Matcha is impossible to ignore. Bright green, full of flavour and popping up everywhere from morning rituals to strawberry topped iced lattes.
But underneath all the hype is something much more interesting. A tea with centuries of history, a completely distinctive character and a preparation ritual that gives you a couple of minutes to slow down and make something properly.
And despite appearances, it is incredibly simple to make.
At Jeeves & Jericho, we use 3g of our Ceremonial Grade Matcha with 30ml of hot water. Whisk it up and drink it as it is, add milk, pour it over ice or get creative.
Here is how to make your first cup.
So, what exactly is matcha?
Matcha is a Japanese green tea made from tea leaves that are carefully processed and ground into an incredibly fine powder.
With most teas, you infuse the leaves in water and take them out again. With matcha, you whisk the finely ground tea directly into the water.
That is what gives it its intense green colour, distinctive flavour and unmistakable character.
Fresh, vegetal, gently sweet and packed with umami, matcha is not a tea that fades quietly into the background.
Exactly how we like it.
What you will need
For one cup:
3g Jeeves & Jericho Ceremonial Grade Matcha
30ml hot water
A small bowl or matcha bowl
A fine sieve
A bamboo matcha whisk
No bamboo whisk? No problem. A small handheld frother is a perfectly good place to start.
So, how do you make it?
1. Heat your water
Start with fresh hot water, but do not pour it straight from the boil.
Water that is too hot can bring out more bitterness and astringency, which means missing some of the more interesting flavours in the cup.
Let it cool slightly before you begin.
2. Measure 3g of matcha
Measure 3g of Ceremonial Grade Matcha into a fine sieve.
We recommend using scales if you have them. Matcha is incredibly fine, so weighing it makes it much easier to get the same great cup every time.
3. Sift it
Give your matcha a quick sift directly into the bowl.
Tempted to skip this bit? Give it a go once and you will see why we bother.
Matcha naturally forms little clumps. Sifting breaks them up before the water goes anywhere near them and gives you a beautifully smooth cup.
4. Add 30ml of hot water
Pour 30ml of hot water over your matcha.
Gently bring the matcha and water together with your whisk, making sure there is no dry powder hiding at the bottom.
5. Whisk
Now bring it to life.
Whisk briskly from side to side in a quick zigzag or W shaped motion. Keep the whisk light in the bowl rather than pressing it against the bottom.
After around 15 to 20 seconds, you should have a beautifully smooth matcha with a fine layer of bubbles across the surface.
That is it.
3g matcha. 30ml water. Sift. Whisk. Enjoy.
More than just a cup of tea
There is something we love about a drink that asks you to stop what you are doing for a minute.
Measure. Sift. Add the water. Whisk.
It is only a couple of minutes, but that little ritual is part of what makes matcha special.
Make it first thing in the morning before the day gets going. Take ten minutes with one in the afternoon. Put some music on. Sit somewhere sunny. Leave your phone in another room.
Or whisk it at record speed before running out of the door.
Your ritual, your rules.
What should good matcha taste like?
This is where things get interesting.
Good matcha is complex. Expect fresh vegetal flavours, natural sweetness, savoury umami and some gentle bitterness and astringency to keep things interesting.
It should be full of character without being overwhelmingly bitter.
If yours is tasting particularly sharp, check the water. Using water that is too hot is one of the most common mistakes when making matcha for the first time.
Matcha latte? Absolutely.
Traditional matcha is only the beginning.
Make your matcha using the same 3g to 30ml method, then add your favourite hot or cold milk.
For an iced matcha latte, fill a glass with ice and milk before pouring the freshly whisked matcha over the top.
Once you have the basics down, start playing.
Strawberry matcha. Vanilla. Coconut. Mango. Something we have not thought of yet.
We love the tradition behind tea, but we are equally interested in where people take it next.
Do I need a bamboo whisk?
No.
A traditional bamboo whisk, or chasen, is brilliant at combining matcha and water and creating that beautiful fine foam on top. There is also something incredibly satisfying about using one.
But matcha should not feel like a club with an equipment list.
If you have a handheld frother, start there. If matcha becomes part of your routine, you can always add a bamboo whisk later.
The important thing is making tea you actually want to drink.
Make your matcha your own
There is no shortage of information about the right way to drink matcha.
We think the more interesting question is how you like yours.
Take it slowly and drink it with water. Make it creamy with oat milk. Pour it over ice. Add strawberries. Experiment with flavours. Find your favourite cup. Make a little ritual out of it or simply make one because you fancy it.
Tea has never stood still, and neither should the way we drink it.
Our Jeeves & Jericho Ceremonial Grade Matcha is full of colour, flavour and character, whether you keep things simple or take it somewhere completely new.
3g of matcha. 30ml of water.
What happens next is up to you.