Writing a Matcha Recipe Card and SOP for Your Bar

A matcha recipe card is the one-page reference on the bar; the SOP is the fuller document behind it that explains setup, checks and what to do when something goes wrong. Write numbers, not descriptions: grams, millilitres, degrees and seconds, plus a photo of what "right" looks like. Below is how to structure both, and a template you can copy and fill in.

Recipe card vs SOP

	Recipe card	SOP
Where it lives	On the bar, at the matcha station	In the training folder or shared drive
Length	One side, readable at arm's length	Two to four pages
Content	Parameters and steps per drink	Setup, method, checks, storage, cleaning, troubleshooting, ownership
Used by	Anyone making the drink	Trainers, shift leads, new staff in training

Keep the two consistent. If you change the dose, change it on both the same day and note the version number.

What to fix before you write

Agree on each parameter with a short test round first; the standard café matcha latte recipe is a reasonable starting point. For each drink, settle:

• Product. Which matcha, by name. For milk drinks, that is usually Ceremonial Barista Matcha.
• Dose in grams per cup size. The dosing guide by cup size helps if you serve several sizes.
• Water: volume and temperature for the paste.
• Mixing: tool, time and the visual end point.
• Milk: type, volume or fill line, temperature.
• Sweetener: type and fixed amount, if any.
• Assembly order: paste first or milk first.
• Cup and garnish.

Photo standards

A photo removes arguments about "how green" or "how much foam". Take each photo under the bar's normal lighting, from the same angle, with the same cup.

• Paste: top-down shot of a correct paste in the jug, showing no dry specks.
• Finished hot drink: side and top views.
• Finished iced drink: side view showing the layer or mix you want.
• Faults (optional but useful): a lumpy paste and an over-milky drink, labelled "not like this".

Retake the photos whenever you change the cup, milk or matcha.

Copy-ready SOP template

Copy the block below into your own document and replace the brackets. The example values follow the standard hot latte; keep or change them after your own test.

MATCHA SOP — [Venue name]
Version: [1.0]   Date: [DD-MM-YYYY]   Owner: [name / role]
Approved by: [name]   Next review: [date]

1. SCOPE
   Drinks covered: [Hot matcha latte 240 ml / Iced matcha latte / ...]
   Product: [Ceremonial Barista Matcha]  (pure serves: [Ceremonial Matcha])

2. EQUIPMENT
   [ ] Scale, 0.1 g readability
   [ ] Fine tea sieve
   [ ] Paste jug or bowl
   [ ] Bamboo whisk / electric frother: [which]
   [ ] Water source set to [80] °C
   [ ] Thermometer for milk checks
   [ ] Working tin, labelled with product and date opened

3. PARAMETERS (per drink)
   Drink        | Matcha | Water        | Mix          | Milk           | Sweetener
   Hot 240 ml   | [2] g  | [40] ml [80] °C | [15–20] s  | [180–200] ml   | [none / x ml]
   Iced [x] ml  | [ ] g  | [ ] ml  [ ] °C  | [ ] s       | [ ] ml cold    | [ ]
   Large [x] ml | [ ] g  | [ ] ml  [ ] °C  | [ ] s       | [ ] ml         | [ ]

4. METHOD (hot latte)
   1. Tare cup with sieve, weigh [2] g matcha, push through sieve.
   2. Add [40] ml water at [80] °C.
   3. Whisk/froth [15–20] s until smooth, no dry specks at edge.
   4. Steam milk to [house temperature] with fine microfoam.
   5. Assemble: [paste first, then milk / milk first, then paste].
   6. Serve immediately. Rinse whisk and sieve.

5. QUALITY CHECKS
   Every drink:  [ ] no lumps  [ ] colour matches photo  [ ] dose weighed
   Start of shift: [ ] water temperature checked  [ ] scale calibrated/tared
   Once per shift: [ ] shift lead tastes one drink and initials log

6. STORAGE AT THE BAR
   Working tin closed between drinks; dry scoop only; refill from main bag
   at [opening]; main bag back to stockroom. See house storage rules.

7. CLEANING
   Whisk: rinse warm water, stand upright to dry on holder.
   Sieve and jug: rinse between drinks, wash at close.

8. TROUBLESHOOTING
   Lumps → sieve every dose, check paste water volume
   Bitter → check water temperature and dose
   Weak/milky → check dose for cup size
   Dull colour → paste made too early; check storage

9. PHOTO REFERENCES
   [Insert: correct paste] [Insert: finished hot] [Insert: finished iced]
   [Insert: "not like this" examples]

10. CHANGE LOG
   Version | Date | Change | By
   1.0     | [ ]  | First version | [ ]

Recipe card layout

The bar card is a cut-down version of sections 3, 4 and 5. Print it large, laminate it, and fix it at eye level at the matcha station.

• Drink name and cup size at the top.
• Parameters as a single row of numbers.
• Method in no more than six short steps.
• Two photos: correct paste and finished drink.
• Version number and date in the corner, so you can tell an old card from a new one.

Add the cost line

Managers often want the matcha cost on the SOP, not the bar card. Use the formula: price per kg × grams per serving ÷ 1,000. At €195.00 per kg excl. VAT (at the time of writing, November 2026; check the product page for the current price) and 2 g, that is €195 × 2 ÷ 1,000 = €0.39 excl. VAT per drink, before waste. That is the matcha only, not the full cost of the drink. Update the line when the price or dose changes.

Keeping the SOP alive

• One owner. A named person approves every change.
• Review date. Check the SOP when you change product, milk or cup, and at least on a fixed date you set.
• Train against it. New staff learn from the SOP and are signed off against the checks; the matcha training checklist for new staff fits alongside it.
• Remove old copies. An outdated card on the bar undoes the whole exercise.

Next step

Fix your parameters with a 10 g sample of Ceremonial Barista Matcha and your house milk, fill in the template, take the photos, and switch to the 1 kg bag once the card is signed off.