The process from harvest to grounded tea!

After the tea plants have been harvested, the process of making matcha begins. The first step is to steam the tea leaves to stop the oxidation process and preserve their fresh green colour. This is usually done for about 30 seconds to one minute, depending on the producer and the type of matcha.

Next, the leaves are dried and then sorted, removing any stems or impurities. The dried leaves are then ground into a fine powder using traditional granite stone mills, which can take up to an hour to grind just 30 grams of matcha powder.

The resulting matcha powder is a vibrant green colour and has a smooth, fine texture. It's important to note that there are different grades of matcha powder, ranging from high-quality ceremonial grade to lower-grade culinary grade. Ceremonial grade matcha is made from the youngest and most tender tea leaves, while culinary grade matcha is made from older leaves and may have a slightly bitter taste.