Matcha Ceremonial Grade - Macha Powder Green Tea Organic - Original Japanese 1st Harvest - Gently Dried - Exceptional Taste - Dual Certified - 200 Years History by GREENHOUSE SUPERFOODS [35g/1.23oz]

I bought this over other types of ceremonial grade matcha on Amazon because it has a cheaper price per gram. I'm new to matcha tea. Package arrived very fast. One thing I don't like is that despite the product listing on Amazon, it doesn't say anywhere else that this is ceremonial grade matcha tea. Ceremonial grade matcha tea is a whole level above other types of matcha and so is priced differently. I paid the price for ceremonial grade matcha, so I expected the product to at least say "ceremonial grade matcha" on it. I also don't like how the company doesn't state the region this tea comes from. Taste can vary from region to region and since I am consuming the whole tea leaf, there is also concern over heavy metals, pollutants, and pesticides from the environment (tea tends to soak up more of that stuff). Nonetheless, this seems to be high quality matcha from what I can tell, and it is certified organic and tested for pesticides and heavy metals to address my concerns. I don't know if how this matcha ranks as a drinking-grade matcha, but it is certainly better than the Republic of Tea matcha I tried at a restaurant before (also labeled "premium," but it's in reality very bitter, completely unplatable stuff).The powder is a vibrant green color and the tea I brewed is the same shade of green as the sweet basil I'm growing on my windowsill. I thought it'd taste like LongJing Cha (premium green tea from China that I really like) but it isn't. There's no detectable bitterness and there is a stronger leafy taste/smell (kinda like spinach or something high in chlorophyll), but there's no strong lingering sweet aftertaste, the kind I came to expect from premium green tea. Strangely, the tea tastes drastically different depending on temperature. At higher temperatures, you taste the chlorophyll/ leafy taste more. At lower temperatures, you taste the slight bitterness and lingering sweetness normally associated with tea more. I find it tastes best at lukewarm temperatures. Also, another brewing tip, though tea tends to cover up the taste of bad tasting tap water, using filtered water to brew tea can really enhance its more subtle flavors.Like my coffee addict friends who drink their coffee black, I generally like to drink tea without anything in it because I feel that good tea should taste good by itself and stuff like honey and milk adulterates the flavor of good tea and detracts from its health benefits. This tea meets my expectations and standards as good tea since it tastes good with just water and I haven't found the need to add anything to it.I've found that this tea powder dissolves very well in both hot and cold water, so it is possible to just toss some into your drink bottle in the morning, shake it, and have cold-brewed matcha tea to enjoy on the way to work if you don't have time to boil water. Speaking of mornings, matcha tea is quite high in caffeine, more so than other types of tea because the whole leaf is consumed. I stayed up late drinking this to finish an assignment and not only did I not fall asleep on my assignment, I found it hard to fall asleep after the assignment as well. The sleep deprived me drank another cup in the morning and all my friends commented on how alert I was. I normally don't drink coffee because it gives me jitters but this tea just seems to make me talk faster, think faster, and be more alert in general, without the jitters. Due to its potent caffeine, my advice is drink this in the morning, well before bedtime and avoid drinking this at all in the evening unless you plan to stay up late. If you plan to sleep, drink chamomile tea at night instead. Overall, I like this tea enough to add it to my daily morning routine to boost my alertness and my daily intake of antioxidants, though I might try the Kenko first harvest (for green tea, first harvest is usually the best) ceremonial grade matcha tea when I run out because I want to see what ceremonial matcha tastes like and find out how this tea ranks amongst drinking grade matcha.

Several years ago, I heard about the great benefits from Matcha. So I bought a box of bagged tea from a quality company. Brewed it. Tasted it. Poured it down the drain. Threw out the remaining tea bags as well. It was bitter with a strange taste that lingered on the back of my tongue. I didn't figure on anything being able to fix that taste.So here I am, doing some reading about what Matcha SHOULD be, how it should taste, and look. For making tea, you need to use the Ceremonial grade of tea. The Culinary grade is for shakes and cooking and has a slightly bitter taste.For the Ceremonial tea, the powder should be bright green in color and super fine texture, and there should be absolutely NO bitterness. When I read that, I thought I'd give it another try with the real stuff instead of tea bags.What a difference. This stuff...Greenhouse Superfoods...pretty awesome. Bright green powder, super fine texture, no clumps, no bitterness. I prepared as directed on the bag, then added about 3 or 4 oz of milk, and honey to taste. And a dash of nutmeg. ABSOLUTE YUMMINESS!I am still in the middle of my first sips of my first cup, so I don't know about the energy boost yet. But based on the taste alone, I can see why this becomes a favorite alternative to coffee and lattes.

The media could not be loaded.  I’ve never made a tea like this before. I’ve always used bagged or loose leaf. This was my first powder. It was really fun to make - as if the creation process is meant to be part of the relaxation you get with drinking tea. This is a green tea so not sure how “relaxed” one should be but it will be a fun addition to our morning routine.My 6-year-old really likes it too. He’s my tea drinking buddy. We made it per the directions and added a touch of local, raw honey.It has a rich depth to the flavor and I love that it’s certified organic. I used a fork to mix it so I didn’t get a frothy texture like I saw in photos. The directions to call for use of a whisk, however, I didn’t have one small enough. That said it still dissolved and mixed well.

The product arrived on time and in good condition. The tea tastes refreshing and is definitely my favorite type of tea. This is how I consume the tea: I warm up some unflavored coconut/hemp milk on the stove and use a Frother to mix the Matcha with some Ceylon cinnamon. It makes a really delicious latte and seems to give me calm and steady energy, as well as help reduce some of the brain fog and anxiety that I often have (thanks to the l-theanine of matcha).The only downside is the packaging. The bag is cumbersome and messy..... A small tin would be an excellent upgrade verses the bag. Other than that, it's a great product!

I've been drinking Matcha for the past few years now. I don't mix it with any foods, or drink it in a shake; I prefer whisking it up with warm water and drinking it straight. My past mistake is that I started with a non-ceremonial product out of China that may have been Matcha with beneficial ingredient, but color was very drab and taste was not enjoyable. The Greenhouse Superfoods Ceremonial Matcha is a very vibrant green color and it tastes wonderful. I can also say that the effects I receive after drinking it way surpasses the effects from the China product. I think I've found my go-to Matcha brand. Oh, I wish it wasn't so expensive, but excellent quality on anything is well worth it paying a little more for it. Love it!!!

More bitter and a less-subtle flavor than some of the more premium matchas. It also doesn't foam up very well when one is making a tea bowl. Nonetheless it's fairly inexpensive, from Japan, and is suitable for everyday use. I'd recommend this in dessert recipes which use matcha.High-end matcha brands usually export or ship to the US, and unfortunately most of the mid-range brands can be had in Japan only. There is still some selection here and it is worth experimenting with different brands to find out which is your favorite.