Matcha - Seiju

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Matcha in kanji means ground tea, but doesn’t specify exactly which tea leaves are used - the large majority of high grade matcha is ground from tencha, though occasionally gyokuro (the king of Japanese teas) may be used. Tencha and gyokuro are grown in relatively the same way; covered from the sun and grown in varying amounts of shade for the last 16-30 days prior to harvest. This covering blocks direct sunlight and interrupts photosynthesis, stressing the plant and changing the flavour of the tea as the amino acids inside the tea leaves are prevented from changing into catechins, resulting in a higher level of amino acids (which give umami flavour and sweetness) in shaded tea compared to unshaded tea. The difference between tencha and gyokuro is after being steamed and dried there is no need for tencha to be rolled as it is usually ground into matcha, whereas gyokuro leaves are rolled into thin needle shapes. It has been speculated that lower grade matcha that is more yellow in colour or particularly bitter could have been ground from later harvest tea, or sencha or bancha tea leaves which are not grown under any shade at all.

Matcha can be made from blends of different cultivars or regions, or single cultivar (like coffee). Blends are created by tea masters who taste many teas and select a number of them to blend in order to create their desired final taste. This Seiju was ground from a blend of cultivars, produced in Yame, Fukuoka - specifically a small village known for tea and star-gazing called Hoshinomura (which means ‘star’s village’). Blending allows the producers to achieve a similar taste every year, as each year’s harvest will change with weather and other differences from year to year.

The water temperature has an impact on the resulting flavour of matcha, although with high grade matcha it is not as critical as it is with loose leaf steamed tea. The lower the temperature, the more the amino acids are able to shine through, which are responsible for umami and sweetness. We recommend cooling the water to about 75°C, though do experiment! Please drink matcha fairly soon as it will not improve over time, but we have found that waiting a few minutes for the matcha to cool a bit further can bring out a more savoury taste.

How to make matcha as usucha (thin tea):
Matcha: 2g
Water: 50-60ml @ 75°C

Pour hot water into your chawan (matcha bowl), and into a separate cup or bowl pour some freshly boiled water - this is the water we will use to make the matcha. Preheat your chasen (bamboo whisk) in the chawan’s hot water for about 10 seconds. Drain the water in the bowl dry. Sift your matcha into the bowl - this is very important! The water you poured into the separate cup will have cooled - pour about 50-60ml over the sifted matcha and then whisk vigorously to start, slowing down gradually to remove most of the big bubbles - don’t worry if there are still bubbles, it’s a matter of practice and preference.

This matcha can also be made as koicha (thick tea):
Matcha: 4g
Water: 25-30ml @ 80°C

As above preheat your chawan and koicha chasen, and sift the matcha into the chawan. Pour a small amount of water (~10ml) over the matcha and unlike the above vigorous whisking, slowly knead the matcha into a paste. Add small amounts of water and keep kneading until your desired texture has been achieved.

This matcha features on our Summer Tea Course as sparkling matcha:
Matcha: 2g
Water: 40ml @ ~5-20°C (iced or cold water)
Pour over 100ml of iced soda water. Whisking matcha with cold water requires more care as it is easier to wear/damage the chasen, so make sure to soak the chasen in hot water for 5-10 seconds directly before whisking. When the chasen is wet there is also less likelihood for matcha to stick to the tines, but whisking with cold water is much more likely to result in matcha on the chasen tines anyway so always rinse under the tap immediately after whisking, and use your fingers (skin, not nails) to gently clean any matcha stuck to the tines. This requires extra special care and attention.

Storage:
Store in a cold environment (6-10°C) and avoid exposure to light, air, heat, moisture and strong smells - these will degrade your tea. Best consumed within 2-4 weeks from when it is first opened.