{"product_id":"matcha-ceremonial-grade-organic","title":"Organic Matcha Powder — Ceremonial Grade, Stone-Ground Green Tea","description":"\u003ch2\u003eOrganic Matcha:\u003cbr\u003eCeremonial Grade, Stone-Ground\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eOther names: Matcha, Matcha Green Tea, Matcha Green Tea Powder, Powdered Green Tea, Organic Matcha, Ceremonial Grade Matcha, Stone-Ground Matcha Powder, 抹茶\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMatcha Came Home\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eMost people associate \u003cstrong\u003ematcha green tea\u003c\/strong\u003e with Japan — but the powdered green tea tradition we now call matcha was actually born in China during the Song Dynasty (10th-13th century), invented by Buddhist Zen monks who whisked \u003cstrong\u003epowdered green tea\u003c\/strong\u003e into hot water. The practice travelled to Japan in the 12th century, where it became the heart of the Japanese tea ceremony.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, Chinese tea makers are \u003cstrong\u003ereviving the original matcha craft\u003c\/strong\u003e — using the same shade-grown, stone-ground methods that started here 800 years ago. This is our certified organic Chinese matcha, made the way matcha was always meant to be made.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat Makes This Ceremonial Grade\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTrue ceremonial-grade matcha is defined by four things, all of which apply to our matcha:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShade-grown:\u003c\/strong\u003e For 3-4 weeks before harvest, the tea bushes are covered in dark shade nets. This forces the leaves to slow their growth and produce more chlorophyll and L-theanine — giving matcha its vivid jade colour, natural sweetness, and smooth umami character with no bitterness.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTencha (stems and veins removed):\u003c\/strong\u003e Only the tender leaf flesh is kept. Every stem and vein is removed by hand and machine before grinding — these contain the bitter, woody compounds that lower-grade matcha keeps in.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone-ground at 800-1,000 mesh:\u003c\/strong\u003e The leaves are ground slowly on traditional granite stones to a fineness of 800-1,000 mesh — silky-fine, almost like talc on the fingertips. This level of fineness can only be achieved by slow stone-grinding (machine grinding generates too much heat and damages the colour and flavour).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCertified organic:\u003c\/strong\u003e Grown in organic-certified gardens with no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat to Expect\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOpen the pouch and you'll see what good matcha looks like: a \u003cstrong\u003evivid, almost luminous jade-green powder\u003c\/strong\u003e — never olive, never yellowish. Whisked into hot water, it transforms into a creamy, frothy emerald cup with a thick layer of microfoam on top.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSmooth and silky:\u003c\/strong\u003e The 800-1,000 mesh fineness means zero gritty texture — pure liquid silk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNaturally sweet:\u003c\/strong\u003e The shade-growing process boosts L-theanine, giving a clean, gentle sweetness\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDeep umami:\u003c\/strong\u003e A savoury, brothy depth that defines all good ceremonial-grade matcha\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNo bitterness, no astringency:\u003c\/strong\u003e When made with proper technique (see brewing guide below), the cup is smooth and clean from the first sip to the last\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs Matcha a Green Tea?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — \u003cstrong\u003ematcha is green tea\u003c\/strong\u003e, just in powdered form. The difference is that with loose leaf green tea, you steep the leaves and drink the infused water. With \u003cstrong\u003ematcha green tea\u003c\/strong\u003e, the entire leaf is ground into a fine powder and whisked directly into water, so you consume the whole leaf and all its nutrients in every sip. This is why a single cup of \u003cstrong\u003ematcha green tea powder\u003c\/strong\u003e contains far more antioxidants and L-theanine than the same volume of steeped green tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes matcha green tea have caffeine?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — matcha contains caffeine (about 30-40mg per 2g serving, roughly half a cup of coffee). But thanks to the high L-theanine content from shade-growing, matcha delivers a smooth, sustained energy without the jittery crash of coffee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTwo Ways to Enjoy\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur matcha is versatile enough for both the traditional whisked cup and the modern matcha latte:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWhisked (usucha style):\u003c\/strong\u003e 2g matcha + 70-80ml water at 75-80°C, whisked with a bamboo chasen until frothy. The classic, focused, ceremonial cup.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMatcha latte:\u003c\/strong\u003e Whisk 2g matcha with 30ml hot water to make a concentrated base, then pour over warm or cold frothed milk. Add a touch of honey or syrup if you like.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIced matcha green tea:\u003c\/strong\u003e Whisk into cold water with ice. Bright, refreshing, no bitterness — perfect for hot Australian days. Try our \u003cstrong\u003eiced matcha green tea latte\u003c\/strong\u003e recipe: whisk 2g matcha with 30ml cold water, pour over iced milk and a touch of honey.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBaking and cooking:\u003c\/strong\u003e Add to lattes, smoothies, ice cream, cakes, cookies, and even pasta sauces for natural colour and depth.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the full traditional whisking ritual, see our brewing guide below. You'll also need a few simple tools — see our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.valleygreentea.com.au\/collections\/matcha-accessories\" title=\"Matcha Accessories\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ematcha green tea kit and accessories collection\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e for bamboo whisks, \u003cstrong\u003ematcha green tea bowls\u003c\/strong\u003e, sifters, and scoops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo make your perfect bowl of matcha,\u003cbr\u003echeck out our professional \u003cstrong\u003eBrewing Guide\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eStorage Care\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eThe Origins\u003c\/strong\u003e below 👇\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"ValleyGreenTea","offers":[{"title":"50gm","offer_id":45306126205107,"sku":"G17","price":21.05,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100gm","offer_id":45306126237875,"sku":"G17","price":38.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0743\/1798\/8019\/files\/green_tea_matcha_2.jpg?v=1780553529","url":"https:\/\/www.valleygreentea.com.au\/products\/matcha-ceremonial-grade-organic","provider":"Valley Green Tea","version":"1.0","type":"link"}