Country of Origin: Japan
Leaf Appearance: very fine, bright green powder
Ingredients: green tea
Water Temperature: 180 degrees
Preparation Method: traditional (using a chawan and chasen)
Liquor: very dark green with lighter green foam
I have previously reviewed Aiya’s Ceremonial Grade Matcha so this was a great opportunity to compare the two. For starters, the premium grade seemed to be a brighter shade of green. The flavors were fairly similar although the premium grade was smoother and slightly less vegetal than the ceremonial. Another difference that I found really interesting was the the premium grade did not foam up quite as much. Given the higher price tag of this version, it’s not something that I would drink on a regular basis but for a special occasion tea this matcha is spot on. If you’ve never made matcha before and need some guidance, their site has some helpful hints. Aiya also makes a cooking grade matcha that I definitely think will be necessary for my culinary adventures.
Just popping in to say hello! I'm a budding tea enthusiast as well, and your blog is wonderful! I think I'll follow it for more updates! 😀
Thanks for popping in! Always great to hear from a fellow tea lover 🙂
Didn't foam up much? Really?! Wow, I got a far different result. I found it frothed up rather nicely. Then again, I opted for the "cold water sift" rather than a mesh filter when…er…de-clumping it. That probably had something to do with the prep difference. I, personally, loved the stuff.
It foamed, just not as much as the ceremonial grade version. You have me intrigued. How do you cold water sift? I loved the stuff too 🙂