From Ceremonial To Premium, Understanding Quality And Different Grades Of Matcha

Matcha, the finely grounded form of the especially cultivated and processed green tea leaves, has gone suddenly and hugely mainstream, from the traditional Japanese tea ceremony to froth on lattes and bright green on baked treats. But not all matcha is equal. The matcha world is largely split into various grades, each possessing a distinct taste experience, application and price tag.

Quality And Grades Of Matcha

Knowing these distinctions, notably Ceremonial, Premium and Culinary, is important when selecting the appropriate powder for your particular purpose.

1. Ceremonial Grade Matcha

Ceremonial grade is of the highest quality matcha available, classically employed in ‘chanoyu’, or Japanese tea ceremony. It is meant to be whisked plain with hot water and served on its own.

Made from the youngest, most delicate tea leaves and buds of the year, Ceremonial grade matcha possesses the best texture and flavour. It boasts a deep umami taste with natural sweetness and no bitter flavours. If you prefer the most authentic matcha experience, this matcha grade is your choice. It's consumed neat with water.

Don't miss: From Lattes To Desserts: 7 Best Matcha Spots In Delhi NCR

2. Premium Grade Matcha

Premium grade matcha is the level below Ceremonial grade. It is a balance of great taste, high quality and relative affordability that makes it very popular for everyday drinking.

Usually a combination of first and second flush leaves, this matcha blend is of high quality while lowering the price overall from utilising only the first flush. Though the level of L-Theanine is still quite high, the taste is a touch more full-bodied and less refined than Ceremonial grade. Smooth enough to whisk and consume with water but strong enough to hold against other ingredients.

Its robust umami flavour with a balanced, pleasant bitterness best fit it for matcha latte, smoothies and sipping straight for daily ritual.

Don't miss: Matcha In The Morning vs Night: Best Time to Drink Green Tea, Expert Explains

3. Culinary Grade Matcha

Culinary grade matcha is formulated to be an ingredient for recipe use. Its flavour profile is intended to mix with other ingredients such as milk, flour, sugar and butter.

This variety of matcha is produced from older leaves picked later in the summer or autumn. They contain more Catechins, which enhances the typical astringency (a robust, bitter taste) required to excel in blended recipes. It also contains a bigger particle size, which is the ideal ingredient to mix into batters or beverages where texture is less important. Its taste is stronger and more bitter, so it's best used in baking cakes and cookies, and in producing high-flavour drinks such as thick smoothies and lattes.

From an understanding of these differences, you can guarantee you are obtaining the correct quality and price to take your matcha experience to the next level, be it a quiet ceremony or, at the very least, whisking it into batter for cookies, cakes and more.

Image courtesy: Freepik

For more such stories, stay tuned to HerZindagi.