The Art and Science of Matcha Cultivation
Matcha, the globally recognized tea, celebrated for its health benefits and rich umami flavor, has a cultivation process that is both intricate and time-honored. Unlike regular green tea, matcha is grown under specific conditions to enhance its color, texture, and nutritional profile. From shading the tea plants to stone grinding the leaves, every step is carefully controlled to produce the highest quality powder.
1. Shade-Growing: The Key to Premium Matcha
About 3 to 4 weeks before harvest, tea plants destined for matcha are covered with shade nets or traditional straw reed screens. This shading technique boosts chlorophyll production, giving matcha its bright green color. It also increases L-theanine, an amino acid responsible for matcha’s sweet, umami taste, while reducing bitterness by limiting sunlight, which normally increases catechin levels.
The shading process is adjusted based on weather and desired quality. Higher grade matcha, like ceremonial grade, are shaded longer, up to 30 days, while culinary grade matcha may be shaded for a shorter period.
2. Hand-Picking the Best Leaves
The first flush or spring harvest, called ichibancha, yields the sweetest, most tender leaves. Skilled workers selectively pick only the youngest, topmost leaves, usually the top three sprouts, ensuring optimal flavor and texture.
Some ultra premium matcha, like tencha for ceremonial use, is hand harvested to avoid bruising the leaves, while commercial-grade matcha may be machine harvested.
3. Steaming and Drying
After picking, the leaves are quickly steamed within hours, to halt oxidation, preserving their color and nutrients. The steamed leaves are then air-dried and destemmed to remove veins and stems, leaving only the delicate leaf material.
5. Stone-Grinding into Fine Powder
The dried leaves are ground into powder using granite stone mills, which rotate slowly to avoid overheating and maintain matcha’s delicate flavor. It can take up to an hour to grind just 30 to 40 grams of matcha, ensuring a silky smooth texture.
6. Grading and Packaging
Matcha is graded based on color, texture, and taste.
Ceremonial Grade: The highest quality, made from the youngest leaves, vibrant green, smooth, and sweet.
Premium Grade: Slightly more astringent, still high quality, often used for daily drinking in lattes and smoothies.
Culinary Grade: Stronger, slightly bitter, ideal for cooking and baking. .
To preserve freshness, matcha is packed in airtight, opaque containers to protect it from light and oxygen, which degrade its quality and colour through oxidation.
Matcha cultivation is a meticulous process that blends tradition with precision farming. From shade growing to stone grinding, each step enhances the tea’s unique characteristics, making it one of the most revered teas in the world.