How To Make A Matcha Latte

How to Make a Matcha Latte

Matcha is unlike any other tea. You’re not infusing the leaf, you’re drinking it.

It comes from Japan, where the plants are shaded before harvest. This builds chlorophyll and amino acids, giving matcha its deep green colour and smooth, rounded taste.

The leaves are then ground into a very fine powder. The finer and more vibrant the powder, the better the matcha tends to be.

It’s also the tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony, a process built around precision and attention to detail.

A simple way to assess quality is to smear a little matcha on paper. Good matcha leaves a smooth, even streak. Poor matcha looks grainy and uneven. We use this as a quick check when assessing matcha.

Matcha can be enjoyed on its own with water, or used in lattes, smoothies and cooking.

Despite its ceremonial roots, you don’t need much to get started at home. A whisk, a small bowl, and optionally a sieve to remove any clumps.

That means small mistakes matter.  Water that's too hot or poor-quality powder will give you a bitter, flat drink.  Here's how we make a matcha latte so it's smooth, balanced and actually enjoyable.

You only need a few things:

• matcha powder
• Hot water (not boiling)
• Hot milk
• Whisk
• Optional (sieve)

Method:

1. Sift 1 level teaspoon of matcha into a cup or bowl.
2. Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of hot water into the cup (around 80°C).
3. Whisk vigorously until the matcha base is smooth and lump free.
4. Add hot milk to the matcha base.
5. Add sweetener to taste if needed.

Pro tip No1: Leave your kettle to sit for 5 minutes after boiling.  This brings the water to the right temperature.

Pro tip No2: Give your milk a light froth too.  It'll leave the texture smooth and glossy. temperature.

Common Mistakes (why matcha can taste bitter)

• Water too hot. Boiling water burns powder and creates bitterness.
• Not whisking properly. Leads to clumps and uneven flavour.
• Using low quality matcha.  Do we need to explain???
• Too much powder.  Overloading makes it heavy and harsh.

How to choose the right matcha

Do you need ceremonial grade matcha?

Not necessarily.

“Ceremonial” is often used to describe matcha intended to be drunk on its own. It tends to be smoother and more delicate.

For a latte, that delicacy can get lost in milk.

What matters more is how the matcha performs:

• it should mix smoothly
• it should taste clean, not harsh
• it should still come through once milk is added
• it should have a vibrant green colour

A good matcha latte needs balance, not just a label.

Tea Taster Insights

We've also judged the matcha category at the Great Taste Awards so we've seen first hand how widely quality can vary.  Most issues come down to texture and harshness rather than flavour.  If it feels gritty in your mouth it hasn't been ground properly.  

If you want a matcha that actually performs in a latte, see our matcha here