Testing samples
Side-by-Side Latte Test: Comparing Matcha in Milk
A side-by-side latte test shows how each matcha behaves in the drink you actually sell. Change only the matcha: same milk from the same carton, same dose on a scale, same water and milk temperature, same cup, same mixing method, and taste coded cups at fixed times. This expands Step 4 in the sample testing protocol, with more detail on controls and what to write down.
What you need
- Two or three matchas to compare, for example the Ceremonial Barista Matcha sample and your current matcha
- A scale reading to 0.1 g and a fine sieve
- A thermometer for water and milk
- The milk you sell most, enough for every cup from one carton
- Identical cups at your menu size, a marker for coding underneath
- Your usual mixing tool (whisk, frother or shaker) and a timer
- A scorecard per taster; the matcha sample scorecard has an "in milk" block you can use
Fix the variables
Write the recipe down before you start and use it for every cup.
| Variable | Your setting | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Dose | [ ] g | 2 g |
| Water for paste | [ ] ml at [ ] °C | 30–40 ml at about 80 °C |
| Mixing | [ ] tool, [ ] seconds | Bamboo whisk, 20 s |
| Milk | [ ] type, [ ] ml | Barista oat, 200 ml |
| Milk temperature | [ ] °C | Your normal service temperature |
| Cup | [ ] | 12 oz menu cup |
| Sweetener | none, or [ ] | None for the test |
Example settings are there to show the format; use your own house recipe. If you sell a sweetened latte, run the test unsweetened first, because sweetener masks bitterness and makes differences harder to see.
Run the test
- Code the cups underneath: A, B, C. Only the person preparing knows which is which.
- Prepare in a fixed rhythm. Make the paste for all cups first, then steam or heat the milk once and pour into each in turn, so no cup waits much longer than another. If you steam per cup, alternate the order on a second round.
- Start a timer when the last cup is poured.
- Taste at about two minutes. Score flavour, balance and mouthfeel.
- Look again at five minutes. Note colour in the cup and any settling at the bottom.
- Finish the cup or swirl and check the last sip for grit.
Tasters rinse with water between cups and score before talking.
What to note
| Observation | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Matcha flavour comes through the milk | Whether your dose is enough for this matcha, or whether you would need more |
| Bitter or grassy edge at the back | Balance with milk; may soften with a different milk or sweetener |
| Colour at 2 and 5 minutes | How the drink looks when it reaches the guest and while it sits |
| Sediment or grit in the last sip | Mixing quality and powder fineness |
| Paste lumps before milk goes in | How forgiving the powder is during a rush |
| Foam texture and colour | How the drink presents, especially on a hot latte |
If one matcha only matches the other at a higher dose, that changes the cost comparison. Work it out with matcha cost per serving rather than comparing price per kg alone.
Add an iced round
If you sell iced matcha lattes, run a second round with the same matcha and cold milk over ice. Cold milk carries flavour differently and shows mixing problems more clearly, because lumps do not dissolve in cold liquid. Keep ice quantity and cup the same, and taste at the same intervals.
Test with your plant milk
Different milks change how matcha tastes, and a matcha that works in dairy may behave differently in oat or soy. If a large share of your lattes use a plant milk, make that the main test milk. Choosing matcha for oat, soy and almond milk explains what to look for in each.
Common mistakes
- Steaming each cup with different milk, or topping up from a second carton.
- Using a scoop instead of a scale. A heaped scoop can be noticeably off the intended dose.
- Tasting one cup straight away and another after several minutes.
- Telling tasters which cup is the current matcha. Familiarity tends to win; keep it coded.
- Changing two things at once, such as a new matcha and a new milk in the same round.
After the test
Pick the matcha that best meets your criteria in milk, then write it into your standard recipe so everyone makes it the same way; a standard café matcha latte recipe is a useful template. When your first 1 kg bag arrives, repeat one round with the bulk product to set a reference for future deliveries.
Next step
Order the Ceremonial Barista Matcha sample (€4.95 excl. VAT at the time of writing; check the product page for the current price) and run one hot and one iced round. If it meets your criteria, move to Ceremonial Barista Matcha in a 1 kg bag.