Testing samples
How to Taste Matcha Straight: A Buyer's Usucha Test
Tasting matcha straight, whisked with water only, shows what the powder itself tastes like without milk or sugar covering it. Use one fixed usucha recipe for every sample, taste in the same order each time (look, smell, sip, finish), and write down what you notice before comparing. This is the buyer's version of the straight test in the sample testing protocol: it is about judging samples, not about serving guests.
Why taste straight
If you plan a pure matcha serve, this is the main test. If you only sell lattes, it still helps: water shows bitterness, astringency and grit that milk can hide, and it tells you how much flavour you are starting with before the milk goes in. A matcha made for milk may taste stronger or more bitter here and still be the right choice for lattes, so judge it against its purpose.
The fixed recipe
Ippodo's producer guidance for usucha is a practical baseline: 2 g of matcha, 60 ml of water at about 80 °C, whisked briskly for around 15 seconds. Use the same for every sample.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Matcha | 2 g, weighed, sieved |
| Water | 60 ml, about 80 °C, same source for every bowl |
| Tool | Bamboo whisk, same whisk rinsed between samples |
| Whisking | About 15 seconds, brisk, until a fine foam forms |
| Vessel | Identical bowls or cups, warmed |
Prepare one bowl at a time and taste it within a minute or two, or have a second person prepare so tasters receive each bowl fresh. Code each bowl so tasters do not know which sample it is.
Tasting order
1. Look
Before tasting, look at the surface and colour of the whisked tea.
- Colour: compare bowls side by side. Note which is the most vivid green and which looks duller.
- Foam: fine and even, or large bubbles that collapse quickly.
- Surface: any undissolved specks or clumps.
2. Smell
Bring the bowl close and breathe in. Note whether the aroma is fresh, vegetal, sweet, roasted, flat or stale. Compare the strength of aroma between samples.
3. Sip
Take a small sip and let it cover the tongue.
- Sweetness and savoury depth: is there a rounded, savoury-sweet quality, or does it taste thin?
- Bitterness: where is it, how strong, and does it dominate?
- Astringency: a drying, gripping feel on the tongue and gums. Note how strong it is.
- Texture: smooth or chalky.
4. Finish
Swallow and wait about ten seconds. Is the aftertaste clean and pleasant, short, or harsh? Does bitterness grow or fade? Check the bottom of the bowl for sediment.
The terms here are explained in the vocabulary of matcha flavour. Agreeing on them before the session makes notes comparable between tasters.
What each observation tells you
| What you notice | What it suggests | What to check next |
|---|---|---|
| Dull colour next to other samples | Less vivid in the cup; may also show in milk drinks | Compare dry powder colour; check how you stored the sample |
| Strong bitterness | May be too sharp for a pure serve | Retaste at 75 °C water to see if temperature is part of it |
| Strong astringency | Drying, can feel rough when served alone | Note whether milk would soften it, if lattes are the goal |
| Thin, little depth | Less flavour to carry a straight serve | Try 2.5 g once to see if dose changes it |
| Grit or sediment | Texture fault or mixing issue | Re-sieve and rewhisk; if it persists, note it |
| Fine, stable foam | Whisks easily | Note it under ease of preparation |
| Clean, pleasant finish | Suits serving on its own | Strong candidate for a pure serve |
If you change water temperature or dose for a retest, change it for every sample and note it. A sample only wins fairly under the same conditions as the others.
Scoring
Score each bowl on a 1–5 scale for colour, aroma, sweetness and depth, bitterness, astringency, texture and finish. The matcha sample scorecard has a "straight" block with descriptors for each score. Collect sheets before anyone discusses the bowls.
How much sample this uses
At 2 g per bowl, a 10 g sample gives 10 ÷ 2 = 5 bowls in theory. Keep at least one bowl's worth in reserve for a retest, and leave the rest for a latte round if you need it.
From tasting to serving
If a sample performs well here and you plan a pure matcha serve, the next step is to set a guest recipe and a serving routine. Preparing pure matcha (usucha) for guests covers that side.
Next step
Order the Ceremonial Matcha sample (€4.95 excl. VAT at the time of writing; check the product page for the current price) and run this test next to the matcha you are considering for a pure serve. If it meets your criteria, move to Ceremonial Matcha in a 1 kg bag.