This article is about preparing matcha tea in traditional way as in Japanese Tea Ceremony, if you want to prepare matcha latte, please read our post here.
There is no strict rule on which matcha should be used to make Koicha, or Usucha. The general rule of thumb is that the higher grade matcha (more greenish vibrant colour, high level of sweetness) should be used to make thicker tea, and the lower grade should be used to make thinner tea.
Thin tea is a popular way in Japanese Matcha tasting.
Thick tea has double amount of matcha powder, and half amount of water compare to thin tea. Therefore, thick tea is 4 times thicker than thin tea.
Below table shows the comparison between preparation of Usu-cha and Koi-cha
Usu-Cha (Thin tea) | Koi-Cha (Thick tea) | |
Matcha Amount | 2g (about 2 scoops) | 4g (About 4 scoops) |
Water Volume | 60ml | 30ml |
Water Temperature | 70 Degree Celcius | 70 Degree Celcius |
Whisk Type | 50-120 prongs whisk | 32-50 prongs whisk |
Whisk Movement | Rapid "W" or "M" Movement | Slow 360 degree rotating |
Results | Thin tea covered with foam | Shiny thick tea with no foam |
There is no strict rule that you must prepare your matcha in either Usu-Cha or Koi-Cha form. You may add a gram of matcha into your cup of hot water, if you prefer stronger taste, add 2 gram. If you want to have less intense matcha tea, add more hot water. You can always personalized your own matcha to suit your own taste. The only and most important rule is, use only good matcha.
For Koicha, we recommend ceremony grade matcha.
For Usucha, we recommend Midori ceremony matcha , Genki Organic Matcha or premium grade matcha.
For best result, ir's recommended to use matcha accessories such as bamboo whisk, matcha scoop and matcha bowl to prepare matcha. Visit our matcha accessies section.
View this video we found from Youtube.
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