Our Most Popular Matchas for Lattes

For most lattes, we recommend Ikuyo. It has a well-balanced flavor, and middle to lower grades are generally better for lattes.

• For a vibrant color and richness: Sayaka. It has a soft umami, it is mostly sweet, and it has a slight “pinching” astringency.
• For a lighter, more bitter taste: Ikuyo, or a lower grade such as Wakaki. Its astringency cuts through the sweetness of the milk.
• For a richer taste: Seiun. This higher grade has less astringency and more sweetness, and it makes an exceptionally creamy, full-bodied latte.

Our Matcha Latte recipe uses 1.5 level teaspoons of matcha, 100 mL of water at 80°C/176°F, and 100 mL of milk, whisked about 15 seconds. To bring more matcha flavor through the milk:

1. Keep a 50:50 water-to-milk ratio, or use more water and less milk.
2. Raise the water from 80°C/176°F to 88°C/190°F for more bitterness.
3. Whisk for 20 seconds instead of 15 for a punchier flavor.
4. If you are not sensitive to caffeine, increase the matcha from 1.5 teaspoons to 2 or 2.5 teaspoons.

Three things affect the foam on matcha:

1. The ratio of matcha to water. For straight matcha, use 2 g (1 tsp) of matcha in 60 ml (2 oz) of water. For a matcha latte, use 3 g (0.5 tbsp) of matcha with 100 ml (3.4 oz) each of water and milk.
2. The water temperature. Hotter water (80°C or higher) helps to make foam.
3. The whisk speed. Faster whisking makes more foam, but only when the ratio and the temperature are correct.

Read more: How to make foamy, creamy matcha.