Buying Matcha (Green Tea)

[sommrluv]

I've discovered that I'm a big fan of Matcha vs. traditional green tea, though I do enjoy the 'regular' green tea from time to time. Even with the higher caffeine content, I can drink matcha later at night and sleep peacefully, with no adverse effects whatsover.

I've only purchased it only once (teazonline) and now that I know I like it, I want to buy the largest quantity available and I'm flummoxed by my options. Any other Matcha drinkers?

I'm curious too...I'm seeing some of the Bubble Tea producers have a Matcha Concentrate for considerably less expensive. There's very few details about this...just lists it as 'grade a' and one site lists it as an extract. It's impossibly cheap, $40 for 2.2 lbs...anyone tried that version? Is it useless for tea and better for smoothies and things like ice creams and flavories like cakes?

I like the health benefits of Matcha, so I'd hate to buy something that's completely useless. Than again, for that amount of money, I'd be rolling in matcha ice cream for years and never have to use my "good" stuff.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

-Summer

[Cheese Boy]

I drink Matcha quite possibly in the lowest possible denominator.

Look --> http://shopstashtea.com/030365.html

[sommrluv]

Do you feel like that gives you all the commonly touted benefits of matcha (caffiene alertness with no crash, etc?)

I'll have to look through the store, thanks.

Any one else? I might just have to buy a bunch of different ones...I'm falling asleep throughout my day!

[EWSflash]

republicoftea.com has matcha. there's a lot to matcha, I swill down gallons of it and love it, I don't know all the intricacies but I've read several articles on it. To a great degree you get what you pay for, and there are few screamin'deals on matcha from what I've observed.

But boy, is it good.

[kattyeyes]

Bumping this thread to learn more. Any tips or advice to steer me toward better quality matcha? I will, most likely, head for a local place called The Herbery that sells it. Here is a link to what they offer. Anyone familiar with it--Muzi Matcha?
http://www.theherberyonline.com/

[BamiaWruz]

I drink matcha, bought a little tin of the superior quality japanese matcha for my SO, we prepare it the traditional way and consume it, it's wonderful!! Sometimes I add the powder to smoothies too.

[dumpycactus]

what is *superior quality matcha* vs *dustpan matcha*? how to differentiate?

the one i have in my hands is by Hanamasa (肉のハナマサ) so it's not quite the fanciest stuff ever...

but back to the OP
i'd reckon the matcha-for-bubble tea may contain other funny things, skim milk powder, flavourings, etc.? best to ask!

[BamiaWruz]

I don't know, it sure was a lot more expensive though and a lot "greener" .. I went to two tea specialty shops in one day and both of them showed me two types of matcha.

[EWSflash]

Not to commit a threadjacking, but I usually whisk matcha into room-temp water and put ice in it. Am I missing any benefits by not heating it up first? Sine I'm actually digesting the whole leaf I didn't think so, but if aybody knows please chime in.

Some time ago I found an online article called something like All About Green Tea that went into matcha at some length. If I find it i'll post it, but you may want to do a Google search to that effect. My point being that somewhere there's a really good article about it.

[kattyeyes]

I don't think that's a threadjack. I did find this article...there are probably many with a similar title, but this one addresses your temperature question. Would be interested if anyone else finds good articles to share re quality, too:
http://www.greenteaworkshop.com/

Here's another link I found that's pretty informative:
http://www.matchasource.com/about-mat...

[EWSflash]

Thanks for the matchasource.com link, I plan to order fro them today!

[E Eto]

You may also want to check out Ito En's online store. Choose matcha from the pull-down menu. There are several different choices.
http://www.itoen.com/leaf/

[sommrluv]

I searched for matcha, and found my own old thread, lol.

I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong in the brewing. I've tried 4 different kinds now, and I enjoy the flavor, but it's very faint compared to the vibrant green tea flavor, in a green tea ice cream or latte or smoothie that I can buy at a restaurant or coffee bar. One of the last matchas I tried (from the asian grocery) tasted more like seaweed than green tea.

I take the temperature of the water, and I'm measuring the tea powder. Am I not adding enough sugar, or milk?

The only time my matcha as home tasted like the store, is when I sprinkled it on ice cream, so I'm wondering if it's the sugar/milk content I'm messing up. I also normally use turbinado sugar, should I be using white?

Silly questions, I know, but I figured for what I'm paying, I might as well have the best flavor experience possible.

[E Eto]

Maybe you should first learn how to make matcha the way it's suppose to be made. There's no milk or sugar involved. Then move on from there.
http://www.tfk-corp.co.jp/howtomattya...

[kattyeyes]

Appreciate that link and agree with you re the milk and sugar, but it might be a whole lot more valuable to most people (me, too) on this site if it were in English...or are we supposed to figure it out pictorially? :)

Edit: Try this, sommrluv. There's a little video, too. Hope this helps.

[sommrluv]

I did watch some videos today that were pretty helpful. Apparently the first matcha I purchased, was suggesting too much water (it came with directions) so I need to cut way back on my water.

I'll be trying it tomorrow morning!

[soypower]

We serve matcha in our lattes at our cafe...We get it from Rishi Tea. I believe they also sell retail...

www.rishi-tea.com