5 Ways To Make Matcha Taste Better
- 5 min reading time
Matcha is a unique drink. The vegetal taste, the color and even the aroma can be hard to fall in love with immediately. Still, the health benefits of matcha are worth trying to overcome any initial hesitation you might have. The only matter that remains is how to make your matcha taste better. There are many ways to consume matcha besides the standard hot-water-and-matcha method that can be enjoyed by anyone. Today, we will introduce our 5 favorites!
1. Reassess the matcha’s quality and preparation method
Not all matcha is created equal. Matcha that is dull-brown or yellow-green in color is low-grade matcha and will most likely taste bitter if served as a drink. We recommend this kind of matcha is used for cooking. Matcha should be bright green and have a fresh, almost grassy aroma. Special care should be paid when heating water or milk for matcha. Using hot liquids over 175 degrees F will cause the matcha to taste bitter. Reducing the temperature of the water will give the matcha a more mellow flavor. No special attention is needed when making iced matcha drinks.
2. Use less matcha
The matcha flavor is directly related to the amount of matcha used; use more matcha, get more flavor. If the flavor is overwhelming, simply using less matcha is an easy way to dial back its potency. Just because you can’t taste matcha doesn’t mean you aren’t getting its benefits. Plus, the goal is to enjoy your beverage. It’s easy to add more matcha to a drink but it’s much harder to take it out once it’s in there. This is a great way to introduce matcha to someone who has never had it before.
3. Make matcha a side-character; not the star
Matcha can be sneakily hidden into smoothies or used a topping for fruits, ice cream or yogurt. Pairing matcha with creamy drinks like milk, oat milk or milkshakes can also help to disguise the flavor and tone down the color. Adding a dollop of whipped cream to a matcha-based drink would also have a similar effect. Of course, matcha can be used in baking applications as well. However, because there is a bit of a price difference, we recommend to use culinary grade matcha for cooking (the afore mentioned yellow-green matcha).
4. Flavored Matcha
Our matcha is a high-grade Japanese matcha that has been naturally flavored. Each delicate flavor compliments matcha’s natural qualities without being overwhelming. Better yet, we offer a variety of guilt-free flavors, like chocolate and birthday cake. Our matcha contains zero sweeteners of any kind yet is often described as being “naturally sweet.” With new flavors constantly being added, there is bound to be a flavor that suits your tastes. Check out our selection for the latest flavors.
5. Sweetening matcha
Matcha’s natural vegetal flavor can be misconstrued as bitterness. Although correctly prepared matcha is not bitter, it can take some getting used to. Sweetening matcha is another easy way to help make it more palatable. Non-flavored sweeteners like sugar and agave syrup will preserve matcha’s natural flavor while sweeteners like honey and chocolate will mask it well. Drinking matcha has a plethora of health benefits but going over board with the sweeteners can sometimes have an opposite effect. If possible, it’s best to use a natural sweetener or one with as little sugar as possible.
Trying new foods is exciting but can also cause anxiety. We think that drinking matcha should be an enjoyable and stress-free experience, that’s why we at 3 Leaf Tea created our selection of naturally flavored matcha. We want to help people enjoy matcha and the benefits it offers in a delicious and fun way. Choosing a way to prepare your matcha that matches you is all part of your tea journey. We hope that you found our tips and tricks useful. If you give one of them a try, be sure to let us know!