Authentic matcha demands six precisely timed steps stretched over months, and cutting corners at any stage ruins the entire harvest. While regular green tea needs just picking and drying, matcha demands specialized cultivation beginning weeks before harvest, followed by processing methods unchanged since medieval times. This labor-intensive journey from leaf to powder explains why genuine matcha costs 10-15 times more than premium sencha and why attempts to shortcut traditional methods invariably fail.
Production Process of Matcha
Shading: The 20-Day Transformation
The defining characteristic separating matcha from all other teas begins 20-30 days before harvest when farmers cover plants with specialized tana structures. Traditional methods use reed screens and rice straw, blocking 70% of sunlight initially, increasing to 90-95% by harvest. Modern farms employ synthetic black mesh cloths achieving identical light reduction with better durability. This sudden darkness triggers biological panic in the plants, forcing chlorophyll production to increase by 60% and L-theanine levels to surge 40% higher than sun-exposed leaves.
Temperature management during shading proves equally critical—covered fields run 2-3°C cooler, slowing growth and concentrating amino acids. Farmers adjust covering density based on daily weather, removing screens during storms to prevent fungal growth. First flush (April-May) shading produces the sweetest matcha due to slower spring growth, while second flush (June-July) requires careful monitoring as summer heat can damage shaded leaves within hours if covering isn’t adjusted properly.
Harvesting and Initial Processing
Only the top two leaves and terminal bud meet matcha standards, hand-picked to avoid bruising that triggers oxidation. Mechanical harvesting, while 50 times faster, damages leaves and includes older growth, relegating such material to lower grades. Picked leaves must reach processing facilities within 3-4 hours—any delay allows enzymatic breakdown that creates off-flavors impossible to remove later.
Technical Detail: Steam treatment happens at precisely 120°C for 20 seconds. Shorter steaming preserves freshness but allows oxidation; longer steaming prevents oxidation but creates flat, spinach-like flavors Japanese call “naval-steamed.”
After steaming, leaves undergo unique handling for matcha: instead of rolling (like sencha), they’re air-dried flat in specialized ovens at 180°C. This creates aracha (rough tea), which then passes through air jets that strip stems and veins, leaving only soft leaf tissue called tencha. Quality operations remove 60-70% of the original leaf weight during this cleaning—inferior producers skip thorough de-stemming, creating gritty matcha.
Stone Grinding: Where Tradition Meets Science
Granite grinding stones represent matcha’s most unchanged element since the 13th century. Each 400-pound stone set costs $20,000-30,000, with grooves hand-carved in specific patterns that create optimal friction. Stones rotate at just 60 RPM, grinding merely 30-40 grams hourly—industrial ceramic grinders produce 5 kilograms hourly but generate heat exceeding 50°C, destroying heat-sensitive compounds and creating burnt notes.
The grinding room maintains strict temperature control, keeping conditions below 25°C to prevent heat damage. Particle size must achieve 5-10 microns (finer than baby powder) for proper suspension—larger particles create grittiness while over-grinding generates excessive heat that can degrade the matcha’s color and nutrients. Master grinders adjust pressure regularly throughout the day as stones warm, listening for changes that indicate needed adjustments. Each stone mill produces only 30-40 grams per hour, this slow speed essential for preventing heat buildup. The millstone’s precision-carved grooves eventually wear down and require reconditioning by skilled craftsmen—a dying art with fewer than 50 stone carvers remaining in Japan who possess the expertise to hand-carve these grooves to exact specifications.
Quality Control and Final Steps
Before packaging, every batch undergoes sensory evaluation by trained panels checking color vibrancy, aroma complexity, and taste balance. Laboratory testing confirms key quality markers including L-theanine content (ceremonial grade typically contains 20-40mg per serving), catechin levels, caffeine concentration, and particle size distribution. Packaging happens immediately in nitrogen-flushed containers to prevent oxidation—replacing oxygen with nitrogen gas significantly slows degradation of catechins and other antioxidants. This controlled atmosphere packaging helps preserve the matcha’s nutritional benefits, vibrant green color, and delicate flavor compounds throughout its shelf life.
How Production Can Impact Quality
These intricate production steps explain why authentic matcha cannot be rushed or mechanized without sacrificing quality. When evaluating matcha, you’re assessing the culmination of agricultural expertise, processing precision, and centuries-old craftsmanship. Each deviation from traditional methods—shorter shading, mechanical harvesting, high-speed grinding—creates detectible quality degradation, making production knowledge essential for informed purchasing.
Frequently asked questions
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Why do matcha farmers shade tea plants before harvest?
Shading triggers a biological response that transforms ordinary tea leaves into matcha. When farmers cover plants with tana structures 20-30 days before harvest, blocking 90-95% of sunlight, the plants panic and boost chlorophyll production by 60%. L-theanine levels surge 40% higher compared to sun-exposed leaves. The covered fields also run 2-3°C cooler, which slows growth and concentrates amino acids—this is what creates matcha’s sweet, umami-rich flavor profile that sets it apart from regular green tea.
How is matcha harvested and why does timing matter?
Only the top two leaves and terminal bud meet matcha standards, and they’re hand-picked to avoid bruising that triggers oxidation. Here’s the thing: picked leaves must reach processing facilities within 3-4 hours. Any delay allows enzymatic breakdown that creates off-flavors you can’t remove later. Mechanical harvesting works 50 times faster but damages leaves and includes older growth, which is why it’s reserved for lower grades. First flush harvests in April-May produce the sweetest matcha due to slower spring growth.
What's the difference between tencha and matcha?
Tencha is the leaf material that becomes matcha powder. After steaming, leaves are air-dried flat at 180°C instead of being rolled like sencha. Then air jets strip away stems and veins, leaving only soft leaf tissue. Quality operations remove 60-70% of the original leaf weight during this cleaning process. Inferior producers skip thorough de-stemming, which creates gritty matcha. So tencha is essentially the purified, pre-ground form—matcha is what you get after grinding tencha into fine powder.
Why are stone mills still used to grind matcha?
Granite grinding stones haven’t changed since the 13th century for good reason. Each 400-pound stone set costs $20,000-30,000 and rotates at just 60 RPM, grinding only 30-40 grams hourly. That slow speed prevents heat buildup. Industrial ceramic grinders produce 5 kilograms hourly but generate heat exceeding 50°C, which destroys heat-sensitive compounds and creates burnt notes. The particle size must achieve 5-10 microns for proper suspension—stone mills deliver this consistency while keeping temperatures below 25°C.
How does the steaming process affect matcha quality?
Steam treatment happens at precisely 120°C for 20 seconds. It’s a delicate balance. Shorter steaming preserves freshness but allows oxidation to continue, while longer steaming prevents oxidation but creates flat, spinach-like flavors the Japanese call ‘naval-steamed.’ This steaming stops enzymatic activity immediately, locking in the bright green color and fresh flavor. That’s why leaves must reach processing facilities within 3-4 hours of picking—proper steaming can’t fix damage from delayed processing.
What quality checks happen before matcha is packaged?
Every batch undergoes sensory evaluation by trained panels checking color vibrancy, aroma complexity, and taste balance. Laboratory testing confirms L-theanine content (ceremonial grade typically contains 20-40mg per serving), catechin levels, caffeine concentration, and particle size distribution. Packaging happens immediately in nitrogen-flushed containers to prevent oxidation. Replacing oxygen with nitrogen gas slows degradation of catechins and other antioxidants, preserving the vibrant green color and delicate flavor compounds throughout shelf life.
