How is Matcha Made? The Journey from Farm to Stone Mill
That vibrant green powder in your bowl has an incredible story to tell. Real matcha isn't just green tea leaves ground up. It's the result of a careful, months-long process that transforms ordinary leaves into an extraordinary powder. Let's take a journey to see how matcha is really made.
Stage 1: Growing in the Shade (The Secret to Great Flavor)
About 3-4 weeks before harvest, tea farmers do something magical: they cover the plants with special black nets or traditional reed screens. This shading process is the heart of matcha's unique taste.
- Why shade? The tea plant, searching for sunlight, grows larger, thinner, and darker leaves.
- The Magic Inside: This stress reduces bitterness and boosts the production of L-Theanine, the amino acid that gives matcha its famous umami (savory) flavor and calm energy.
- The Deep Green Color: The leaves produce extra chlorophyll, creating that rich, jade-green color matcha is known for.
Stage 2: Processing the Perfect Leaves
- Hand-Picking the Best: Only the youngest, most tender leaves and buds from the first harvest (called Ichibancha) are carefully selected by hand.
- Steaming for Freshness: Within hours of picking, the leaves are quickly steamed. This stops oxidation, locks in the bright green color, and preserves the nutrients. This is a key difference from regular green tea.
- Drying and Sorting: The steamed leaves are dried and become Aracha (rough tea). Then, stems, veins, and any unwanted parts are removed. What's left is pure tea leaf, now called Tencha—the raw material for matcha.
Stage 3: The Stone Mill - A Slow Transformation
This is the final, most crucial step
- Slow Grinding: The dried Tencha leaves are fed into traditional granite stone mills. These mills turn very slowly to avoid friction heat.
- Why Stone Mills?
- Protects Flavor: Low heat keeps the precious L-Theanine and antioxidants intact.
- Super Fine Powder: The granite stones grind the leaves into an incredibly fine, silky powder—as fine as 5-20 microns!
- A Labor of Love: It takes about one hour to grind just 40-50 grams of matcha. This is why high-quality matcha is so special.
Stage 4: Packaging - Locking in Freshness
Freshly ground matcha is incredibly delicate. To protect it from its enemies (air, light, and moisture), it's packaged immediately.
- Air-Tight Bags (Highly Recommended): For the freshest matcha, resealable foil pouches are the best choice. Why? Because you can squeeze out almost all the air before sealing it after each use. This dramatically slows down oxidation and keeps your matcha tasting fresh and green for longer. We always recommend buying matcha in small, resealable bags.
- Beautiful Tins: Tins look great and are perfect for gifting when unopened. However, once the inner seal is broken, the plastic lid isn't as air-tight as a resealable bag.
Conclusion: A Bowl of Patience and Care
Now you know! Every sip of matcha is a taste of careful shading, precise processing, and slow stone grinding. It's a tradition of patience and respect for nature.
TEANAGOO - A Sanctuary in Your Teacup.