What’s the difference between koicha vs usucha? If you’re a matcha fan, these are likely terms you’ve heard before, and in this article we’re going to clear up the confusion once and for all.
In this article, we’re going to discuss what koicha and usucha and difference between koicha and usucha. We’ll also show you what to look for when you are purchasing each type.
Let’s get started!
Koicha vs usucha explained
So what’s the difference between koicha vs usucha? Koicha means “thick tea” and usucha means “thin tea”. These are two preparation styles in the Japanese tea ceremony. Koicha is a thick matcha paste drunk during special ceremonies, and usucha is a light foamy tea for more informal tea ceremonies.
The difference between koicha and usucha
Koicha is prepared using 4 grams of matcha and 40ml of water. This creates an extremely thick matcha paste with the consistency of paint. The flavor and nutrients of the matcha become extremely concentrated, and it can only be made with the highest quality powder.
Usucha is prepared using 2 grams of powder and 70-80ml of water. This is a thinner texture more similar to a normal green tea. It can also be whisked to create a foam on top, giving the matcha a lighter and airier consistency.
How to make koicha or usucha
Now that we’ve compared the differences of usucha vs koicha, let’s learn how to make each one!
Making usucha
To make usucha, sift 2 grams of matcha powder into your bowl and add in 70ml of water at a temperature of 140-175°F/60-80°C. Use your bamboo matcha whisk or chasen to gently scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure all the matcha powder is combined into the water.
Then you can begin whisking the matcha. Use rapid, zigzag motions using your wrist until a light green foam appears on top of the matcha. It may take some practice, but once you get the technique down, you should be able to create a beautiful foam in seconds.
Making koicha
For koicha, you can sift 4 grams of matcha powder into the bowl and add in 50ml of water at 140-175°F/60-80°C. After the water has been added, it’s time to mix the powder in.
Making koicha is much different than whisking thin matcha. You don’t whisk the matcha, but rather “knead” the powder into the water to create a smooth paste. For this, you may want to use a special type of whisk, which we’ll discuss in the next section.
koicha vs usucha matcha whisk
While both koicha and usucha can be made with a normal chasen, for koicha you may prefer to use a special 32 prong chasen. These chasen are much sturdier, and better for kneading bowls of koicha.
For whisking foamy bowls of matcha, the more tines the better. These bristles agitate the matcha particles into the water and inject air more effectively.
Using usucha vs koicha for latte
Should you use koicha or usucha for matcha latte? We recommend using koicha, and there are two reasons why. Just start with a matcha paste and then add that directly into the latte. You’ll thank us later!
Clumps in usucha vs koicha matcha
Using koicha paste in your matcha latte is a great way to reduce the clumps. When you are mixing the matcha into a paste, it is much easier to see the clumps and smooth them out.
If you add too much water, the clumps will get lost and it will be almost impossible to get rid of them.
Flavor of usucha vs koicha matcha
Koicha also gives a much stronger flavor to your matcha latte. You’re already adding a lot of milk to your matcha latte, so you really want to reduce the amount of water. Rather than using 80ml of water to make matcha for your latte, just add the paste directly to the milk and it will be less watered down.
Can you just make the paste with milk? Actually, the hot water is key because it will start to extract the flavor of the matcha and make the latte more flavorful.
Selecting koicha vs usucha matcha
Whether you’re making koicha or usucha matcha, it’s especially important to go for a high quality source. After traveling all around Japan for the past few years, we’ve met with dozens of different farmers and sampled hundreds of different matcha teas.
If you want to find our usucha and koicha grade matcha, you can browse our ceremonial matcha section. The more affordable matcha will be perfect for usucha, and the high-end stuff can work great in koicha!
