Matcha for beginners
Complete Matcha Guide
Matcha is simple once you know a few things: how much to use, how hot the water should be, and what each matcha is for.
This is where we keep all of it, from your first bowl to your favorite latte. Start at the top, or go straight to what you want to know.
Start with how to make matcha
Start here
How to make matcha
The whole method in about three minutes: 2 g of matcha, 70–80 ml of water at 70–80 °C, and a quick 20-second whisk until a fine foam forms. With what to do when it doesn't come out right.
Read the guideMaking matcha
Get every cup right
Water temperature
70–80 °C, never boiling, and how to get there with an ordinary kettle.
Matcha to water ratio
How much matcha and water for a bowl, a thick koicha and a latte.
Without a whisk
A milk frother, a jar with a lid or a blender, and which one works best.
Caring for your whisk
Soak before, rinse after, no soap, and dry it on a holder.
Know your matcha
What is in your cup
Where matcha comes from
From the tea plant to Shizuoka, and how the leaves become matcha.
Does matcha have caffeine?
How much is in a cup, and how it compares with coffee and tea.
Matcha grades
Ceremonial, Premium and Cooking, and what each one is for.
Recipes
Matcha to drink and bake
Hot Drinks
Iced Drinks
Culinary
All recipes
Which matcha is for you
First ask what it is for
For drinking on its own, at home, choose Ceremonial. For lattes and matcha with syrups, choose Premium. For baking and cooking, choose Cooking Matcha.
Questions
How much matcha do I use for one cup?
2 g, one heaped teaspoon or two level bamboo scoops, with 70–80 ml of water. For a latte, whisk 2 g in 60 ml of water, then add 150–180 ml of milk. Two to three grams is plenty. More on the ratio.
What water temperature is best for matcha?
70–80 °C (158–176 °F), never boiling. Hotter water makes matcha taste bitter. No thermometer? Let the kettle cool for a few minutes. Why it matters.
Do I need a bamboo whisk?
It makes the smoothest, foamiest cup, but you can start without one. A small milk frother or a jar with a lid works too. How to make matcha without a whisk.
Does matcha have caffeine?
Yes. A 2 g serving has roughly 60–70 mg, depending on the matcha. A cup of filter coffee has about 90 mg. More on caffeine.
How long does matcha keep?
Keep it airtight, cool and dark. Once opened, enjoy it within 30–60 days. Fresh matcha is bright green; as it ages it turns olive and tastes more bitter.