Lots of people love drinking the vibrant green drink but many people are unsure how matcha tea is made.
How matcha tea is made - The plant
Like all other teas, Matcha is derived from the same tea plant — camellia sinensis. The leaves of the plant can be made into green, white, yellow, oolong and black tea.
Matcha maintains its vibrant green colour as it belongs to the Japanese green tea category, meaning that it’s steamed after being harvested to stop the oxidation process.
The real key to why matcha so special is its growing style, harvest and production process. As it is the conditions under which matcha is grown and produced that contribute to its unique color, aroma and taste profile.
To grow fine quality matcha, the natural environment from which it is produced produced (the soil, topography, and climate) plays a key part.
Only a handful of regions in Japan grow matcha and the best of these is Uji, on the southeast border of Kyoto.
How matcha tea is made - The Growing and Harvesting
The most important stage of matcha production is the shading process. This begins in April when the first shoots appear on the camellia sinensis plant.
Matcha-dedicated plantations are slowly rid of direct sunlight for 30 days to reduce the rate of photosynthesis. This allows for increased levels of theanine, - an amino acid responsible for the mellow and sweet-savory flavor profile of matcha.
The darker the condition under which the leaves grow, the better the grade of matcha. The highest grades of matcha are grown in almost darkness when it is time for harvesting.
May is when the harvesting starts. The young leaves are handpicked, with only the greenest ones being picked.
How matcha tea is made - The Manufacturing
The final step of the manufacturing process is the grinding of the tencha leaves into a powder form. This is done using a traditional stone mill made from granite, the tencha is ground into a fine matcha powder that is consumed today. This process is what gives matcha its name as it means "ground tea".
How to drink matcha tea
Now you know how matcha is made, it's time to know how to prepare it.
Traditionally, you would mix the matcha powder with hot water, using a chaser (bamboo whisk). This can be a long and messy task, especially making sure the chasen is washed and dried correctly.
Luckily with rejuvenation water's Nespresso compatible matcha pods, preparing and drinking matcha just got a lot easier.
Matcha espresso
For a matcha espresso, simply pop your Nespresso compatible matcha tea pod in to your nespresso machine and press the single shot button. Its that easy!
Matcha Macchiato
To make a matcha macchiato , add the milk of your choice to a milk frother and heat. Place your Nespresso compatible matcha pod in your Nespresso machine and press the 'espresso' button. Spoon the milk foam onto the top of the espresso and enjoy!
Matcha Latte
Matcha lattes are very similar to matcha macchiatos however instead of spooning the milk foam onto the matcha , pour the milk into the glass and enjoy a rich, milky matcha.
