The brand recommends mixing one stick with 6 to 8 ounces of 180-degree water for hot matcha or 17 ounces of cold water for iced matcha. Another benefit for beginners is that it makes measuring easy, as each stick contains 4 grams of matcha, which is a hefty serving.
Each box includes 10 sticks and costs less than the standard jars in which matcha is sold. These matcha sticks are a great way for beginners to sample the tea without investing too much money. Grade: Culinary | Origin: Uji and Kahoshima, Japan | Harvest: Second harvest | Size: 30, 100, and 250 grams or 1 pound The company also prints handy recipes on its bags for easy-to-make matcha treats. It's affordably priced and available in four sizes, starting at 30 grams and working up to 1 pound. All Jade Leaf products are 100 percent organic and sourced from Japan, with this matcha farmed in the Uji region. The flavor is rich and earthy, not sweet, and customers describe the powder as versatile and easy to blend. One of the most popular and highest-rated options in the culinary category is Jade Leaf's Culinary Matcha. This helps it "stand up to the strong flavors in milk, butter, and sugar," explains Puyane. Since the tencha leaves are harvested later in season and ground with more heat, the resulting powder has a darker color and more bitter taste. Grade: Ceremonial | Origin: Kagoshima, Japan | Harvest: First harvest | Size: 20, 50, 100, and 500 gramsĬulinary grade matcha can be enjoyed in traditional tea form, but it's best for mixing into recipes: smoothies, baked goods, salt-you name it. As an added bonus, 5 percent of profits are donated to Save The Chimps.
#Aiya ceremonial matcha plus#
On the plus side, all of PureChimp's products are sourced in the Kyoto region of Japan, and the company even sells flavored matcha powders, including mint, turmeric, rooibos, and lemongrass. The powder is duller than many pricier matchas-a sign of lower quality-and the company does not indicate how the tencha leaves are ground, meaning a cheaper and cruder alternative to stone grinding might be used. Keep a decent amount of skepticism, of course.
The product has solid online reviews, with many customers calling the flavor smooth, though slightly grassy, while others say that it's an unbeatable value-for-money option. But U.K.-based company PureChimp keeps its prices low, which is why it's our best budget pick. Grade: Culinary | Origin: Uji, Japan | Harvest: First harvest | Size: 30, 100, and 454 gramsĭue to a brief harvest season and select growing regions (not to mention the immense work of cultivating and grinding), matcha powder can get pricey, especially compared to coffee and tea. Units are available in sizes of 1 ounce, 3.5 ounces, and 1 pound. The taste is typically described as light and sweet with a mild earthiness. It has glowing online reviews, with the majority of customers giving it five stars.
The Matcha Konomi powder is organic, stone-ground, and harvested from the heralded Uji region of Japan. Just keep in mind that this is not the flat-out tastiest matcha powder you can buy for that, look at higher-priced products (some of which are included on this list). Taste weighs heavily, of course, but price, variety of sizes, and sourcing region are components as well, which is why Matcha Konomi’s Akira Organic Ceremonial Matcha is a terrific all-around option, suitable for newbies to longtime fanatics. We considered several factors in selecting our top ceremonial matcha. As a result of this care and craftsmanship, ceremonial matcha is more expensive than culinary grade, but also more flavorful. Tencha, the name of the tea leaves that become matcha, is ideally stone ground to reduce heat and friction, which prevents bitterness. "Ceremonial grade is picked by hand and tends to yield a sweeter-tasting tea," says Puyane. You can whisk ceremonial matcha with hot water for traditional tea or mix it with milk for a matcha latte. The former is best for cooking purposes, the latter for general drinking purposes. There are two main grades of matcha: culinary and ceremonial.