A Beginner's Guide to Brewing the Perfect Matcha

There's a quiet ritual in preparing matcha that has survived nine centuries and now fits neatly onto a weekday morning.

**The five-step method.**

1. **Sift two grams of ceremonial-grade matcha** into a warmed bowl using a fine mesh sieve. Sifting prevents lumps. (Two grams is roughly half a teaspoon by volume, or one heaping *chashaku* scoop.)

2. **Heat water to 75°C** — not boiling. If you have a kettle without a temperature setting, boil it and let it rest for 90 seconds.

3. **Pour 70ml of water** over the matcha.

4. **Whisk in a gentle W-motion** with a bamboo *chasen* until a fine foam blooms on the surface. About 15 seconds of brisk whisking.

5. **Drink immediately.** Matcha doesn't keep — even five minutes after preparation, the foam collapses and the liquid stratifies.

**What you'll need.** A wide ceramic bowl (a *chawan*; about 12cm wide is ideal), a bamboo whisk, a fine sieve, a small scoop. The whole kit costs about £40 from a specialty Japanese shop and lasts decades if you rinse the whisk in cold water after each use.

**A few honest truths.** Culinary matcha is fine for lattes and baking, but for drinking straight, spend the extra money on ceremonial grade. Temperature matters more than whisking speed. And a wide bowl isn't optional — it's the geometry the whisk requires.

The first sip should taste of spring grass and ocean, not bitterness. If it's bitter, your water is too hot or your matcha is old. If it's flat, your matcha is low-grade or stale (matcha stays fresh for about a month after opening; store it in the fridge in an airtight tin).

Start here. Slowly.