5 easy ways to tell if your matcha powder will taste bitter:
1. Texture
If your matcha is clumping, it means air and moisture have gotten into the bag. This causes oxidization which makes your matcha bitter and less sweet.
2. Color
Another sign your matcha has been oxidised and ‘gone-off’ is the colour. Oxidised matcha is a dull, yellowy/brown green. Fresh premium matcha is a bright electric green.
3. Powder grain size
Real ceremonial grade matcha is finely stone-milled at 5-10 microns. It should feel like baby powder when pitched. Lower quality matcha is usually machine-milled and becomes slightly sandy or grainy.
4. Origin
The best matcha will come from a single region or farm in Japan. The areas known for the best matcha are Nishio, Ujji, Yame or Kagoshima. Avoid matcha from anywhere else or with a vague label like ‘Product of Japan’.
5. Froth test
This is the final test and most definitive test. A bad matcha will create large bubbles and inconsistent foam that disappears quickly. A premium matcha will make a thick, creamy, consistent foam with tiny bubbles that last for up to five minutes while you happily sip.
Now, if you’re looking for a perfect matcha…
At MatchaBar we’ve been delivering premium ceremonial grade matcha to the US since 2014.
We source our matcha from family farms in the Nishio region.
And our farming process is supervised by a 10th-grade Chashi Master Tea Maker.
This certification is so rare and difficult to achieve, that he is one of only 15 in the entire world.
It’s the tea maker’s role to ensure the taste and quality of the matcha is molded perfectly.
This is why we’re loved by Billie Eilish, Diplo, Von Miller, Ansel Elgort and 300,000+ happy customers,
So if you’d like to enjoy a real, creamy, umami matcha in your own home…
Head over to MatchBar and enjoy the best tasting matcha you’ve ever tried:
https://www.matchabar.co/products/ceremonial-grade-matcha-powder
Happy sipping,
Max & Graham | Brothers and co-founders of MatchaBar
