100
drank Organic Matcha by Den's Tea
865 tasting notes

Made this before I leave to go w/ my friend looking for a bridesmaid dress for her dad’s wedding. 3oz water/1 scoop. Wow! The flavors pop even more when made thick! I just wish it frothed a bit more. This may be my favorite unflavored matcha yet, unfortunately it’s also the most expensive.

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C
Shanti

What size scoop are you using? I thought thick matcha was ~3-4 bamboo scoops in 3 oz. water, and thin is ~1.25 scoops in 3 oz. water.

I haven’t tried organic matcha yet, but it sounds good!

Cofftea

There are different sizes of Chashaku? How can you measure .25 of a scoop other than measuring what a scoop of matcha weighs and then using 125% of that weight? Thin/thick is relative I guess then. My definition of thick is 1 scoop in 3oz water and thin is 1 scoop per 8oz water (for half a bowl, 2 scoops, 16oz for a full bowl).

Shanti

Quality chashaku are handmade, unique and are all slightly different as a result. However, most bamboo cheapo ones are about the same. I was asking if you were using an actual chashaku or a tablespoon. Sorry, I cut off the last part of that, it says 1 1/4-2 scoops for thin. You can eyeball a quarter or half of a scoop pretty easily…
Sorry, I was a little confused by your reviews and your using the words thick and thin to describe how you prepare your matcha. Like I’ve said a million times, different strokes for different folks (to a point). If you like it like that, then you like it like that! :)

By the way, sorry, I got the water off…thick is 3-4 for 1.5 ounces, thin is 1.25-2 for 2.5-3 ounces. The rule of thumb is double the matcha and half the water, at least according to my Japanese teacher…

Shanti

If you have any more info, that would be great.

Cofftea

Gasp! Tablespoon/teaspoon?! lol. J/k personally I’d never make matcha w/o the authentic tools (which is part of the reason I have a beef w/ Rishi). That’s just me though.:) Sorry, I thought that was clear by my use of the word scoop instead of tsp. I cram as much as I can on the scoop then just use 3 or 8oz water. I’m really freakin bad at eye balling things so no I can’t eye ball it easily. It doesn’t help that matcha balances very precociously on my chashaku and I’m absofreakinlutely terrified of spilling and wasting it. Not to mention it makes a HUGE mess. I’ve spilled matcha once and I bawled for 20 min, yes I’m very attached to my matcha lol.=D

Shanti

I see…funny, I wouldn’t have pegged you as the type to be a purist about making matcha, considering your notes about steeping and cooking tea :-) Personally, I don’t see why not using a chasen or chashaku is a big deal if you’re not even making it traditionally. :) I don’t think I could stand sitting on my knees for so long either, LOL!

Careful with the matcha! Especially if it’s the 52teas matcha :)

harukaJU

I think I can clear up the thin, thick thing. ;). It slightly depends on what school of sadou you follow! The temple I studied at only used koicha for special occasions. Shanti’s teacher is right, though. The “typical” system is to double the tea and half the water. Koicha should be thick, almost like honey (but not so sticky of course!)  Also… if you want to be technical about it, you RARELY make koicha from the same tea as you would make usucha. You can… but generally a higher grade is used for koicha. Koicha is usually sweeter and the matcha powder selected for koicha comes from older trees almost exclusively.
If your matcha brewing is for private use, there is no need to be a purist about it. Make it to the taste you enjoy the most. In my case I like a heavy flavour but am not a big fan of Koicha’s texture. I usually put in 2 HEAVY scoops. Unless you are performing the ceremony or making it for guests, go with the flow and make it how you like it. It sure will last longer as usucha though! ;)
お茶を楽しもう!

Shanti

Thanks Haruka for the explanation! There is a wonderful woman who teaches tea ceremony at my school, but her class filled up quickly so I didn’t get a chance to sign up for it.

I agree with you, I think if you’re making tea for yourself, you might as well make it as you like it. I use the chasen because I like my tea frothy, but I’m not going to make fun of someone if they don’t use one. Not to mention, chasen/chashaku/bowl/sifter can be hard to find unless you order online or have a specialty store nearby.

(And yay, I think I understood the last part…you wrote “o-cha wo tanoshimou/Let’s enjoy tea!” right? My kanji is really bad so sorry if I’m reading that incorrectly!)

harukaJU

your reading is correct.
;)

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Shanti

What size scoop are you using? I thought thick matcha was ~3-4 bamboo scoops in 3 oz. water, and thin is ~1.25 scoops in 3 oz. water.

I haven’t tried organic matcha yet, but it sounds good!

Cofftea

There are different sizes of Chashaku? How can you measure .25 of a scoop other than measuring what a scoop of matcha weighs and then using 125% of that weight? Thin/thick is relative I guess then. My definition of thick is 1 scoop in 3oz water and thin is 1 scoop per 8oz water (for half a bowl, 2 scoops, 16oz for a full bowl).

Shanti

Quality chashaku are handmade, unique and are all slightly different as a result. However, most bamboo cheapo ones are about the same. I was asking if you were using an actual chashaku or a tablespoon. Sorry, I cut off the last part of that, it says 1 1/4-2 scoops for thin. You can eyeball a quarter or half of a scoop pretty easily…
Sorry, I was a little confused by your reviews and your using the words thick and thin to describe how you prepare your matcha. Like I’ve said a million times, different strokes for different folks (to a point). If you like it like that, then you like it like that! :)

By the way, sorry, I got the water off…thick is 3-4 for 1.5 ounces, thin is 1.25-2 for 2.5-3 ounces. The rule of thumb is double the matcha and half the water, at least according to my Japanese teacher…

Shanti

If you have any more info, that would be great.

Cofftea

Gasp! Tablespoon/teaspoon?! lol. J/k personally I’d never make matcha w/o the authentic tools (which is part of the reason I have a beef w/ Rishi). That’s just me though.:) Sorry, I thought that was clear by my use of the word scoop instead of tsp. I cram as much as I can on the scoop then just use 3 or 8oz water. I’m really freakin bad at eye balling things so no I can’t eye ball it easily. It doesn’t help that matcha balances very precociously on my chashaku and I’m absofreakinlutely terrified of spilling and wasting it. Not to mention it makes a HUGE mess. I’ve spilled matcha once and I bawled for 20 min, yes I’m very attached to my matcha lol.=D

Shanti

I see…funny, I wouldn’t have pegged you as the type to be a purist about making matcha, considering your notes about steeping and cooking tea :-) Personally, I don’t see why not using a chasen or chashaku is a big deal if you’re not even making it traditionally. :) I don’t think I could stand sitting on my knees for so long either, LOL!

Careful with the matcha! Especially if it’s the 52teas matcha :)

harukaJU

I think I can clear up the thin, thick thing. ;). It slightly depends on what school of sadou you follow! The temple I studied at only used koicha for special occasions. Shanti’s teacher is right, though. The “typical” system is to double the tea and half the water. Koicha should be thick, almost like honey (but not so sticky of course!)  Also… if you want to be technical about it, you RARELY make koicha from the same tea as you would make usucha. You can… but generally a higher grade is used for koicha. Koicha is usually sweeter and the matcha powder selected for koicha comes from older trees almost exclusively.
If your matcha brewing is for private use, there is no need to be a purist about it. Make it to the taste you enjoy the most. In my case I like a heavy flavour but am not a big fan of Koicha’s texture. I usually put in 2 HEAVY scoops. Unless you are performing the ceremony or making it for guests, go with the flow and make it how you like it. It sure will last longer as usucha though! ;)
お茶を楽しもう!

Shanti

Thanks Haruka for the explanation! There is a wonderful woman who teaches tea ceremony at my school, but her class filled up quickly so I didn’t get a chance to sign up for it.

I agree with you, I think if you’re making tea for yourself, you might as well make it as you like it. I use the chasen because I like my tea frothy, but I’m not going to make fun of someone if they don’t use one. Not to mention, chasen/chashaku/bowl/sifter can be hard to find unless you order online or have a specialty store nearby.

(And yay, I think I understood the last part…you wrote “o-cha wo tanoshimou/Let’s enjoy tea!” right? My kanji is really bad so sorry if I’m reading that incorrectly!)

harukaJU

your reading is correct.
;)

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Tea tastes:
I will ALWAYS pick loose leaf over tea bags. I only drink bagged tea if that’s my only choice or I find a flavor that I can’t find a loose leaf version for. When I do drink bagged; however, I always weigh my bag and am constantly curious as to the weight/flavor ratio- sometimes I am quite surprised by the flavor punch of light bags.

I have a preference for organic and fair trade teas (preferably both), but would never pass up an amzing tea just because it isn’t organic and/or fair trade.

I love savory teas.

I’m currently searching for a chai flavored soy powder or a soy based chai mix (either already mixed or a recipe).

I hardly EVER sweeten my teas. I feel that sweeteners (unless flavored like tea honeys, brown sugar, ice cream topping syrups, flavored coffee syrups, etc) do not add anything to the flavor profile of tea- in fact, I’ve found that they dumb down the flavors.

I NEVER serve my tea over regular iced cubes- I always make tea cubes.

I LOVE cooking w/ tea and making smoothTEAS.

I LOVE tea blending.

I rarely drink herbal teas unless they are mixed with true teas. My favorite herbals to mix with true teas are: spearmint, peppermint, lemongrass, rose hips, and gingeroot.

I can’t stand anything w/ fennel or anise. Hot black teas (except orange pekoe bagged tea that you get when you go out to eat and chai teas) tend to upset my stomach.

I drink matcha daily and love flavoring it. I’m also in a constant search of preflavored matchas.

I’m constantly searching for information on how to prepare tea authentically according to its country of origin.

My Tasting Notes Ratings (edited 8/8/10)
1: I can’t even stand the raw leaf enough to make this (I’ve never owned a tea w/ this rating, but I’ve smelled some before buying resulting in me NOT buying them that were that bad)

2: I steeped this tea but couldn’t stand the aroma enough to get it past my nose

3: I immediately gagged at the 1st sip and spit it out.

4: I manageed to get the 1st sip down, but I tossed the rest.

5: I drank the 1st cup but I can’t bring myself to resteep

6: Made it thru the entire set of infusions but I can’t bring myself to tinker w/ the parameters and won’t be making it again.

7-10: Does not taste anything like the ingredients or name suggests (i.e. Adagio’s Sour apple)

11-25: I can taste some of the ingredients, but the flavor is severely lacking

25-49: Teas that I would not consider bad in their flavor profile, but certainly below average

50: Average.

51-69: Teas above averge, but I wouldn’t go as far as calling them “good”.

70-75: Very good, but still room for improvement

76-85: Above average flavor profile

86-90: REALLY good flavors

91-99: Almost PERFECTLY achieves the goal of the ingredients and name of the tea.

100: Abosolutely perfect teas!

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