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Strawberry Matcha from 52teas

Steepster Score 18 Ratings Rate This Tea

74/100

Strawberry Matcha

Green Matcha Blend by 52teas

I know you guys have been waiting for this! After the success of our Mandarin Matcha, we’ve had several customers asking us for other flavored matchas, so here goes!

We blended premium matcha (stone-ground green tea) with strawberry powder (freeze dried strawberries crushed to powder) and natural strawberry flavor. This is a serious treat! Don’t miss out, this is a very limited edition blend!

57 Tasting Notes

SoccerMom

51

Okay I’ll admit it I’m a virgin. A matcha virgin that is :) that is until today. I was so excited to get in my 52Teas order so that I could try this and I researched how it was to be prepared and all I can say is that I think I am on Team Chrine on this one.

I prepared it according to Wiki (One flat teaspoon to 2.5 ounces of water) all I can say is that I don’t think I am going to end up finishing this bowl. I seriously think this is an acquired taste. I can appreciate foods/drinks that are acquired tastes I mean I love raw oysters, boiled crawfish but I don’t see myself acquiring a taste for this ANYTIME soon.

It is strong like BLECH what was that, strong!!!!!!! I do pick up on the strawberry and that was the part that I think I liked. I am going to hold out on rating this tea in order to try it latte style and to try much less matcha to water ratio.

In the words of my son’s teacher DO NOT DO RESEARCH VIA WIKI. :)

Go TEAM CHRINE!

PART TWO: (My Second attempt at Matcha)
I would have posted the picture from flicker here __________________ but my 14 year old still has not taught me how to do this. LOL I can post pictures, send pictures I don’t know why I cannot paste a link here?! (aggravated) BTW I also have my after picture up on flicker of my before/after tea cupboard cleanout.

Anyway it’s round 2 Me (Soccermom VS 52Teas Strawberry Matcha) yesterday depending on how you look at it Matcha might have won it kicked me in the mouth and I threw it down the drain! Today determined to tangle with this wild drink and win I made another bowl of it and followed Shanti’s advice I started out with way less than a teaspoon and about 8 ounces of water. Did I mention I love the strawberry smell from the pouch? Well I do. I do not have exact measurements of anything used today I eyeballed it I didn’t have time to put on my fighting gloves in other words measure. I had to look this tea straight in the eye and try to intimidate it. I definitely did better this round as I didn’t get punched in the mouth like yesterday but instead we are fighting a fair fight Shanti’s advice was like having Freddy Roach in my corner I’m forever grateful for it. It tastes nice and mild actually I don’t know if I’ll be craving this but I wouldn’t mind stepping back in the ring for another round or two with this fruity but strong competitor.

2010-04-11 18:30:04 -0400

LiberTEAS

76

LiberTEAS 4 tasting notes

Guess what arrived today! I was very surprised (happily so!) to receive my package from 52Teas!

The strawberry flavor is a bit tart. Or it could be that the slight bitterness from Matcha brings out the tart of the strawberry. The sweeter strawberry flavor arrives on the palate in the finish as sort of a low note. The strawberry flavor is a really nice addition to the flavor of the Matcha. I think I like the mandarin matcha a little better though. Overall a very pleasant Matcha.

2010-04-03 20:31:18 -0400

180 °F / 82 °C

Cinoi

84

Cinoi 6 tasting notes

Since everyone has been posting about this, I broke my own rule and opened this one up without finishing the appropriate teas in line and…I’m SO GLAD I DID!

I like matcha, and as we know from my previous posts, I really like to put my matcha in anything that is not water: yogurt, ice cream, protein shakes, milk, juice, so on and so forth. However, I always try it in water before experimenting.

I made this one in my new fancy matcha bowl with whisk, hot water, no additives, 1/4 teaspoon matcha, 4 ounces of hot water, whisked one minute. Did not get this one to foam up in my matcha bowl, but let’s be honest, I am probably doing it wrong. Anyway, no worries, the matcha itself smelled deliciously like strawberries and barely at all like matcha. First sip: oh there is the matcha, it tastes mostly like typical, with a kick of the usual vegetal green and bitter matcha, then there is the sweet soft flavor of strawberries. Fantastic. I usually drink these pretty fast so that they do not settle too much, but I definitely enjoyed it.

Second bowl: made with Vanilla Soy milk. I used the same amount of matcha (1/4 teaspoon, I do not have the fancy matcha spoon/scoop thing) with cold Soy Milk. This is easier with room temperature soy milk (as in just opened the box) because it does not clump as much, but with the appropriate amount of whisking, cold soy milk is not an issue. I whisked this close to two minutes, and it foamed! Yay! The vanilla in the soy milk definitely makes this a sweeter matcha, the milk also makes it thicker than when it is made with water. Overall, this is how I am going to enjoy more of this.

I am really enjoying the flavored matchas, this one is my new favorite, I found the matca to be a little too bitter and was hesitant to mix it with my dairy products, of course I found out that it was fine to do so, but I am just more comfortable mixing strawberries with creaminess from varied dairy.

I have a freezer full of frozen berries, and one cup of plain yogurt in the fridge next to my premade protein shakes (vanilla and strawberry). Will definitely be making these over the next few days and let you know! Enjoy!

2010-04-18 21:20:14 -0400

Back to the grind Steepsterites, and with the extra running around and activity during the day from the new job and schedule, I have been dragging a bit. Still having tea daily, but neglecting my matchas and chais – teas I cannot easily make and take with me in the morning.

Today I started to rectify that with a protein shake:

2 scoops Vanilla Dream Whey Protein Powder
8 ounces of cold Skim Organic Milk*
1 tsp Strawberry matcha

Blend until smooth. Consume. Go to work. I will be revisiting an old favorite on my drive to work today, look for the review later in the morning!

*I note that the milk is organic not because of any fundamentals I have against normal milk, but the different pasteurizing process makes a creamier milk, so even at 0% (or negligible) milk fat it still tastes, feels and foams like a higher-fat content milk. I have heard it compared to whole milk, I do not agree with that, but definitely 2%.

2010-07-27 05:45:20 -0400

I am so sad to say that I finished this off this morning.

I try to not flood the site with repeat reviews unless I try it a different way or have to change the rating because of something I did or found out. That being said, I have finished most of this using my protein shake review below. With barely enough for one more serving, I finished my Strawberry Matcha with some orange juice in my match bowl.

I used about a cup of Minute Maid Orange Juice – no pulp – this way it does not get stuck in my whisk. I added the remainder of my matcha (as with previous reviews, I still do not have a matcha scoop, and use about 1/2 teaspoon matcha typically). This time was probably a bit more matcha because I tapped the bag until I was satisfied that I got most of my matcha out.

It whisked up nice and smooth and was absolutely delicious – the strawberry flavor accented the overall orange-matcha flavor. Very nice, very sad this is gone.

2010-09-14 11:58:04 -0400

All good things must come to an end. In this case it was my protein shake. I tried to buy a different brand, same flavor, powder to replace it but no dice.

This new powder needs a lot MORE strawberry matcha, but I am OK with that :) Still I was able to make a vanilla cream protein shake with a slight hint of strawberry and matcha. Very pale green, very subtle flavors. Great way to start my day!

2010-05-21 08:32:03 -0400

Made up my protein shake again this morning, I think I got the ratio right.

2 “Scoops” of the “Vanilla Dream” (VPX)
8 ounces cold water
1 tsp. (I know, a lot) of Strawberry Matcha (52teas)

Blended in Magic Bullet until smooth. This protein mix is very sweet, so it does not need anything added to it, but the little bit of tart from the matcha and the strawberry flavor really go a long way. Going to try it with Mandarin tomorrow. :)

2010-05-24 09:45:52 -0400

2010-07-28 07:26:39 -0400

Jillian

64

Jillian 4 tasting notes

This is…get ready for it….the first time Jill’s ever made matcha!

I’ve had it often enough in latté form or the traditional form in various cafes and restaurants, but I’ve been too intimidated by all the equipment and preparation needed to try making it on my own. Then I saw this tea for sale on the 52Teas website and it sounded so awesome that I bought it on impulse, even though I have no matcha bowl, whisk, sifter, etc.

I let it hang out in my cupboard for awhile until I finally got tired of staring at it today and went for it. I decided to go with Chrine’s recommendation of 1/4 tsp in 8 oz of water just for starters. In lieu of a matcha bowl I used a ceramic cereal bowl (don’t laugh) and a little metal cooking whisk (is that sound I hear the matcha purists gasping in horror?). ;)

The matcha powder smells very strawberry-y with a bit of the green, grassy scent of matcha. When I added the water it turned into a colour that wouldn’t be amiss coming out of a swamp. The metal wisk and cereal bowl combo seemed to work okay for my purposes, although the matcha tended to settle quickly and I kept having to whisk it up again.

Taste-wise it’s a little watery for my liking, though not bitter at all, which is certainly appreciated. It has the powdery-textured, green flavour I usually associate with matcha with a hint of fruity strawberry lingering in the background. I kind of expected the strawberry to be stronger given how the powder smelled, but that may be due to the amount of water – next time I think I’ll reduce the quantity I add a bit.

Not bad for a first try, though it definitely needs some tweaking. Stay tuned for more!
:D

2010-09-14 22:55:34 -0400

180 °F / 82 °C

I had another go at the whole matcha-making thing. This time I used less water – 6 oz as oppose to 8 oz (it amounts to about 3/4 of a cup) along with 1/4 tsp of matcha. The result is less watery than before although I’m still not getting that frothy matcha texture I’m used to seeing with ‘real’ matcha tea. Maybe this particular kind just isn’t suited to that sort of thing or (more likely) I’m just doing it wrong – oh well.

I’m finding that the tea tastes mostly like plain matcha – clean and grassy with that faint trace of bitterness, the strawberry manages to sneak onto the end but it’s not as strong as the (wonderful) odor of the tea suggests that it should be.

One thing I’ve noticed with making matcha in an ordinary bowl like I’m doing is that it cools off very quickly. I’m surprised the Japanese monks had time to meditate over anything while they were busy chugging their tea before it got cold! XD

2011-01-12 02:39:01 -0500

180 °F / 82 °C

It might only be so-so as a matcha, but I’ve found that it’s actually quite nice mixed in with a fruit smoothie.

2011-05-05 22:54:42 -0400

I’m trying out my new matcha chawan that I got in vancouver during Boxing Week. It was on sale for only $10 at a nice Japanese ceramics place in Kitsilano – I was pretty proud of that find. I noticed that it seems to keep the matcha warmer for longer than the old bowl I was using before did – I’m happy I don’t have to chug my tea so quickly any more. ;)

I went with 1 tsp in 3/4 cup (6 oz) of water this time and I noticed that the strawberry flavour was noticably stronger although it’s still sort of a slightly bitter/un-ripe strawberry flavour rather than the sweet, ripe flavour the smell suggests. I’ve also noticed that using this much matcha gives the tea a distinct powdery taste that I don’t particularly care for.

2011-03-15 02:12:16 -0400

175 °F / 79 °C

82

S

_{Thank you Ricky for this sample and for being a very patient swap buddy :)}

I love the smell of the strawberries in this mix…it’s like strawberry milk or strawberry ice cream. Yum. Unfortunately, my matcha is a little affected by the smell/taste of some of the other teas in the box, so I’m not sure how much of the mellowed, milky flavor is from the matcha itself and how much is from the other yummy teas Ricky sent me. :)

This matcha, like 52teas Mandarin Matcha, has a kind of strange sharp, sour note. I’m not sure why…I assumed in the case of the Mandarin Matcha it was the acidity of the orange, but the same sourness is in this matcha as well. Maybe its a preservative or a flavoring thing? Or just the quality of the matcha itself? Who knows, but it’s keeping me from really loving this.

2010-05-19 12:13:26 -0400

165 °F / 73 °C

sophistre

91

Matcha!

Been a while since I had any in my collection. The only matcha I have ever bought and personally owned was from Teavana, though I’ve sipped it in restaurants and other places. This, then, I will only really be able to compare to Teavana’s matcha in terms of the quality of the powder.

Not an easy prospect, because of the way in which this is blended with the freeze-dried strawberry powder. The resulting color of the matcha is pretty dark…more like a drab, olive green khaki color than that electrified, super-saturated emerald-green that I’ve come to equate with good, un-diluted matcha powder. I will have to give them the benefit of the doubt as far as that goes, and assume it’s because of the muddying of the strawberry.

There’s really no mistaking the scent, either. Anybody to have bought cereal with freeze-dried strawberry in it, or tins of unsulfered, completely dried fruit will immediately recognize the smell, sweet and, to me, slightly starchy or bready in some way.

I decided, since I haven’t had matcha in a while, to have it this morning in my very favorite way to have it: as a latte. Taken this way, it’s quite a treat!

For reference: 2 1/2 cups water heated over medium heat on the stove in a pot, until steaming but not simmering or boiling. Add 2 rounded teaspoons of matcha, sifted (I use a wire teapot infuser basket and grate it through with the end of the teaspoon). Whisk! Added 1 cup whole milk, whisked until foamy and fluffy and steaming again, then poured into a cup.

Usually my proportions here are different, and usually when it’s regular matcha I add a blob of honey, but I didn’t want to tamper with the flavor of the strawberries. I’m glad that I didn’t — that starchy, powdery aftertaste of the dried strawberry goes really well with the creaminess of the milk.

Taken this way, the matcha tastes essentially the way that it smells, but less sharp, which may very well owe itself to the milk. I like that the matcha isn’t crushed out by either the milk or the strawberry, too…it’s a really decadent trifecta of flavors. It has me thinking that it would make a really delicious ice cream.

2010-04-08 15:58:05 -0400

RachanaC (Rachel)-iHeartTeas

75

RachanaC (Rachel)-iHeartTeas 2 tasting notes

I found this to be ok. The matcha was in charge and at the end I tasted a bit of tartness from the strawberry but it wasn’t strong, I think I will try this again and hope if I play with the measurements the strawberry will come through better.

2010-07-28 16:03:34 -0400

175 °F / 79 °C

Feisty

Disclaimer: This was my first matcha experience. Because of this and other factors I am not rating this tea because well, it would be entirely unfair to grade this poor tea based on what I did to it.

I got this matcha a little while ago but held off making it because well, I was intimidated. The whole process sounded so complicated, and I don’t own a single proper matcha-making utensil. So I was planning on doing a little research, figuring out the exact specifications of water, tea and temperature, and maybe running down to the Asian grocery in search of one of those little whisk thingies. In essence trying to make it “properly”. Instead I made this at midnight, in a *#$f&! mood after hours of studying, and based on some vague memory of seeing “1 tsp matcha to 8 oz. of water” somewhere. So much for research.

I went with a flat 1/2 teaspoon of matcha to 3/4 cup of hot-ish water. As I also don’t own a thermometer I poured the water when it was steaming but before I saw any bubbles in hopes that might be somewhere around the proper temperature. I just dumped in the powder, no sifting, and attacked it with my electric frother. It didn’t froth much, just producing a little pile of loose bubbles that disappeared quite quickly but it did suspend the powder decently.

As for taste…I was disappointed. But then I don’t know what I expected, for it to taste like green tea ice cream? It was a little bit bitter, but I imagine that’s because the water was too hot, and a little weak tasting, either because my unrealistic expectations or because I should make it thicker next time. It tasted like a sort of fuller green tea, or maybe a green tea with creamy notes?

At first I didn’t taste the strawberry at all, though as it cooled I caught hints of strawberry randomly, though when I really tried to pin them down they vanished. I found I enjoyed it more as it cooled (more indication that I started waaay too hot), and I think I’d actually like it better if it was thicker, as towards the bottom of the cup I was picking up more creaminess (I think how I perceive the “matcha taste”), and strawberry notes.

So…good? I think? At least I’m definitely inspired to do it properly next time. Oh, and I apologize to 52teas and matcha lovers everywhere for butchering this ancient and honored elixir.

2010-04-16 16:41:23 -0400

Cofftea

100

Cofftea 11 tasting notes

MATCHA MATCHA MATCHA MATCHA MATCHA!!!

Ok… back to acting like a 24 year old…

My matcha finally came today. Now this is not the matcha I ordered the day it came out- this is my replacement. I still have no clue what happened to that 1st package… and it’s not so much my not getting it that bothers me… it’s the thought that no one will ever enjoy it and that makes me want to cry.

I didn’t try this the moment I got it in the house because just as I came in my boyfriend called. I hadn’t talked to him all day and some things (people) come before matcha.

The matcha looks like the Mandarin- a fine olive colored powder. When I finally opened the package I could smell the strawberry instantly. It smelled like strawberry bubble gum.

As soon as I get matcha, especially a flavored one, I always think more, not thicker, is better so I made this just the way I did the 1st time I tried Mandarin Matcha- 2 scoops of matcha w/ 16oz of water (the full capacity of my chawan).

Like the Mandarin, it instantly mixes with the water and froths even before I whisk it. Under the light colored foam is a dark, but not electric, green liquor.

Oh WOW! The strawberry is definitely there… and it tastes like I used strawberry jello water (jello before it solidifies) to make it. Now yes, I know I’ve always said “liquid jello” like it’s a bad thing when it comes to tea, but this ABSOLUTELY works. I think it’s because of the texture- like the Mandarin, it’s thick, and smooth, and creamy. But I also think it’s because there’s much more to the flavor profile. Unlike some fruit tisanes and even some decanted fruit flavored true tea (fruit flavored whites are especially notorious for this), there is ABSOLUTELY the rich, vegetal, sweet, slightly astringent flavor that matcha is famous for. Truly amazing.

And what’s even MORE amazing is… my mom actually tried it! While I was making it, I asked her to “just smell it” and I wouldn’t make her have any. Well she thought it smelt VERY GOOD… so i asked if she wanted some and she was like, “eh… I dunno… it’s green…” So I asked if she just wanted a spoonful… she was still unsure. Once I had it whisked I told her to “come humor me” and told her this was pay back for making me try really gross foods as a child (lol!) and I gave her a soup spoon full. I could tell by her facial expression that she was absolutely shocked that it wasn’t completely vile. Infact her exact words were “Wow, that’s actually pretty good”. I’ll never make her a bowla and I don’t think she’ll regularly try mine, but now I do have hope of her trying my Mandarin and even plain matcha. And an extra bonus- all that yummy matcha in my stomach was enough to cut my hunger so I only had 2 very small pieces of flat bread pizza for dinner.

Just a packaging suggestion Frank: Since this was only an ounce it looked like I was cheated based on the packaging used (I, of course, know I wasn’t) so you might want to have your packaging in direct proportion to the amount of tea to prevent doubt and skepticism from your customers.

2010-04-16 19:26:00 -0400

180 °F / 82 °C

Ok, it’s hotter than blazes, but I need my matcha. I don’t really like cold matcha except for when it’s made w/ OJ (which I normally don’t even like)… but I’m having an OJ smoothie later so I don’t want that. So I decided to mix 6oz of Adagio’s white cucumber (cold, 2nd infusion), w/ 2 scoops matcha. It takes quite a bit more whisking than when hot and it looks really gross. But it’s actually VERY good. It’s still thick, but more tea like than matcha like. Yes, I know matcha is tea- I mean steeped and decanted tea. The perfect combo.

2010-05-24 14:32:07 -0400

Well Chrine swears the strawberry stands up to lemonade, so I’ll try it. 1tsp matcha in 1 cup lemonade (unfortunately crystal light, not real stuff made w/ stevia). Paired w/ pizza for dinner WOW. Pretty suprised, but it does. And would even more so if the sugar wasn’t so obnoxious. I still prefer matcha limeade though… I have enough to try that yet. I may have to! And inspite of the pizza not being all that great, they make a pretty darn good combo:)

2010-07-20 17:47:17 -0400

Um… yeah… let’s just say that there are certain times that my mineral levels get lower due to me being a woman lol. So… I needed my mineral fix. I threw a tsp of this in 8oz of OJ (served James Bond style) expecting to be mad at myself for wasting such delicious matcha since I assumed the orange would completely mask the strawberry. BOY WAS I WRONG! Granted I may have been imagining a lil extra strawberry flavor since I knew it was in there, but the strawberry almost kept up with the orange! This leads me to believe Lupicia’s Strawberry Matcha au Lait mix would be delicious in OJ. Now if I could only find decaf matcha since my body really doesn’t need caffeine today.

2010-07-13 17:10:39 -0400

140 °F / 60 °C

Added 1/2tsp to a 4oz container of lime Fiber One yogurt. The strawberry is there, but very subtle. And the best part- it’s already green so it doesn’t look absolutely putrid when you add the matcha lol.:)

2010-07-23 15:10:54 -0400

Decided to make real strawberry matcha limeade putting all the sugar (I used stevia) it calls for. Yes… 3 packets- which would be equal to 6 teaspoons or 2 TABLESPOONS! of sugar in a small 6oz serving (w/ 1tsp matcha)!!! Aside from the overwhelming sweetness, this is actually a pretty good matcha lemonade… but… it’s not really a strawberry matcha limeade… the sweetness is so obnoxious that the matcha is like “Oh… yeah… um… this was supposed to be a strawberry matcha limeade, wasn’t it? Oops, I forgot… sorry…” Next time I want a fruit matcha lime/lemonade I think I’ll make a blended version and use unsweetened frozen fruit instead of ice and CUT DOWN ON THE SUGAR! lol or just wait for a strawberry/lemon, strawberry/lime, raspberry/lemon, or raspberry/lime (<- that would be my fave option Frank) matcha. :)

2010-07-22 13:49:42 -0400

Again, blended w/ their Mandarin Matcha. This time 1 scoop of each in 6oz water. Thicker, more fruity (both components), more vegetal… more of everything that makes these 2 teas AMAZING!

2010-04-22 13:32:12 -0400

180 °F / 82 °C

Decided to change up chrine’s suggestion a bit and go w/ strawberry matcha limeade since I generally prefer limeade over lemonade. Another difference is this is homemade- not Crystal Light. 2tsp matcha, 12oz water, 4TB lime juice, and 1 packet stevia… HOLY CRAP! I just noticed that I’m supposed to use the equivelent of 4TB of sugar for this amound of limeade! That would be 6 packets of stevia!!! OUCH! My teeth hurt just thinking about it. How can anyone that drinks lemon or limeade made w/ real sugar still have any teeth? lol ok, sorry… back to my drink. The strawberry isn’t quite as strong as it was in the overly sugary Crystal Light Lemonade version, but it definitely works. I… gulp… may try it w/ limeade made as directed tomorrow…

2010-07-21 17:37:05 -0400

Backlogging from yesterday- blended 1 scoop w/ 1 scoop of Mandarin Matcha and 16oz water. The 2 flavors mingle very well together… in some sips I got both flavors, but in others it was either more strawberry or more orange. YUM!

2010-04-19 10:13:18 -0400

180 °F / 82 °C

Given the awesome giveaway by DoMatcha, I couldn’t resist having another serving before bed. 1 scoop/3oz water. Thick, creamy, smooth, sweet, bitter, vegetal, fruity, and GREEN! And not enough liquid to fill my bladder before morning lol;)

2010-05-05 00:33:16 -0400

I mixed a 1/2tsp w/ 1/2tsp mandarin matcha and whisked it (w/ my bent chasen…) w/ 6oz hot water. It’s funny, I have barely any strawberry left and I have more mandarin left.

2010-08-03 14:32:21 -0400

140 °F / 60 °C

TeaEqualsBliss

81

TeaEqualsBliss 2 tasting notes

I want to THANK SoccerMom for this sample! :)

Now that I have had one positive matcha experience I want to have more. I like Strawberries and some of the reviews on this flavored matcha got me wondering…

First, I have to say this smells AWESOME!!!! Reminds me of Strawberry Cheesecake!

The color is a brownish-green and VERY murky (but then again it’s a matcha!) I will saw that it dissolves VERY quickly!

The actual taste of this is good. But I can’t say I like it better than my Den’s Matcha Experience…that still takes first! BUT…I will say that I would drink this again! So…all and all…it’s pretty good.

2010-06-01 15:20:24 -0400

Stephanie

70

I’m glad I have this, but I think it’s best mixed in smoothies and desserts and such. On its own, I find it a bit too bitter and tart. I don’t detect much strawberry, drinking it neat. I taste more citrus than berry.

But I have it mixed in my smoothie now and it’s pretty good!

2010-11-08 12:31:08 -0500

AmazonV

51

Steep Information:
Amount: 1/2 tsp
Water: 12 ounces boiling
Tool: aerolatte
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: wild strawberry (not sweet store kind), vegetal
Steeped Tea Smell: vegetal with a hint of berry
Flavor: thin, stirred more, chalky, hints of berry
Body: Light, stirred then Full
Aftertaste: vegetal
Liquor: opaque murky olive green

I keep trying and wanting to like matcha, sometimes it’s good – usually when someone else (a tea shop) makes it for me, but even then not always.

This was OK, I don’t think it’s the matcha’s fault I think it’s mine.

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/08/52teas-loose-leaf-matcha-green-tea.html

2010-08-07 22:24:37 -0400

Karsh

Based off of a comment here, I decided to try this in some Chick-fil-A lemonade. It was a hot day, so I hit it up before coming home from some meetings. I added a small scoop of strawberry matcha to a medium lemonade. A quick stir turned the whole lemonade a sickly shade of pea green (not unlike matcha itself); the deep matcha taste played well off the lemonade, although I wish there was more of a strawberry flavour. Ah well.

2010-04-15 17:50:44 -0400

Ewa

98

Ewa 4 tasting notes

I have been, not to put too fine a point on it, staggeringly jealous of the people who got to try the 52teas mandarin and strawberry matchas. And now I get to try it myself. First of all, it smells amazing exactly like strawberries and not at all like strawberry flavoring – as we all know, I’m sure, there’s a difference.

For my first try, I decided to just go straight. The matcha dissolved easily and was much darker in color than I’m used. I think someone else mentioned olive? That sounds right. This stuff seems a little more concentrated than my ceremonial DoMatcha – I had to add a bit more water than I normally did before the taste wasn’t overwhelming. The taste itself is, I’d say, mostly strawberry, kind of moderated by the matcha flavor, creating a well-rounded, although largely strawberry dominated, whole. The whole, however, at least in my case is better suited to being mixed with stuff (smoooooothiiiiiiiiieeeeeees) than in being drunk straight. I guess I’ve been spoiled by the amazing smoothness that is DoMatcha. Mind you, I don’t drink very much straight matcha unless I am really sleep deprived in the morning so I don’t really feel like this is a disadvantage. I would probably venture to say that this will be MOAR fun to mix with stuff than the DoMatcha was – if only so that I will no longer feel the guilt of mixing something labeled “ceremonial” with all manner of stuff.

So, from this tasting, I am mostly sensing potential. Delicious smoothie potential! Delicious lemonade potential! Delicious latte potential! So….gonna hold off on rating for the moment, since I want to have a clear idea of the full range of this matcha’s potential, because I think if I rated it now, I’d go lower than I’ll end up at eventually.

2010-08-24 12:35:56 -0400

OMG guys

Just….WOW. wow wow wow wow wow.

Used this in my breakfast smoothies this morning, a bit of almond milk for sweetness, some yoghurt and banana for thickeners and the result? SO GOOOOOOOOD. I cannot BELIEVE how good. The flavor of the matcha balances really well with the banana and I think I may actually like it MORE than I have liked the smoothies I made with real strawberries, which seems just weird. I think it’s because real strawberries have this tang about them that combines with the sourness of the yoghurt (I use plain) to it’s detriment. Since it’s just strawberry flavor though, you just get the strawberry without anything else. S’nice!

Also, somehow it just seems smoother – I think the combination of yoghurt, banana and matcha is a real winner. Clearly, my instincts about this being a great “mixer” matcha were spot on :D I think after just ONE of these I am addicted.

I’m very tempted to give this a 100 – but my mental block against giving 100s prevents me. (What if I find something even more awesome? I can’t take that chance.)

2010-08-25 16:18:56 -0400

Back-logging:
This past weekend I visited my brother and his wife (and my ADORABLE NIECE) and I convinced them to try matcha smoothies made with this matcha. We used yoghurt, bananas, frozen mango and soy milk and 1.5 teaspoons of matcha for the three of us. I was a little worried about the mango, but it’s a pretty mild fruit so I thought it would be ok. Thankfully this turned out to be the case. Yay!

The smoothies were delicious, although the strawberry flavor was mostly masked, still, the creaminess that matcha lends to things was definitely discernible. Love creaminess so much! My brother and his wife both thought it was super tasty and were totally stoked about the health benefits, but were kind of worried about the effect the caffeine might have on the baby, so I don’t think they’re going to become matcha regulars until she’s completely on solid foods.

Still, I would call this experiment a success. (of course, then I promptly forgot the strawberry matcha up there, so I am currently matcha-less ;_;)

2010-09-08 14:42:49 -0400

Mmmmm, delicious morning matcha smoothie. I was thinking as I made this that besides the health benefits of the matcha, I am also getting more dairy than normal AND that I usually don’t have bananas either, so technically thanks to matcha, I have also increased my calcium and potassium intake! Hurray!

2010-08-26 14:10:18 -0400

chrine

67

chrine 15 tasting notes

It came in the post today! I have not had it yet. But I just had to tell you guys it was here. I’m going to go have a shower then have a cup before I make dinner. I hope the yum level is close to the level of excitement at purchasing and receiving it.

2010-04-07 18:13:28 -0400

I hated matcha the first time I tried it. It was uber BITTER, foul, and disgusting. I couldn’t even bring myself to rate it because I didn’t want to do that to 52 Teas.

I’d been thinking about the matcha since then. I was sad I didn’t like it at all. I had wanted to like it. I’d even thought about trying it again on a few days but pushed it off when the time came. Finally, yesterday evening I gave it another go.

I followed Cofftea’s recommendation using a very rough conversation from weight to volume. I figured it would at least be a place to start. All was pretty much the same as far as smells and looks until my first sip. ??? Was this the same tea I used the first time? I CANNOT believe the difference in taste using 1/4 the amount of matcha and nearly double the amount of water. I had thought no matter what I did it would still be horribly bitter.

The Strawberry Matcha was smooth, light, definitely green, and strawberry. Like “Hey! I’m GREEN! You want to make something of it?”. Unlike the smell, the strawberry wasn’t kiddie breakfast cereal marshmallows. It was distinctively strawberry and I could noticeably taste it. Last time, I could barely tell it was there. It was a little weak and there was lots of matcha sediment towards the bottom so maybe I need to whisk it more or perhaps use a bit more matcha. I have rated it but I suspect the rating will go up as I refine how I like it.

So complete 180. Matcha is good!

1/4 tsp in 8 oz water.

2010-04-13 23:10:28 -0400

180 °F / 82 °C

Disheartened after my first experience with matcha, I did not feel up to writing a tealog for Strawberry Matcha last night. I think I can safely say that matcha is not my cup of tea, which makes me frowny-faced since I was so excitedly looking forwards to this tea arriving and a bit surprised since I’ve more than liked all the other new-to-me tea types I’ve tried.

Sight
Powder: Light olive.
Tea: Dark green, slightly olived.

Smell
Powder: Strawberry marshmallows in kid’s cereal or strawberry Nestle’s Quick.
Tea: Less strong, strawberry flavored syrup (like they use in coffee drinks).

Taste
Powder: (Yeah, I tasted it.) Not much taste, a bit bitter.
Tea: BITTER! Strong, strong essence of green tea, like green tea concentrate. I can catch a hint of strawberry. Not enough to be able to tell if it’s as fake tasting as the smell or if it tastes closer to real strawberries.

I don’t think I’m going to rate this tea. I’m clearly not a matcha fan. So I have no idea how this one would compare against other matchas. And I don’t think it would be fair to rate a tea company badly because I ended up not liking a type of tea I’ve never tried before. I will try it once more to see if it grows on me at all, which I doubt. And I might try latte-izing it like Sophistre did. But I imagine I’m going to be offering the rest of it to someone here on Steepster in the near future.

Edit – I forgot to put in that my preparation method was 1 tsp in 5 oz water.

2010-04-08 18:45:16 -0400

180 °F / 82 °C

I liked my Strawberry Matcha so much yesterday that I had to have it again today.

At first, I was feeling like an oolong this afternoon. Then I was reading tealogs on here and read several for yunnans and wanted the TIger. Then I thought Strawberry Matcha, then the Tiger afterward. But it got too late in the day to have the Tiger.

Back to the Strawberry Matcha. I was intrigued to try it with a bit of milk yesterday. Thinking about making it tea latte style prompted me to want to make it right then so I did. I heated the water and milk in a small sauce pan on the stove then added in the Strawberry Matcha. I expected a creamy version of the dark olive green but it was milky colored with a hint of green. The smell was much lighter. The taste was milky smooth with the green essence that is matcha and a strawberry flavor. It was oh so good and while being a mellow soothing cup to enjoy, it had a nice perking effect to it.

When thinking about making another cup of tea after lunch, all I wanted to do was make another of these. But I don’t want to run though my matcha too fast and I didn’t want too much more dairy today. I’d already had a yogurt and too much diary can upset my stomach. So I settle for promising myself a cup for breakfast tomorrow.

Next time I will try either a bit less milk, perhaps 3/4 water and 1/4 milk, or a bit more matcha, perhap 1/3-1/2 tsp. The taste was so good but it could have been a bit stronger.

1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 tsp matcha.

2010-04-14 19:39:09 -0400

180 °F / 82 °C

Backlogging. Last Tuesday.

The previous day, I’d read a tealog about a matcha smoothie made with matcha, banana, yogurt, and milk. It had been on my mind. So when I wanted something cool to drink that night, I made one. It was green, a funny colored green. And I could barely taste the matcha. I couldn’t taste much banana either. I think the ratio of ingredients was off. Too much plain yogurt. Unhappily, this was also the last on my Strawberry Matcha. I thought I’d have a single serving left afterward, but there wasn’t much left after I added it to the smoothie so I just used it all.

Unfortunately, the Cranberry, Apple, and Banana Matchas don’t sound very appealing to me. So I am matcha-less for now. And I don’t know how I’d feel about plain matcha. Plus the price. I think matcha is somewhat of a novelty tea for me.

2010-09-09 00:55:59 -0400

Iced

I used up the last of the lemonade making a Strawberry Matcha lemonade yesterday. I used even more lemonade than the last time and again I could taste the matcha and the strawberry more than when I’d used less. Why that is, I don’t know. I need to buy more lemonade now as I’m addicted to the Strawberry Match and I’m not sure I could drink it made with the water and milk combo I like for it hot in this heat. I’m also quite happy that upon further inspection of the interior of the pouch I’ve found that I still have at least 3 servings left.

2010-06-25 02:08:57 -0400

Iced

Backlogging. Last Tuesday mid-afternoon.

Homestead Creamery makes non-homogenized milk and liquid dairy products in glass jars that can be returned for $1-2 that we buy occasionally at the Earth Fare (our regional organic/natural grocery). We usually buy raw milk from the farmer’s market. But I digress. When we saw Homestead Creamery lemonade priced quite cheaply compared to their dairy, we had to try it. It was good, but not too lemony, tart, or sweet. I knew it would make a good Strawberry Matcha lemonade and it did! I could taste the matcha, the strawberry, and the lemonade. Indeed, I’m afraid with the heat here lately that this will be how the remainder of the Strawberry Matcha is drank.

1 cup lemonade. 1 tsp matcha.

2010-06-16 14:42:23 -0400

Iced

Oh no! I only have 2-3 more portions of Strawberry Matcha left. I don’t know what I’ll do then. (Frank, you HAVE to reblend! Or do more matcha blends!)

Made a Strawberry Matcha lemonade after dinner. I use more lemonade than usual and oddly I could taste the matcha and the strawberry more than before. The best one I’ve made yet.

2010-06-23 03:47:55 -0400

Iced

My morning Strawberry Matcha latte – oh wait, you thought you were reading a post by Cofftea there for a sec, didn’t you? (Thanks for the newly growing addiction btw, Cofftea.) As I was saying, my morning Strawberry Matcha latte recipe was further tweaked today and further tweaking is still to come.

I decreased the milk slightly and double the matcha today. Made in a sauce pan on the stove top, today I used a whisk again, instead the spatula that I had used yesterday because I was concerned about clumping on the bottom of the pan, and it FROTHED slightly. I wasn’t expecting frothing at all. So cool!

The color was still creamy but the shade of olived green was darker and the Strawberry Matcha taste was increased, which I found to be better and even more drinkable. But I still want more matcha taste!! Same as yesterday, I immediately wanted another cup. But reminded myself to conserve the matcha.

So tomorrow I’ll up the matcha by another 1/4 tsp but leave the milk to water ratio the same. I am thinking if I continue to want this this much once the novelty of a new tea has worn off, I’ll be ordering more.

2/3 cup water, 1/3 cup milk, 1/2 tsp matcha.

2010-04-15 17:39:36 -0400

180 °F / 82 °C

(And I almost forgot) Backlogging — 1 of 2 matchas from this past week.

Having a so-so OJ drinking experience one afternoon. Will Strawberry Matcha make it better? Not so much. Could not taste the strawberry, could barely taste the matcha. A waste of good Strawberry Matcha.

2010-07-18 17:08:51 -0400

Iced

Yesterday I woke with a very slight headache still. I comforted it with Strawberry Matcha and Strawberry Matcha made me happy. I think I’m done tinkering with my preparation. Just the right amount of matcha and just the right amount of creaminess for me.

>> 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup milk, 1 tsp matcha. Done tinkering. <<

2010-05-05 00:46:16 -0400

180 °F / 82 °C

Backlogging. Three days ago, late morning Saturday.

Overheated after the farmer’s market, I told myself if I took everything upstairs in two trips (extra exercise) instead of one (killing myself by weighing myself down with too much stuff), I could have a Strawberry Matcha lemonade and a quick cool down before I put all of the stuff away. Cool, refreshing, and thirst-quenching.

2010-08-04 00:24:45 -0400

Iced

(And I almost forgot) Backlogging — 2 of 2 matchas from this past week.

I decide to have an alcoholic drink while taking a cool bath. I think light rum and lemonade. I think light rum and Strawberry Matcha lemonade. Could it work? Will it work? It works! It tasted like Strawberry Matcha lemonade with just a hint of rum. Ever so drinkable.

2010-07-19 00:57:16 -0400

Iced

Read a tealog for Strawberry Matcha. Wanted Strawberry Matcha. Drank Strawberry Matcha (also yesterday).

Getting closer. I think I’ve got the right amount of matcha. But I wanted a bit more creaminess. So I’ll try 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup water again. Then I think I’ll have it. I’m bumping the rating up. I’ve definitely decided this tea is good.

1/3 cup milk, 2/3 cup water, 3/4 tsp matcha.

2010-04-24 01:26:23 -0400

180 °F / 82 °C

Backlogging. Last Wednesday late afternoon.

Strawberry Match + lemonade. It was so good the previous day, I just had to have another.

2010-06-17 02:08:13 -0400

Iced

Suzi

64

This is a chunkier matcha than any other blend I’ve used. There’s always at least one largish lump (bigger than a pinhead, smaller than a pea) floating around in the tea, no matter how much I whisk away. I usually just end up fishing it out, but I’m curious why I can’t seem to break the darn thing.

The balance of strawberry and green tea is nice; the bitterness of the tea still comes through pleasantly, and the strawberry adds a sweet note that isn’t cloying or overwhelming.

The flavor is generally weaker than the Strawberry Matcha au Lait blend from Lupicia, which is how I usually get my Strawberry Matcha fix, and in color Frank’s tea is a much yellower shade.

2011-04-12 11:20:20 -0400

190 °F / 87 °C

Elyse

74

So First time with matcha. Thought i’d go a little easy on my self and mixed it with some lemonade. I balked at the color of my concoction, and almost I threw it out, but i made myself try some.
Wow! It really tastes alright. Perhaps this is cause i put 1 tsp for 2 cups of lemonade, but the lemon covers up the bitterness of the green tea, and there is a nice subtle strawberry flavor. The green tea makes the leamonade less sour and smoother to drink.
Now to just get over that gross green color.

2010-07-26 18:20:43 -0400

Iced

0 min 15 sec

Mel

56

Mel

I forgot to review this tea! I received this tea from a swap eons ago from AmazonV. This was my first time making matcha. A nice refreshing smell of strawberry. The matcha was just ok. I usually like matcha mixed with genmaicha or sencha. I mixed the matcha with some coconut ice cream and made a shake. The matcha wasn’t as upfront as I have had. The strawberry came at a little. I drank it plain, too. I wasn’t a fan of the matcha. The flavoring was ok.

This mixed with banana would probably be good. It just wasn’t me.

2011-04-05 19:30:35 -0400