Banana Matcha

Guess what arrived today!

YUM! This is really very good. The banana flavor is well represented. The only thing that would make this particular matcha better in my opinion is the addition of chocolate. :)

Excellent!

Steep Information:
Amount: 1/2 tsp heaping
Water: boiling, 6-8 ounces
Tool: aerolatte
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: banana laffy taffy
Steeped Tea Smell: grass
Flavor: grass, bitter
Body: Full
Aftertaste: banana laffy taffy
Liquor: cloudy olive green

I tried this a few times. I started with 180°F water, and progressed up to boiling. I used 6 ounces, and kept adding more water and re-stirring until the matcha was so weak I could not taste it (1 pint). I tried 1/8 tsp -1 tbs. I keep wanting to like matcha, but it is too grassy for me. It is sweet, it smells of banana. The after taste (and if you burp after) is banana.

Mind you this is a laffy taffy / runts strong sweet banana. It’s the grassy flavor that makes this something I did not want again.

Sorry frank!

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/09/52teas-loose-leaf-green-tea-banana.html

Ok, so this is the matcha that concerned me most. I don’t like ANYTHING banana flavored other than actual bananas… but this was Lori’s 1st matcha experience yesterday so I decided to go for it.

The matcha smells exactly like banana runts. Blech. But accurate so I’ll go w/ it. In spite of my chalky matcha yesterday, I decided to make this using the same ratios: 3 scoops:8oz water.

Froths very easily! And still smells very much like banana runts. OK, here goes nothing…

Yep. Tastes exactly like runts. There’s also a slightly vegtal quality from the matcha. And it’s not chalky! :) -1 for tasting like banana candy vs. the fruit. But still pretty spot on.

So got the urge to try this banana matcha from 52teas for a second time. And it’s good though I am still in the experimental stage of trying to find a good ratio. Yesterday, I believe I tried 0.5 level tsp with 6 oz boiled, then cooled water.

I have to say that this matcha froths very nicely, making me feel somewhat accomplished in the matter of swishing my bamboo matcha whisk! I drank and really, it tasted lovely, slightly deeper than yesterday’s version (probably because of the slight increase in matcha (tsp)/water (oz) ratio: 0.143 vs. 0.0833) so I thought to immediately take the tea temp = 127.6 °F (in the bowl with the frothy matcha, as I was in the midst of drinking it, mind you! oh the things we do as tea drinkers….).

Today’s Version: 1 level tsp with 7 oz boiled, then cooled water approximately 127.6°F (not very scientifically accurate – see above). ~2010dec15W

My first matcha experience! Thanks, Meghann, for sending some my way!!

Okay, it would probably be a lot better if I had the right matcha tools. A cereal bowl and a metal flat whisk probably aren’t the best, but it’s all I’ve got here. At first I used 1/2 teaspoon to 8 oz of 200 degree water. After a sip, I added another 1/2 teaspoon.

It does taste like banana runts! It’s not very strong, but it’s definitely there, and the aftertaste is exactly the same as after you finish a runt. The green tea taste is really good, too. Delicious, but…

It’s grainy. I didn’t sift the powder, so maybe that’s it? Or my little whisk wasn’t good enough? I didn’t get much froth, but I did manage to get some. Taste is pretty darn good, but the grainy I can’t handle. Maybe a bit less powder? Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Yes this does taste like rungs!

Of the three flavoured matchas from 52Teas that I’ve had the chance to try, I think this one is my favorite. It really does smell like Banana Runts for one thing and it carries over to the flavour more than the other matchas. I’d liken it more to banana-flavoured candies (minus the sweetness) than I would to the actual banana fruit. The matcha base is a bit too grassy for me to love this tea but I certainly like it.