First Matcha Experience

[Salsero]

what do you think?

If your expectations are too high you will be disappointed. Plan on a bitter brew with an obnoxious flavor profile.

[Maitre_Tea]

what do you think?

If your expectations are too high you will be disappointed. Plan on a bitter brew with an obnoxious flavor profile.

I would agree somewhat. I had really high expectations of what it should taste like, all based on my limited experience with green-tea flavored things, like ice-cream, mochi, pocky, etc. I can see how "real" Matcha can have similar flavor profiles, but Matcha (at least my limited experience) is really intense.

I think if you follow instructions carefully, especially with temperature, I don't think you'll end up with a bitter brew. I think I had a pretty good first experience, although I might have that obnoxious flavor profile Sal is talking about there.

[JPX]

what do you think?

If your expectations are too high you will be disappointed. Plan on a bitter brew with an obnoxious flavor profile.

I would agree somewhat. I had really high expectations of what it should taste like, all based on my limited experience with green-tea flavored things, like ice-cream, mochi, pocky, etc. I can see how "real" Matcha can have similar flavor profiles, but Matcha (at least my limited experience) is really intense.

I think if you follow instructions carefully, especially with temperature, I don't think you'll end up with a bitter brew. I think I had a pretty good first experience, although I might have that obnoxious flavor profile Sal is talking about there.

Ok. Anyway for a first matcha i figured it would be good. I like some bitter tea so i think it should do the trick.

If i wanted a quality sweet and creamy matcha without spending my whole spare money, what should i look into?

[scruffmcgruff]

While it is generally better to expect crap and then be pleasantly surprised, I don't think you'll be disappointed by Kiri no Mori. It's actually quite good, especially for the price! Don't try koicha with it though.

[Salsero]

Sorry, I was just joking about the bitter and awful brew. Matcha strikes me as being a little like champagne ... it's awfully easy to like.

But really, I think matcha does lack some of the complexity of the best examples of some of the other teas. It's like after drinking some matcha, I think, "Gee, give me another of those, bartender!" But after drinking a truly great sencha, gyo, Chinese green, puerh, yan cha, or gao shan, I am like in a trance reviewing and feeling the after-tremors of the experience, before moving on to the next infusion.

Course part of this may simply be because with matcha there aren't any additional infusions.

Do others feel similarly, or is a great matcha just as impressive as a great sencha?

[Maitre_Tea]

Sorry, I was just joking about the bitter and awful brew. Matcha strikes me as being a little like champagne ... it's awfully easy to like.

But really, I think matcha does lack some of the complexity of the best examples of some of the other teas. It's like after drinking some matcha, I think, "Gee, give me another of those, bartender!" But after drinking a truly great sencha, gyo, Chinese green, puerh, yan cha, or gao shan, I am like in a trance reviewing and feeling the after-tremors of the experience, before moving on to the next infusion.

Course part of this may simply be because with matcha there aren't any additional infusions.

Do others feel similarly, or is a great matcha just as impressive as a great sencha?

I hope that a fight doesn't break out over this question, because it would be yet another sign that I shouldn't create threads (my last two threads had some spats). I think I understand where you're coming from, and think it has alot to do with the "fleeting" nature of Matcha. I think why I did four sessions today was because it was too fleeting, and I couldn't really get a grasp of the flavors.I mean, for me, it's two sips and it's over

Maybe I should make more in a serving, but at the same time maybe Matcha is supposed to be enjoyed in a fleeting kind of way, because it's so transient. Even if you had the best Matcha in the world...the wonderful feeling of enjoying it would be gone in a moment, leaving you only with its memory.

I hope that last section wasn't too embarassing

[Salsero]

I think you make some excellent points, especially the one about FLAME WARS. In the event a war breaks out, I rescind everything I said!

I am curious to hear what some of our more expert matcha sippers have to say.

[clareandromeda]

I read somewhere that matcha should be 180 f....am I totally overcooking it?

[olivierco]

I read somewhere that matcha should be 180 f....am I totally overcooking it?

I usually use 70-75°C (160-170°F), preheated chawan of course.

[clareandromeda]

I also preheat...I'll try lower tomm.. maybe I'll get more bubbles, I have serious foam issues.

[sriracha]

I hope that last section wasn't too embarassing

Hazukashi serifu kinshii!(Embarrassing remarks are not allowed!)

A quote from one of my favourite anime.

Which matcha did you get, Maitre?

Like JPX, i am considering Kiri no Mori, working my way slowly up the quality ladder. I figure nothing can be as abysmally bad as the stuff I have right now, anyway

[Maitre_Tea]

I hope that last section wasn't too embarassing

Hazukashi serifu kinshii!(Embarrassing remarks are not allowed!)

A quote from one of my favourite anime.

Which matcha did you get, Maitre?

Like JPX, i am considering Kiri no Mori, working my way slowly up the quality ladder. I figure nothing can be as abysmally bad as the stuff I have right now, anyway

"Ehhhhhhh "
Wow, I'm impressed somebody caught the reference
I got the Yuuki Midori, which I like, but I've read on some of the threads here that it can a little bitter
I'm already contemplating my next order of Matcha...I'm doing four sessions a day, so I will be done in about a week or so. I'm considering O-Cha or Ippodo, but if I'm ordering from the latter I'm probably going to make it a big order, because of shipping and all. Anyone have recommendations for Sencha at Ippodo?

[sriracha]

Haha! Really?

I love the face Akari makes...

Bitterness is highly subjective I guess, I think I have a better tolerance of it now compared to six months ago..but you never know until you try!

Seems the YM is sold out though. Oh well-it's not like there's lack of choice! =)


edit: Correction-the 100 g bags are sold out. Smaller tins are still available.

[Seeker]

Wow - great thread!

What's the web address for Zencha? I get some tea room in north carolina or something with no store section when I try to find it.

Their Yame sounds great - wanna try some!

I really like Wako (from Teance.com or Inpursuitoftea.com) or wakamatsu or horai from ippodo. Creamy, chocolate aromas, yummy to me!

[Chip]

Zencha.net