The difference between good matcha and the kind you look forward to is not just the powder. It is the method, and it takes about two minutes. Get it right and you have a smooth, bright, cafe good cup, and a small ritual that belongs entirely to you. Here is how.

What you will need

• Your Aceae matcha, one of Lemon Myrtle, Strawberry Gum, or Vanilla and Honey
• A small sieve, this is the step most people skip and it matters
• A bamboo whisk (chasen) for the traditional result, or an electric milk frother for an easy everyday one. A regular whisk will do at a pinch
• Water just off the boil, ideally 80 degrees, never boiling
• Your milk of choice, or nothing at all

The hot method

This mirrors the instructions on your pouch.

1. Sift 3.5g (one heaped teaspoon) into a bowl. Sifting removes the lumps before they start, so the cup ends up silky rather than grainy.
2. Add 50ml of hot water at 80 degrees, not boiling. Boiling water scorches the leaf and turns it bitter.
3. Whisk in a zigzag motion, a W or M shape from the wrist, until frothy and smooth. An electric milk frother does the same job in seconds if you would rather.
4. Pour into 180 to 240ml of your preferred plant-based milk, or hot water.
5. Enjoy. Sit down, drink it slowly.

The iced method

1. Sift and whisk your matcha with a splash of 80 degree water, exactly as above, until smooth.
2. Fill a tall glass generously with ice. More ice keeps it colder, which keeps it tasting better.
3. Pour cold milk over the ice first, then pour the matcha slowly down the side of the glass. Let it fall through the milk and watch the layers form before you stir.

The one rule most people miss. Watch the colour. A bright jade green means you got the water temperature right. A dull, olive green means the water was too hot. And always sift first. If you take one thing from this page, take the sieve.

Choosing your milk

Matcha is happy on its own, but the right milk turns it into a latte worth photographing.

• Oat is our favourite, especially over ice. Its natural sweetness lifts the matcha without covering it. A barista style oat milk foams best.
• Almond is clean and light, and lets the matcha lead.
• Coconut is rich and rounded, and pairs beautifully with the warmth of Strawberry Gum.
• Full cream dairy is the classic, and its fat rounds a hot latte beautifully.

A note on your blend

Each Aceae blend has a mood, and a way it likes to be made.

• Lemon Myrtle is bright and clean, at its best over ice on a warm morning.
• Strawberry Gum is warm and gently spiced, and this is the rare one we recommend hot, with steamed milk, for a slow morning.
• Vanilla and Honey is our gentlest, roundest blend. If you have had bad matcha before and written it off, start here.

Go further

Once you have the basics, these take it up a level:

• How to make an iced matcha latte that tastes like a cafe's
• Lemon Myrtle matcha coconut cloud
• Sparkling Lemon Myrtle matcha
• What ceremonial grade actually means, and why it matters here

Common questions

Do I need a special whisk?
A bamboo chasen gives the smoothest result, but a small electric frother is a great everyday alternative. A regular kitchen whisk will do at a pinch, and sifting first matters even more if that is what you are using.

Why not boiling water?
Boiling water scorches the fine leaf and pulls out bitterness. Just off the boil, around 80 degrees, keeps the flavour smooth and the colour a bright jade green.

What milk is best?
Oat milk is our favourite for iced lattes for its natural sweetness. Full cream dairy is lovely for hot. Coconut suits the warmth of Strawberry Gum. It comes down to taste, so try a few.

Two worlds in one cup. A daily ritual grown from somewhere real.

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