My first matcha order!

[Drax]

I just finished up placing my first matcha order! Woo hoo!

I ordered from the japanese green tea shop and picked up one of their starter kits (a bowl, whisk and scoop).

Then I got as starters:

Organic Uji Matcha Yuuki Konjo 40g (Organic Matcha)
Organic Uji Matcha Yuuki Midori 40g (Organic Matcha)

Both usui types. Although the prices were much better for 100g, I figured since I haven't had matcha before, I should start small. Besides, there are lots of other sites out there selling other varieties, but I liked the starter kit from this place the best.

I also picked up

Organic Kagoshima Fukamushi Sencha Tenho (Organic Sencha)
Organic Uji Powdered Sencha (Organic Sencha Powder)

Oddly, their powdered sencha was a lot more expensive than the stuff at o-cha. Maybe because it's organic.

Any "expectations" for this tea that I should be... uh... expecting?

One I get to try it, I'm sure I'll be back for more recommendations.

[olivierco]

We are waiting for your first impressions on matcha!
I started drinking it less than a year ago and it has quickly became one of my favorite teas, especially as koicha.

[Salsero]

Matcha is very easy to like. The only thing bad about it is that you can't do multiple infusions.

[Chip]

I just got the Yame Matcha out of cold storage from FGTS (we do need an acronym for this vendor). I don't think I would consider 100 gram bags of matcha. 20, 30, 40 grams is enough, you want to use it up once opened ASAP, 100 grams would likely lose its sparkle long before you finish it. Plus then you have the cool tin that you can reuse!

You can store the tins in the fridge til opening, same with the other products you ordered (in case you did not know). Good luck with your order and keep us updated!

[Drax]

Oooh, now I'm getting all anxious to give it a go.

*twiddle thumbs*

*twiddle twiddle twiddle*

Gah.

Seriously, though, thanks for the tip on keeping the unopened stuff in the fridge first. The stuff from this place was relatively cheap compared to other places, so I'm looking forward to climbing up the matcha ladder to see what all the brew-ha-ha (brew-cha-cha? ) is about. Especially the koicha. Or that $60/30g stuff from o-cha.

[Cinnabar Red]

I recently got the organic uji matcha yuuki midori from the japanese green tea shop. Never had matcha before, but carefully followed the enclosed instructions.

Whatever you do, don't sneeze around the stuff. You'll have a green dust cloud all around you. It is a very pretty shade of green.

I found the taste very foreign(which i guess it is.) It gives a good feeling of well being.

I think it's going to take me a while to feel comfortable with the taste, and perhaps to understand it better. I didn't dislike it. It was just overwhelming. I have a feeling that I'll soon not be able to do without it

[Salsero]

Cover the bottom of the chawan with hot water, pour our water, dry chawan. Fill a measuring cup to the 1/2 cup mark and soak the business end of your whisk in the hot water. Sift into the chawan, 1.5 to 2 heaping chashaku of matcha powder (forcing the matcha through a small kitchen mesh seive will do just fine). Pour the now cooled water into the bowl with the matcha and whisk in a W shaped for 20 sec to a minute or as the spirit moves you. Drink!

Or see the O'Cha directions HERE. I find the water temp makes no difference.

For the beautiful version, see Space's intro HERE

For complete matcha madness, see Scruff's account HERE, HERE, HERE, and even HERE.

If you read all that and remember any of it, you will be a matcha expert!

[Drax]

Hooray, it came today! Boy, EMS sure is nice. . .

Not surprisingly, I now have about 10 more questions.

First ... cute tins! Is it better to leave the matcha in the bag inside the tin, or dump it out from the bag and straight into the tin?

Next, an interlude of my first matcha brewing experience, which will make clear my second question. I got everything set up (warmed bowl and whisk, water cooling down to ~160F). The instructions said to measure out "1.5-2 scoops (about 1/3-2/3 tsp or 1.5g-2g) of matcha (I was using the Yuuki Midori, which is an usucha).

So imagine my wonderment when I put in two scoops into my chawan, and my scale still reads 0g. Hmm, well I know my scale isn't terribly sensitive (it only goes in gram increments, nothing smaller), and I have seen pictures of a "scoop" of matcha and maybe I was being on the light side. So I put in 2 more fuller scoops. Result: 0g. Uh oh!! I throw in one more very large scoop. 0g. Not even flickering toward 1g. At this point, I'm pretty sure that I've put over twice what I should have in the bowl. I pour in the water and whisk for about 30-45 seconds until nice and frothy. And the result is (not surprisingly) a noticeably bitter drink that I can taste the powder. So I pour in a little extra water and re-whisk, which seems to help the powderiness, but it still rides on the bitter side (not a surprise; it's too late on the bitter part).

So that leads to my second question ... apparently I cannot rely on weight for this stuff. So I'll go solely on scoops from the chashaku. My question is, how does a "scoop" look -- is it highly mounded? Does it pile up tea all the way up the crook of the ladel, or just on the end part?

Third -- is there much danger in doubling the batch?

Meanwhile, I'm off to try to cold brew the powdered sencha I ordered. I'm a little concerned because the characters on the bag suggest (to me) that it's food-grade sencha. Hmm.

[Salsero]

I weigh everything else, but I have never weighed my matcha.

I teaspoon ... I use like this or a bit more for one. Actually, the exact amount doesn't seem to matter enormously.

Maiko also has a nice tsp full photo.

[Girlchocolate]

I just tried my first matcha today with my mom. Loved how it felt in my mouth and could see myself drinking it every day, but I was partial to the taste. I'm sure it'd grow on me though.

[Salsero]

I was partial to the taste. I'm sure it'd grow on me though.

The taste of good matcha is pretty easy to like. Where did your tea come from and how old is it?

[Girlchocolate]

I was partial to the taste. I'm sure it'd grow on me though.

The taste of good matcha is pretty easy to like. Where did your tea come from and how old is it?

I don't even know I highly doubt it was bad quality, it's just that I am fairly new to tea. It reminded me a bit of the odwalla drink superfood which has a grassy taste to it, but without the super sweet fruit part. I'm already considering purchasing a matcha set

[Chip]

First ... cute tins! Is it better to leave the matcha in the bag inside the tin, or dump it out from the bag and straight into the tin?

I leave mine in the bag in the tin, less air will be hitting it every time you open the tin, and you won't coat the entire tin with matcha ... which clings to everything.

Enjoy your matcha.

Which Powdered Sencha did you get?

[Chip]

I just tried my first matcha today with my mom. Loved how it felt in my mouth and could see myself drinking it every day, but I was partial to the taste. I'm sure it'd grow on me though.

The taste may require some aquiring. My first try left me thinking, hmmmm ... my second attempt sold me. Even now when I try a new or different matcha, it might take one or two tries to reallllly like it, depends.

[Drax]

I weigh everything else, but I have never weighed my matcha.

I teaspoon ... I use like this or a bit more for one. Actually, the exact amount doesn't seem to matter enormously.

Maiko also has a nice tsp full photo.

Ooh, perfect examples. I used those for my second go-around this afternoon. It was much more enjoyable. I think I can back off even to 1.5 scoops, as it was still pretty heavy tasting.

I tried a cold-brew of the sencha, too. It actually tastes kind of similar. I hate to say spinach juice, but it does have that strong vegetal flavor going for it. I think this will make for a great overnight-brew-and-take-into-work tea.

Which Powdered Sencha did you get?

TJGTS only sells one powdered sencha (and apparently everything there is 'yuuki'; organic). But the package says "taberu ryokucha" -- ryokucha meaning green tea, and taberu meaning to eat. So to me, I would take that to mean a food-grade green tea. But maybe not.

There's some other characters on the left side of the label in grass-style kanji. First character is 'ji' (字) and the last character is 'cha' (茶), but I can't decipher the middle one... ah well.