Main Cultivar:
Matcha originates from the camellia sinensis shrub and typically uses the yabukita cultivar. Due to the balanced flavor profile, sweet aroma, and high yield, yabukita currently accounts for approximately 70% of the tea gardens in Japan.
Growth:
Two to six weeks before it’s time to harvest, the shrubs undergo shading using various methods, which include bamboo mats, rice straw, or synthetic plastic netting which blocks around 70-90% of the sunlight from reaching the leaves. Shading forces the shrub to produce more L-theanine (responsible for the sweet umami flavor) and chlorophyll (which gives the plant a deeper green color). Shading also reduces the amount of catechins in the tea which contribute to the overall bitterness of the tea.
Matcha originates from the camellia sinensis shrub and typically uses the yabukita cultivar. Due to the balanced flavor profile, sweet aroma, and high yield, yabukita currently accounts for approximately 70% of the tea gardens in Japan.
Growth:
Two to six weeks before it’s time to harvest, the shrubs undergo shading using various methods, which include bamboo mats, rice straw, or synthetic plastic netting which blocks around 70-90% of the sunlight from reaching the leaves. Shading forces the shrub to produce more L-theanine (responsible for the sweet umami flavor) and chlorophyll (which gives the plant a deeper green color). Shading also reduces the amount of catechins in the tea which contribute to the overall bitterness of the tea.
Synthetic netting used to shade the tea leaves
Picking:
Tea leaves used to make high-grade matcha, commonly referred to as “ceremonial grade matcha” are either hand-picked or picked via machine during the first harvest of the year, called ichibancha in Japan which occurs around early April to early June, depending on the location and climate of the tea gardens. Other harvests can occur later on throughout the summer and fall; however, matcha produced from these harvests are considered too bitter to drink, so it’s usually sold as a cooking ingredient for pastries and cakes, or to make green tea ice cream. This matcha is commonly referred to as “cooking grade matcha.”
Tea leaves used to make high-grade matcha, commonly referred to as “ceremonial grade matcha” are either hand-picked or picked via machine during the first harvest of the year, called ichibancha in Japan which occurs around early April to early June, depending on the location and climate of the tea gardens. Other harvests can occur later on throughout the summer and fall; however, matcha produced from these harvests are considered too bitter to drink, so it’s usually sold as a cooking ingredient for pastries and cakes, or to make green tea ice cream. This matcha is commonly referred to as “cooking grade matcha.”
Steam and Air-dried:
Freshly picked leaves are taken to the processing facility, where they immediately undergo a steaming or pan-fried process to prevent any oxidation of the leaves. “Fixing” (stopping oxidation) preserves the tea’s umami flavor and green color while preventing any unnecessary bitterness. This steaming process typically lasts for around 20 seconds; after the leaves are steamed, they are sent through a blower to remove any excess moisture.
Crushing the Leaves:
Once air-dried the leaves are crushed and sorted to remove any unwanted stems; the tea at this stage is called astencha, the early form of tencha, which is the early form of matcha… I know, it’s complicated 😅
De-stemming and Grading:
The leaves are de-vined and de-stemmed, then ground using a smaller stone mill than what’s used to make matcha; the smaller mill applies less pressure on the tea, resulting in a larger scale like tea, which is called tencha. The tea leaves are then sorted according to color, texture, and aroma, where hot water is added to the tencha to grade the tea. Once graded, the leaves are refrigerated to preserve the taste and quality of the tea, where they wait to be ground into the final product, matcha.
Ground Into Matcha:
Once the tencha is ready to be ground, the leaves are taken to the big matcha stone mills, where the leaves are ground into a very fine and smooth powder known as matcha. This powder created from the stone mill has a flawless texture, consistency, and frothiness that matcha drinkers everywhere have come to savor and enjoy.
Freshly picked leaves are taken to the processing facility, where they immediately undergo a steaming or pan-fried process to prevent any oxidation of the leaves. “Fixing” (stopping oxidation) preserves the tea’s umami flavor and green color while preventing any unnecessary bitterness. This steaming process typically lasts for around 20 seconds; after the leaves are steamed, they are sent through a blower to remove any excess moisture.
Crushing the Leaves:
Once air-dried the leaves are crushed and sorted to remove any unwanted stems; the tea at this stage is called astencha, the early form of tencha, which is the early form of matcha… I know, it’s complicated 😅
De-stemming and Grading:
The leaves are de-vined and de-stemmed, then ground using a smaller stone mill than what’s used to make matcha; the smaller mill applies less pressure on the tea, resulting in a larger scale like tea, which is called tencha. The tea leaves are then sorted according to color, texture, and aroma, where hot water is added to the tencha to grade the tea. Once graded, the leaves are refrigerated to preserve the taste and quality of the tea, where they wait to be ground into the final product, matcha.
Ground Into Matcha:
Once the tencha is ready to be ground, the leaves are taken to the big matcha stone mills, where the leaves are ground into a very fine and smooth powder known as matcha. This powder created from the stone mill has a flawless texture, consistency, and frothiness that matcha drinkers everywhere have come to savor and enjoy.
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