – stir Matcha tea for longer than 15 sec in the future or use the stick blender. I do notice that unlike some tea that tastes like tea in water, Matcha tea has the full body of a beverage that stands alone and doesn’t taste watered or dissolved in water.

Final Impression

I LIKE it. I may even love it considering that the health benefits of Matcha tea are said to be equivalent to 170 + cups of regular tea. I’ll give you more in-put over time, but for now, I’ve stashed my tea in its air tight can and put it in the refrigerator. – Jughandle out

Such a Buzz