The Art of a Hot Matcha Latte

I make myself a cup of hot Matcha latte almost every morning. Yes, it’s my favorite drink EVER! Of course, it must be the first cup of tea brought to the Teacraft recipe series. I’ve studied, practiced, and invested so much into perfecting the most soul-cleansing Matcha latte that can make anyone anywhere in the world feel like they’re in Japan. And no, you don’t need a fancy kit of Matcha equipment to make it.

Why Matcha is Better than Coffee

I know this is very debated and controversial, but I would start off by pointing out that coffee breath is fowl and not very cute or enticing. It’s not like the worst smell in the world, but it’s just really strong and anyone can smell it from a mile away. Matcha is known for improving breath and it sort of acts like a natural mouth wash. No, don’t rinse your teeth with a caffeinated tea, but drinking it helps neutralize the odor in your mouth.

Coffee is pure caffeine, and unless if there’s a caffeine tolerance, the normal person would experience jitters and then crash down, having no more energy through the day. Matcha has slightly less caffeine, but still a lot to give an energy boost, and unlike coffee, it contains L-theanine, a drug that basically counters the negative effects of caffeine by causing the release of the drugs to slowly enter your bloodstream instead of in a snap and having positive properties such as eliminating brain fog and reducing anxiety.

Tools You’ll Need:

• Small bowl (Chawan)
• Small sifter
• Small spoon (Chashaku)
• Small whisk (Chasen)
• Tea kettle (to make hot water)
• Tea cup (to serve)

Selecting Your Matcha

Buy From a Japanese Source

When selecting Matcha, especially for a latte, make sure it’s sourced directly from Japan, ideally Uji or Kyoto. That’s where the best quality Matcha is grown. I highly recommend buying from a Japanese brand as well, such as Ippodo, because the tea leaves are specially selected by Japanese tea masters in the process of creating their blend. It is wise to trust the Japanese Tea Masters for Matcha, as they are from a heritage of Tea Masters passed down and taught the art of Tea Craft since a very young age. I’ve tried Jade Leaf and Naoki Matcha as well and they were absolutely divine.

Grade Does Matter

For drinking, always look out for ceremonial grade. That guarantees the highest quality Matcha with zero bullshit marketing bait. The shade should be a rich dark green, indicating the tea leaves were first harvest. For a Matcha latte, avoid culinary grade, as those blends are from older Matcha leaves, making it a pale color and bitter taste. It is to only be used for baking Matcha flavored treats. Ceremonial grade comes at a much higher price than the culinary grade, but trust me, it’s so worth it.

Matcha Should Be Only Matcha Powder

Matcha should be the only ingredient. Avoid the Matcha latte packets, and double check the ingredients list while you’re at it. There should be no sugar or milk powder. And it’s important that the Matcha is a powder consistency, grinded by a stone mill. Sencha and Hojicha are NOT Matcha, as they are a completely different type of green tea and comes in little pieces of dried leaves.

Preparing Your Matcha

Step 1. Cooking Water

The first step is always heating up some water, ideally in a tea kettle, to a rolling boil. Matcha tea typically calls for less water than your usual cup of black or green tea, so only heat about 1/2-1 cup of water.

Step 2. Preparing Matcha

Grab your Matcha bowl (or any small bowl if you don’t have access to a Matcha bowl) and place a tiny sifter over the bowl. I typically measure out about 2 teaspoons of Matcha, just to be stingy, but a tablespoon would be the ideal measurement for the best Matcha experience. I use a bamboo Matcha spoon to scoop my Matcha. It really doesn’t do anything except for making your Matcha-making experience more fun and authentic. For the longest time, I just use a regular spoon, and that might be helpful if the size of the spoon measures the perfect amount every time.

Step 3. Pouring and Whisking

Once the water is cooked (purposely making you mad) and the matcha is sifted, start by pouring a little bit of water, maybe about a quarter cup. Whisk in a circular motion, making the movements in your wrist light and airy, until the sifted matcha fully gets absorbed into the water, creating a paste calls koicha. It’s important to start with making it into a cohesive, rich green paste first to minimize any lumping. Then, add another half a cup of water to make the usucha– coherently thin Matcha. Keep whisking in a circular and “M” shape motion until little bubbles form at the top, then carefully pour into your teacup.

Step 4. Proper Milk Ratio

Pour about a half cup of your milk of choice into a microwave safe dish, and heat for about 45 seconds. Whole or oat milk are highly recommended, as they are rich in fat that goes well with Matcha.

I get overwhelmed when baristas or Matcha recipes online use about 90% milk and 10% water in their Matcha latte. I think it should be no more than half milk half water, unless if the milk of choice doesn’t have as much fat. Let’s say you’re using almond milk, then it’s ideal to have more milk than water.

And yes, I’ve drank a Matcha espresso a few times, which is just straight up usucha. My body didn’t really have a good reaction to it, and it is said that Matcha is usually paired with something sweet, like white chocolate, if not made as a latte. So, milk and sweetener are necessary for a good Matcha experience, at least for me.

Step 5. Sweetener

Honey is the most common and personal favorite sweetener for a Matcha latte, but brown sugar, stevia, or infused syrup can be used too. Half a tablespoon of honey is enough to sweeten the latte for me, but adjust according to your own taste.

I like to add the sweetener into the milk instead of the Matcha, simply because that’s how I saw baristas make their drinks and I do find the sweetness more well incorporated when mixed into the milk instead of the Matcha. Whisking can be done with a chasen or milk froffer. However, if you have a milk steamer, then that would be the most efficient and best way to heat your milk and mix the sweetener.

Step 6. Assembling

Once the sweet, froffy milk is ready, pour it into your cup where the Matcha should already be inside. Making froffy milk without a steamer can make latte art a bit challenging, so I end up just having a foamy cloud on top. However, I did get to practice my latte art when I worked at a brunch restaurant.

Need a Step-by-Step Matcha Making Tutorial?

If you’re more of a watcher than a reader, check out my Matcha Latte tiktok to get a better idea of the Matcha making process!