Ceremonial vs. culinary matcha, what’s the difference, really? You’ve probably heard that ceremonial grade is premium while culinary grade is for baking. But here’s the truth: these labels are mostly marketing. Matcha isn’t as black and white as these labels make it seem. So how do you actually choose the best matcha for your taste and use?

What is Matcha?

Matcha is a finely ground green tea powder made from shade-grown tea leaves called tencha. Depending on the origin and blend, matcha green tea can taste sweet, creamy, nutty, umami, savory, roasted, chocolatey, and umami. It’s a superfood with lots of antioxidants and provides a sustainable caffeine boost.

It originated in China and was brought over to Japan in the 1100s by a Buddhist monk, cultivating religious tea ceremonies in Japan (called sado). Why matcha and not other teas, you ask?

Well, matcha is hard to grow and source, which makes it a great status symbol when you’re an elite in old Japanese society. Eventually, tea ceremonies became ubiquitous throughout all Japanese society, honoring and savoring the tea spent with those participating in the tea ceremony.

Nowadays, matcha is one of the most popular flavors of drinks and desserts, transformed from its traditional origins.

How is Matcha Made?

Making matcha is a very laborious and time-consuming process.

While matcha is grown in several Asian countries, many consider Japan as the gold standard for its suitable climate and traditional methods.

Farmers grow tencha leaves during the fall or winter and harvest them in spring. Then, they steam, dry, and devein the leaves before stonemilling them into a fine powder. It can take up to an hour just to make one 30 g tin of matcha, which requires dozens of leaves!

How Matcha is Evaluated in Japan

Unlike other countries, matcha in Japan is not graded with labels like ceremonial and culinary. In fact, those labels do not exist in Japan. Similar to coffee beans, matcha is labelled and “graded” by flavor, harvest, and cultivar. The majority of the time, it is described by flavor and its recommended use.

But sometimes you’ll find details about cultivar and harvest, in which case you should know what they mean!

First Harvest and Second Harvest

Generally, matcha is mostly produced at the end of spring, around late April to early June. You want to harvest tencha leaves at their peak “ripeness” to get the best flavor, which is known as first-harvest. After June, you have the second harvest, and finally, the remains.

First harvest matcha is generally fresher, flavorful, and brighter green, and has all the nuanced flavors that you can only get when the leaves are picked at peak harvest.

Second harvest matcha is still flavorful, but it won’t have some of the more delicate flavors found in its first counterpart. It usually has a deeper flavor but is not as light or sweet.

There is also a third harvest that is usually known as the remains or leftovers of the matcha harvest. This tea is usually very bitter and astringent, which is what you might think of when you think of green tea. Normally, this is used for mass-produced green tea or matcha used for convenience store or grocery store drinks or desserts.

So, if Japan doesn’t classify its matcha with grades, then where did it come from?

Where Did Grade Come From?

I honestly don’t know who started using the terms ceremonial or culinary grade. But like most mass movements, matcha brands must have gradually adopted these terms to market to Western audiences.

Most non-Japanese matcha brands will use these grades to identify their powders, usually alongside more descriptive labels like harvest and cultivar. Because it’s so informal, there’s no governing body that regulates these claims.

Think of ceremonial and culinary grades more like a loose spectrum than a strict classification. There’s overlap, and many matchas fall somewhere in the middle.

Why You Can’t Trust Grade Labels

Because these grades are unregulated, nothing is stopping a brand from claiming its matcha as ceremonial.

This is problematic because what happens when people purchase matcha, thinking it’s the same type of tea used in tea ceremonies (fresh, bright, flavorful), but it might be second or even third harvest matcha that is much more astringent and bitter.

What You Think You’re Buying vs. What You Might Be Getting

When you buy “Ceremonial” grade, you might get:

• First harvest, vibrant matcha (best case)
• Second harvest, one-note flavor (common)
• Third harvest with dull flavor (worst case)

At that point, it’s useless to deliberate between ceremonial vs culinary matcha since it won’t matter in the end!

What is Ceremonial Grade Matcha?

Ceremonial grade actually originated with the intention of describing the first harvest matcha teas used in tea ceremonies: full of flavor, bold, delicate, and umami. It’s loved for its lack of bitterness and astringency, with a full flavor and soft texture.

Because of the first harvest’s limited stock and delicacy, it’s normally much more expensive to produce and buy. It’s also much more temperamental and requires extra careful storage.

What is Culinary Grade Matcha?

The problem with using ceremonial grade matcha with mixed drinks, desserts, and lattes is that milk and sugar wash out all the delicate flavor. So, matcha that is more bitter and stronger is ideal for culinary scenarios, which the second or even third harvest is perfect for.

Therefore, culinary matcha usually alludes to a bitter and more astringent matcha powder, with little to low umami and a pronounced vegetal flavor.

Because there’s more availability of this type of matcha, it’s normally much cheaper and more affordable.

So while ceremonial and culinary grade do technically exist, they’re not the most reliable way to understand what matcha will actually taste like.

Ceremonial vs. Culinary Matcha Differences

While ceremonial and culinary matcha grades are not very specific nor accurate, it’s a helpful tool to help understand what it might taste like.

Ceremonial grade matcha should be bright green, deep in umami flavor, soft and powdery, and have a pleasant aroma. It should be easy to whisk and drink, with little to no bitterness or astringency. Because it’s more delicate and rare, it will be much more expensive than culinary matcha, with some 30g tins of matcha retailing upwards of $60+!

On the other hand, culinary grade matcha will be a dull green or slightly brown color, with bitterness and astringency, and a strong one-note tea flavor. Because of its availability and long shelf-life, culinary matcha is much cheaper than ceremonial. You can find 100g of powder for less than $25.

How to Choose Quality Matcha

Let’s take one page from Japanese tea masters and brands’ books and evaluate matcha based on its flavor profile, cultivar, and harvest. A cultivar is a cultivated variety of tea plant, each with its own flavor profile, similar to how different grapes are used for different wines.

Here are some pointers when looking for a matcha that will best suit your flavor preferences:

• Harvest:
  • First-Harvest: Delicate, sweet, umami, smooth, creamy.
  • Second-Harvest: Robust, slightly bitter, umami, subtly sweet.
  • Third-Harvest: Bitter, astringent, bold.
• Cultivar:
  • Yabukita: Rich, umami, balanced.
  • Okunimidori: Umami, bitter, bold.
  • Samidori: Sweet, floral, mild.
• Flavor Profiles:
  • Sweet, floral, creamy, umami, bitter, nutty, chocolatey, marine or seaweed, buttery, etc.

It’s important to note that not all brands will disclose all three characteristics of matcha. Usually, you will find the flavor profile, but the harvest and cultivar can be harder to get.

Even with this information, it can be hard to decide which matcha you like best from just reading. The best way to know what you like is to try it yourself!

Which Matcha is Better?

I wish it were easy to say this matcha is better than this other matcha, but it truly depends on what you like! However, most people want whatever is the perceived highest quality, which, in matcha terms, means a more expensive matcha, fresher, and has more pleasant flavor notes.

But I argue that the better matcha is the one that fits your flavor preference best. For example, you can like:

• Matcha on its own (no milk or sugar)
• Matcha with milk or sugar
• Umami matcha
• Floral matcha
• Sweet and creamy matcha

And prefer different types of matcha powder that might not necessarily be “ceremonial grade”.

Best Matcha for Lattes

Now, if you’re like most matcha consumers, you probably drink matcha in latte form, whether that’s plain or with a syrup. As mentioned, sometimes the delicate flavors in matcha are overpowered by milk, but often those are the most delicious parts of matcha.

💡 Pro Tip: Want a bold, matcha-forward latte? Go for a second-harvest matcha with a more robust flavor. Save your delicate first-harvest matcha for sipping straight!

Normally, the best, high-quality product is what you want. However, in the matcha world, many people suggest not using the best quality matcha because you won’t be able to taste it in a latte. By all means, you bought your matcha, so consume it how you like, but it’s just something to think about when you’re buying powders.

So, many people recommend using a culinary grade or lower grade matcha for lattes, which are more bitter and bold in flavor. This way, you’ll still taste the matcha when milk is added.

You might need to experiment with what matcha powders taste best in a latte, because honestly, sometimes the higher grade powders taste great in lattes!

If you want recommendations for the best matcha for lattes, I recommend a bunch of matcha powders according to what flavors you prefer.

Try These Matcha Recipes

Now that you know a little bit more about ceremonial vs culinary matcha and how to properly decipher them, you’ll be able to buy the matcha powder that’s right for you! And once you have matcha you love, here are some amazing matcha recipes to try next:

• Banana cream matcha latte
• Mango sticky rice matcha latte
• Date cream matcha latte
• Matcha Thai tea
• Honey matcha latte

FAQ’s about Ceremonial vs Culinary Matcha

Does Ceremonial Grade Matcha Exist?

Yes, it technically does; however, the terms ceremonial and culinary are not used in Japan. They are an unregulated marketing label Western companies use to market their matcha. Ceremonial grade generally means that the matcha is fresher, more umami-forward, and made from first harvest leaves, which is great in tea ceremonies.

Can You Use Culinary Grade Matcha For Drinks?

Yes, it is actually sometimes better for drinks and desserts because it is more bold and bitter. The extra milk or sugar won’t wash away the matcha flavor, and your drink will still taste like matcha.

Is Culinary Grade Matcha Good Quality?

Culinary grade does not mean bad quality! Quality really depends on production and growing, which could be good or bad quality depending on labor and machinery. Like ceremonial grade matcha can be bad quality if it is not processed or milled correctly.