Matcha Yame no Tsuyu 20g

General

Matcha tea is finely ground green tea. The tea is produced from the same leaf material as the Japanese brewed green tea gyokuro. The tea bushes are partially shaded with transparent cloth for about 20 days before the leaves are harvested. This causes the leaves to darken in color and increase the content of amino acid in the leaves. The leaves are quickly steamed to prevent oxidation. However, the leaves used to produce Matcha are not rolled as in the case of gyokuro or sencha, but are allowed to dry without rolling. The branches and leaf stalks are removed from the dried leaves, resulting in a leaf material called tencha. The Tencha can now be ground in a stone mill to make matcha.

Matcha tea grades are typically divided into two groups depending on whether the tea is intended for making so-called thin tea, usucha, or thick tea, koicha. When preparing thick tea a relatively larger amount of matcha is used, resulting in a thicker and fuller-tasting tea.

Japanese tea art focuses on the preparation, serving and enjoyment of matcha.

This tea

This matcha is produced by Hoshino Seichaen, a tea producer based in Yame, Fukuoka Prefecture, on the southernmost main island of Japan, Kyushu. The name of the tea Yame No Tsuyu, means the Dew of Yame. This high-quality matcha is well suited for making usucha, or thin tea.

Taste

The aroma of the dry tea is candy-like, sweet, creamy and floral. The aroma of the whipped tea is richly porridge-like, slightly floral and vegetal. The taste is rich, slightly sweet and has floral notes. The aftertaste is characterized by a mineral, floral and crisp note. The sharpness of this tea is somewhat lower than that of the producer's organic matcha and Yame no Hana.

Preparation

The traditional utensils for making Matcha tea include a tea bowl - chawan, a tea whisk - chasen and a teaspoon - chashaku. About 1.5-2g of Matcha tea is whisked into about 1dl of 80-degree water with a quick whisking motion so that the tea becomes frothy and foam forms on the surface. The tea powder can also be mixed with water in other ways, e.g. with a whisk-type milk frother or it can be shaken in a bottle with a mixing sieve inside.

Matcha can be added to ice cream or smoothies, for example. Matcha pastries are very popular in Asia.