How Is Matcha Made? From Leaf to Powder

Matcha Tea: From Leaf to Green Gold Powder

Matcha is much more than just a drink. It's a true art, a luxury product, and a Japanese tradition passed down for centuries.

Behind every cup of matcha lies a meticulous and artisanal process, the fruit of ancestral know-how. Discover this fascinating process and learn why matcha is considered one of the most prestigious teas in the world.

1. The Art of Shading: The Magic Begins Here

The matcha journey begins in the tea plantations, where tea plants are delicately covered with tarpaulins about 3 to 4 weeks before harvesting. This process, called shading or tanna, is essential.

By limiting sun exposure, the plant produces more chlorophyll, giving the leaves that intense emerald green color.

This process also increases the concentration of L-theanine, an amino acid that reduces bitterness and enhances the umami of matcha. It is this step that distinguishes matcha from other green teas.

2. Harvesting: Selecting the best leaves

When the time comes, the tea leaves are harvested manually, a crucial step to preserve their quality. Only the youngest and tenderest leaves, located at the top of the tea plants, are chosen.

This ensures high-quality matcha, as each leaf is carefully picked to offer an exceptional tasting experience.

3. Steaming: Fixing the freshness

Immediately after harvesting, the tea leaves are steamed for 15 to 20 seconds. This process, called musé, stops oxidation and fixes the vibrant green color of the leaves.

Unlike classic green teas, often roasted, matcha thus retains all its beneficial properties.

The result? An explosion of freshness and nutrients in every cup.

4. Drying: Preparing the leaves for transformation

The leaves are then gently dried.

At this stage, they become tencha, the raw material for matcha.

Veins and stems are removed to keep only the tenderest part of the leaf.
This sorting is essential to guarantee a fine texture and a balanced flavor.

5. Tencha Selection: The very essence of Matcha

Tencha refers to dried tea leaves ready to be processed into matcha. At this stage, the veins and stems of the leaves are removed to keep only the tenderest and most nutrient-rich part.

This rigorous sorting ensures that only the best of the tea will be ground into powder.

6. Grinding: The Green Gold Powder

Finally, the tencha leaves are ground into a fine powder, a process traditionally carried out using granite millstones.

This slow process, which takes about an hour to produce 30 grams of matcha, is essential for obtaining a fine texture and subtle aromas.

Why the production method changes everything

The manufacturing process directly influences:

• the color

• the texture

• the aromatic intensity

• the balance between sweetness and bitterness

• the nutritional richness

Quality matcha has:

• a vibrant green color

• a very fine texture

• a round, umami taste

• little to no bitterness

Understanding these steps helps avoid dull, overly bitter powders or those made from inferior quality leaves.

A tradition still alive

While techniques have evolved, the fundamentals have remained unchanged for centuries.

Matcha remains one of the rare teas whose manufacturing combines:

• meticulous agriculture

• manual selection

• artisanal processing

This demanding process explains why matcha is considered one of the most prestigious teas in the world.