But many of them seems confused what is different between Matcha green tea powder and Green tea powder even Japanese.
Simply, look at the below photo as 1st of all,
Greener is better grade. Left 2 grades are Ceremonial grades.
Right 3 matcha are obviously cooking grades. (above photo)
In Japan, green tea means Sencha (steamed) green tea.
Then, matcha has to be sun shaded for at least 21 days. (mostly the garden do nealy 30 days)
When they do sun shading?
About a week before they harvest sencha green tea.
So, if the gaden harvest May 3rd, Sun shading starts April 26th. (it depends onj weather and growing situation of tea leaf though)
Sun shading is actually not that easy since green tea are made at everywhere but you don't see matcha made ouutside of Japan.
It cooled down too much often or wet too wet inside. When cooled down too much, tea tree misunderstood that winter comes. So he (she?) goes to sleep mode. (it means he doesn't drink or eat at all so that important nutrition Theanine don't increase even shading!!!)
Then matcha taste bitter and color is not vivid.
This is inside.
In sun shading, we try to cut 90% of sun light.
But 90% is not consistent: some gets more and some gets less.
Such difference goes to the leaf grade/quality after steaming and drying.
Oh, Matcha leaf don't have a rolling process unlike sencha anyway.
Matcha leaf after steamed and dried, we call it Tencha leaf. (rough tea).
We differencite by colors. Darker is sweeter so we use it for Grade A (ceremonial).
Then, milling.
Stone mill is lower temperature but it produces only 50g/hour.
Low heat save/remain the emerald green color so we use stone mill for Grade A and Grade B.
So, Matcha,
is sun shaded for nearly a month.
is not rolled in rough tea process.
is graded after rough tea, tencha.
Ceremonial grade
must be very dark leaf after steamed and dried.
must be stone milled.
Also, matcha is very weak for light, air and heat.
After you opened the package, let's finish up fast!
Thank you!
If you have any question, please contact to
www.jp-greentea .co.jp/english