Brew Guide

Whether you drink at home or on the go, you can enjoy your Magus Brands matcha with a few simple steps.


When Enjoying Matcha at Home


These preparation techniques have roots in ancient Chinese and Japanese tea ceremonies, and many of the instructions have been developed from these prestigious rituals.


When brewing matcha in the comfort of your home or in a relaxed setting, you can choose to prepare the tea in one of two ways. You can either make usucha (薄茶, thin tea) or koicha (濃茶, thick tea). Usucha is lighter and frothy while koicha is heavier and denser. These two methods produce entirely different drinking experiences, and we recommend trying both.


Traditional matcha preparation


What you’ll need:


  • Magus Brands organic ceremonial matcha.
  • Matcha bowl (chawan). Chawan are bowls specifically made for tea preparation.
  • Bamboo whisk (chasen). A high-quality whisk can significantly improve the preparation process.
  • Bamboo spoon (chashaku). These gentle, elegant spoons will allow you to use the ideal amount of matcha.

  • BambooMN is one of our favorite suppliers of premium tea equipment. Their whisk and spoon set is a wonderful choice for beginners and experts alike.


    Optional:


  • Linen tea cloth (chakin). This type of cloth is traditionally used to clean the chawan.
  • Matcha sifter (furui). Sifting the tea before measuring will remove clumps.

  • How to make usucha

     

  • 1. Preheat the chawan and prepare the chasen. Bring water close to the boiling point, and fill up the tea bowl. Then, take your chasen. Place the tips of its whisks in the hot water to prepare them. (Be sure not to wet the entire whisk.) Set the chasen aside. Empty out your chawan and dry it. You may use a chakin to dry it if you wish.
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    2. Measure out 1 to 2 grams of matcha. (You may sift it.) Add this to the chawan.

    3. Add 70 ml water. The water should be 70º to 80º C (158º to 176º F).

    4. Whisk the matcha. Holding the chawan with one hand and the whisk with the other, whisk using a W-shaped motion, gradually increasing your speed as you go on. You should stir at a fairly fast pace. Whisk until the matcha is frothy with small bubbles. (Make sure there are no large bubbles.)

  • 5. Enjoy.

  • How to make koicha

     

  • 1. Preheat the chawan and prepare the chasen. (See Step 1 above.)
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    2. Measure out 3–4 grams of matcha. (You may sift it.) Add this to the chawan.

    3. Add 40ml water. The water should be 70º to 80º C (158º to 176º F). Koicha uses less water and produces a stronger, thicker tea.

    4. Whisk the matcha. The technique for whisking koicha is much different from the usucha technique. Whisk the matcha slowly, alternating between up and down, back and forth, and circular motions. Stir gently and thoroughly until the tea is fairly thick. There should be no froth.

    5. Enjoy.

    You can also experiment with making koicha by taking an alternate approach. Instead of pouring all of the water in the bowl at first, you pour about half, gently whisk for a moment, and then pour the other half. This approach is favored by some matcha enthusiasts, and you might find it more satisfactory to your taste preferences.


    Alternative usucha preparation


    While the traditional method of matcha preparation yields exquisite results, it can be time-consuming, and the learning curve is somewhat steep.


    If you’re looking for a less painstaking way to prepare hot matcha, you can use an electric milk frother to achieve a delicious cup. The Epica Automatic Electric Milk Frother is the best frother we’ve used, and it provides a wonderful crema on the matcha.


    Due to the high speed of the frother, it can only be used to make usucha. That said, using a frother is a simple, fast way to enjoy hot matcha, and we recommend you try it.


    What you’ll need:


  • Magus Brands organic ceremonial matcha.
  • Epica milk frother.
  • Chawan or bowl.
  • Measuring spoon (preferably a chashaku).

  • Optional:


  • Matcha sifter.

  • How to make usucha

     

  • 1. Preheat the chawan or bowl. (See Step 1 in the above usucha instructions.)
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    2. Measure out 1 to 2 grams of matcha. (You may sift it.) Add to the bowl.

    3. Add 70 ml water. The water should be 70º to 80º C (158º to 176º F).

    4. Whisk the matcha. Since the Epica whisks at a faster rate than a manual whisk, you’ll whisk for a shorter time. 10 seconds is a good starting timeframe, but experiment and see what you like.

    5. Enjoy.

    When Enjoying Matcha On the Go


    Matcha is truly a superdrink. You can prepare it hot to enjoy in comfort, or you can brew it chilled for a to-go ceremony. If you’re in need of a lightning-fast way to prepare matcha, use this method for a refreshing cold tea.


    What you’ll need:


  • A stickpack of MatchaSticks™.
  • A chilled 16.9 fl. oz. water bottle.

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    1. Drain some water from the bottle. You can either pour out a little or take a small sip to do this.

    2. Open the stickpack and pour it in.

  • 3. Shake bottle vigorously for 10–15 seconds or until the matcha is mixed in well.
  • 4. Enjoy.
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    No matter which method you choose (and we hope you try all three), you’ll be able to unwind with a soothing cup of the best organic matcha available. We invite you to participate in the ancient art of matcha and transcend the stress of everyday life.