Matcha is easier to make than it looks, and you don't need to know the tea ceremony to do it. Only three things really matter: sift the powder, don't use boiling water, and whisk fast enough.
What you need
| Item | Amount / notes |
|---|---|
| Matcha powder | About 1.5–2 g (a slightly heaped teaspoon) |
| Hot water | About 70 ml at 75–80°C |
| A wide bowl | A chawan, or any deep, wide cup |
| Bamboo whisk (chasen) | A handheld milk frother works if you don't have one |
| Tea sifter or fine strainer | Keeps the powder from clumping |
No thermometer? Boil the water, pour it into an empty cup and let it sit a moment. Each time hot water is poured into a new vessel it drops by roughly 7°C.
Matcha in 5 steps
- Warm the bowl and whisk Pour hot water into the bowl and dip the whisk so the tines soften, then pour the water out and wipe the bowl dry. A softened whisk is less likely to snap.
- Sift the powder into the bowl Matcha clumps easily. If you skip sifting, the lumps float on top and no amount of whisking removes them. Press the powder through the sifter with the back of a spoon.
- Add water at 75–80°C Pour in about 70 ml slowly. Fully boiling water makes the tea taste more bitter.
- Whisk to a foam Stir gently first so the powder dissolves, then whisk quickly back and forth in an M or W motion from the wrist, not in circles. Keep going until fine foam covers the surface.
- Finish the foam Slow down, skim the surface lightly to break the larger bubbles, then lift the whisk straight up from the centre.
Fine foam makes the tea taste softer and rounder. Coarse foam or none at all lets the bitterness stand out.
No bamboo whisk?
- Handheld milk frother Sift the powder into a glass, add a little hot water and froth to a smooth paste, then add the rest of the water and froth again.
- A jar with a lid Add sifted powder and water, close tightly and shake hard for 20–30 seconds. Use warm rather than very hot water for safety.
Neither gives foam as fine as a bamboo whisk, but both are fine for everyday drinking or lattes.
Iced matcha
Mix the powder with a little warm water and stir to a smooth paste first, then add cold water or ice. Pouring cold water straight onto the powder makes it clump and dissolve poorly.
Common problems
| Problem | Usual cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Very bitter | Water too hot, or too much powder | Use 75–80°C water and slightly less powder |
| Floating lumps | Powder not sifted | Sift every time |
| No foam | Whisking too slowly, or in circles | Whisk fast in an M or W from the wrist |
| Dull colour, musty smell | Old powder or poor storage | Read how to store matcha after opening |
We're selecting matcha directly at the source in Japan. Add us on LINE @095sahzq to hear first when it's ready.
Sources: Yamamotoyama — How to make matcha at home · Yamamotoyama — How to brew sencha (cooling the water)