What does usucha mean?

Usucha (薄茶) means “thin tea”. It's matcha whisked with enough water to make a light, foamy bowl, as opposed to koicha, “thick tea”.

How much matcha is in a bowl of usucha?

About 2 g, or roughly one heaped bamboo scoop, with around 70 ml of water. Many people adjust between 1.5 and 2.5 g depending on the tin.

Why is my usucha bitter?

Water that's too hot is a common reason. Try letting it cool a little longer, or use a little less matcha. Tins differ, so the same recipe can taste different from one matcha to the next.

Usucha · traditional · about 3 min

Usucha

To make usucha, sift 2 g of matcha into a bowl, add 70 ml of water at about 80 °C, and whisk quickly in a W shape for about 20 seconds until a fine foam covers the surface.

matcha: 2 g
water: 70 ml
temperature: 80 °C

Ingredients · 1 bowl

2 g matcha
70 ml water, at about 80 °C

Steps

Cool the water
Boil the water, then let it sit for about two minutes.
2 min
Sift 2 g into the bowl
Through a fine sieve so nothing clumps.
10 s
Add 70 ml at 80 °C
Pour in a thin stream around the powder.
5 s
Whisk in a W
Fast, from the wrist, tines just off the bottom, until a fine foam covers the surface.
20 s
Break the bubbles
Slow circles on the surface, then lift the whisk from the centre.
5 s

Usucha is where most people start with a new tin. There’s enough water for the tea to feel open and easy to sip, so you can notice the matcha on its own before you decide how else to use it.

Make it yours

Too faint? Try a little more matcha next time, and keep the water the same.
Too intense? Try more water before deciding the tin isn’t for you.
Sharp or bitter? Let the water cool a little longer. Many people prefer usucha somewhere between 70 and 80 °C.

Change one thing at a time, so you can tell what made the difference.

In Tama

Usucha is one of the three starting points in Tama. Brew it from any tin on your shelf, adjust the amounts, and Tama remembers exactly how you made the bowls you liked.

Questions

What does usucha mean?: Usucha (薄茶) means “thin tea”. It's matcha whisked with enough water to make a light, foamy bowl, as opposed to koicha, “thick tea”.
How much matcha is in a bowl of usucha?: About 2 g, or roughly one heaped bamboo scoop, with around 70 ml of water. Many people adjust between 1.5 and 2.5 g depending on the tin.
Why is my usucha bitter?: Water that's too hot is a common reason. Try letting it cool a little longer, or use a little less matcha. Tins differ, so the same recipe can taste different from one matcha to the next.