Hopped up on matcha beta testing
Since I planned on matcha being my morning cuppa today and the sample matcha from Red Leaf Tea came in the mail, thought I’d brew up test cups. One scoop per 1.5 oz water. I added an unflavoured matcha of my own (Harney andSons’ thick grade) just for variety. Details later because I am so buzzed, I am sipping a cup of warm water to clear the palate and to calm down.
Wow, I hear you! I had never tried matcha before. I just made up one of the samples (matcha a). I’m waiting a minute to try the other kind because… well… I have some kind of tea high going on. I am very susceptible to things but this is somewhat intense and unexpected.
(Now the question is why I thought 9PM was a great time to start making tea!)
I tried both of my samples today too and am feeling a little hyper! Still trying to decide which one I like better.
I know… I’m leaning towards one but they were pretty close. Of course, I’m a matcha novice so it’s not like my perception is especially nuanced here.
I will try mine tomorrow. Had a LONG busy SUPER busy day and have only had ONE cup of tea all day long!
Terrible isn’t it!
How much matcha do you use?
I like to take 1/2 tsp in the morning as a coffee replacement, and 3/4 tsp right before my workout.
Yup, doing mine tomorrow. I try not to do more than 2 matchas a day. I did 3 once and I was ultra hyper and went crazy during jiu jitsu.
hmmm
http://www.energyfiend.com/caffeine-content/matcha-green-tea says 70mg of caffeine (same as coffee)
http://living-qi.com/caffeine-content-of-matcha-versus-coffee/ 70mg, absorbed differently.
http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2011/08/24/matcha-and-caffeine/ says 25mg. eehhh Feels like 70mg to me.
Uh oh. I think I might be in trouble. I was so excited to try Red Leaf’s matcha after reading all the great reviews that I didn’t really bother to look into it much. I have pretty much no tolerance for caffeine and am afraid that I won’t be able to use the two 30g matchas I ordered. =(
I did not mean to alarm. This particular session I referred to, I used half as much water as I am used to AND decided to add a third sample of my own to have something to compare the other two so it was a bit more total matcha in one session than I am accustomed.
Even if your tolerance for caffeine is low, I am sure you can go through your matcha if you like the flavor. I think KaiMatcha’s recommendation of easing in the portion is wise. Think of Azzrian, she must have two pounds of the stuff by now. I have trouble finishing a one ounce can in the recommended time of freshness.
Haha true but I have also sent out a lot of samples as well. :)
Okay I need a matcha where are those samples ….. (Looks around a pile of stuff…)
OH. EM. GEE. You guys!! There is red matcha! Red tea! Naturally caffeine-free! I am so freaking excited (as I’m sure you can tell)! And it seems nobody from our “regular” Steepster gang is buying it, so I will have to try them all with a red matcha base and post my thoughts. :D
I am going to be able to drink all the matcha I want, now, instead of just 4oz./118mL or so a day. [squeeeee]
I did get a couple of red matchas. I’d advise that you get stronger flavoring because the rooibos can be overwhelming. At least it seemed that way to me. I’m hoping to get the flavors I got in red matcha in green matcha or even white. I’m pretty sensitive to caffeine too but green definitely tastes better to me.
Have fun!
Our tests (http://www.kaimatcha.com/benefits) have shown there is around 30-40mg of caffeine per 1 gram of matcha. 1g of matcha is about a 1/2 teaspoon. That is the serving size we recommend for most customers.
The energy boost you get from matcha is a synergistic effect you get from the combination of caffeine, and with a rare amino acid, L-Theanine, that is naturally present in the matcha. L-Theanine promotes a state of well-being and relaxation, while keeping you alert and focused. When these two combine you can experience a clean energy boost for up to 6 hours with no crash or jittery energy. That’s why matcha is so effective as an energy booster, even with a relatively low amount of caffeine.
Alot of other matcha retailers recommend a serving size of 1 teaspoon. We believe this is too much as you are getting up to 80mg of caffeine (For reference, a cup of strong coffee has about 200mg of caffeine). Not only is the caffeine quite high, you will go through your matcha in half the time.
As with everything, everybody will have a different tolerance for how much caffeine they can handle comfortably. I personally take a 1/2 teaspoon serving in the morning, and about a 3/4 teaspoon serving before the gym. I like the extra energy and metabolism boost to power through my workouts. Keep in mind though, I’m a 6 foot tall, 230lb man. Somebody with half my body weight might find that dosing too strong.
Your best bet is to play around with the dosing to see what works for you. Start with a 1/4 teaspoon serving and move up from there.
Just wondering, with 1/2 teaspoon of matcha, how much water are you using in total for the bowl?
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