The One Type Of Matcha You Should Avoid At The Store

It is easy to get overwhelmed by all the different types of matcha at the grocery store. The quality, brands, and grades vary significantly, and of course, everyone has their own preferences. But according to Jee Choe, coffee and tea sommelier and creator of Oh, How Civilized, one kind of matcha should not be on your shopping list. "I would avoid sweetened matcha since the sugar is the number one ingredient in it rather than matcha," she told Food Republic. 

Now, there is nothing wrong with sweetening your matcha latte, but when the sugar is mixed in from the beginning, you have no control over how sweet the final drink is. The unique taste of the matcha is dulled, and it is also difficult to determine the quality of the tea itself. Matcha latte mixes are another product that is best to skip when you want the unadulterated tea flavor as they typically have lots of extra ingredients, such as milk powder, coconut oil, and preservatives. Though these blends may be convenient at times, you are better off preparing pure matcha, sweetening it yourself, and finishing it off with barista-approved latte art for good measure.

Since muddy green, low-quality matcha can taste stale and bitter, it is best to seek out the good stuff. The grading system that exists with matcha has three categories. Generally, ceremonial is considered to be the highest designation because it has the most mild taste. Culinary is the lowest grade and is often more pungent, and daily grade falls somewhere in the middle. However, these categories are not actually regulated, so there are definitely inconsistencies.

Instead, Jee Choe advised buying matcha based on a different standard. "For high-quality matcha, the price should be a good indicator of quality. The higher the price, usually the higher the quality," Choe explained. Though not true for all food and beverage products, in this case, the price is a reasonable thing to consider. That is because good-quality matcha is so labor-intensive and time-consuming to produce, and that cost has to be passed on to the consumer down the line. Quality is also largely gauged by the brightness of the green color, so purchasing a pouch or jar that has a window allowing you to see the matcha itself is helpful.

Choe recommended finding a product in the $30 to $50 range for the traditional preparation for making matcha with a bamboo whisk and hot water. Between $20 and $30 is a good range if you plan to make things like lattes, cookies, and matcha overnight oats.