May we introduce: Our Matcha N°1

Our blog series introducing our Japanese green teas goes into the second round: our Matcha N°1 shows its best side and we tell you everything you need to know about the preparation & enjoyment of a real Matcha. If you would like to have the preparation of Matcha explained in detail, take a look at our How To Matcha section.

Background

Matcha N°1 is a classic matcha green tea that comes from a single tea farmer from Hamakita, a small town in the famous Shizuoka prefecture. This prefecture produces 40% of all Japanese green tea production. Hasegawa-san does not use any pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers. The matcha is a blend of the cultivars Saemidori & Yabukita. Hasegawa-san aims to achieve a balance between sweet-mild & strong-aromatic. Typically, Hasegawa-san shades the matcha 4 weeks before harvesting. This is how it achieves its deep green color and mild sweetness. Of course, this Matcha is ground exclusively on granite mills.

First impression

The matcha has a bright intense green color. It smells pleasantly sweet with a very light grassy note.

The tea is ground ultra fine. The lumps disintegrate at the touch and are a sign of how fine the matcha was ground. By the way: if you have lumps in your Matcha that do not disintegrate at the touch, this is a sign of inferior quality. Moisture or rough processing then lead to hard lumps.

Dosage & Preparation

For the infusion, we use a full matcha spoon (chashaku) for 100ml of water. If you do not have a Chashaku at hand: ¼-½ teaspoon for about 100-150ml of water is our recommendation here. For us, the Matcha tastes best at 70 ° C - 65 ° C or 60 ° C are also conceivable.
Regarding the right temperature: If you have a temperature indicator on your kettle, has an easy game here. Otherwise, half a liter of boiled water should have the right temperature after about 12-15 minutes of cooling with the lid open. Alternatively, you can also pour the water several times. For each transfer into a cold vessel, the water loses about 10°C.

The deep green color shows how high the quality of the matcha is.

After adding 100ml of water to the matcha in the bowl, we foam the matcha with the help of a matcha broom. This way we achieve a fine foam for a great look and a pleasant mouthfeel. If necessary, you can also use a milk frother or a small whisk.

The result

After preparation, the matcha keeps a little covered in the fragrance: Still finely sweet, but also strongly reminiscent of green tea. A beautiful, fine foam is created. Due to the fact that the matcha is very fine, the foam succeeds relatively easily.

On the tongue, the Matcha creates a full-bodied and especially strong creamy feeling. The slightly sweet smell is also slightly noticeable in the taste. Umami can be clearly tasted - one reason why the Matcha seems so full-bodied. Additionally, a somewhat fresh, subtle tart flavor comes through easily. A nice balance of these two flavors create a great taste experience.

Final remarks

When preparing your matcha, you can follow our recommendations or try what you like best. The dosage and the water temperature can make a big difference.
Want to try it yourself? Then just have a look at our store at Matcha No.1.

How do you prefer to prepare your matcha? What tips do you have in store? Let us know in the comments!