Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Why these two get confused
Koicha and usucha grades of matcha. The distinction is whether the powder can be drunk at four times normal concentration without bitterness, which is what the grade certifies.
TeaHQ has written about this pair
There is no official matcha grading system, and the terms everyone uses were invented by sellers. What actually varies is measurable, and this compares the two ends of it.
- What the grade certifies
- Matcha koicha grade: That the powder can be drunk at four times normal concentration without bitterness.Matcha usucha grade: That it is good enough for the ordinary whisked preparation.
- Concentration
- Matcha koicha grade: Around 4 g to 40 ml, kneaded into a paste.Matcha usucha grade: Around 2 g to 70 ml, whisked to a light foam.
- Leaf
- Matcha koicha grade: First harvest from the oldest shaded bushes.Matcha usucha grade: First or second harvest, shaded.
- Price
- Matcha koicha grade: Highest in the category by a wide margin.Matcha usucha grade: High, but this is what most good matcha is.
- Where the fake grades come in
- Matcha koicha grade: No official term exists. 'Ceremonial' is a seller’s word.Matcha usucha grade: Same. 'Culinary' usually means unshaded ground green tea, which is a different product.
In summary: Buy on colour, harvest date and price consistency rather than on the word on the tin. If the seller cannot say when it was picked or whether it was shaded, the grade name is decoration.
Point by point
| Dimension | Matcha koicha grade | Matcha usucha grade |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Green tea · unoxidised | Green tea · unoxidised |
| Production | In order: Shading → Steaming (Japanese fixation) → De-stemming and de-veining → Stone milling. spring harvest. | In order: Shading → Steaming (Japanese fixation) → De-stemming and de-veining → Stone milling. spring harvest. |
| Origin | Japan — Uji | Japan — Uji and Wazuka |
| Flavour | umami, creamy and sweet. full bodied, rich, silky and complex in the mouth. Aroma: sweet cream, seaweed, chestnut. Layered in character. Moderate in intensity. | umami, vegetal and creamy. medium, silky and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: fresh grass, sweet cream, seaweed. Moderate in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Whisking (bowl-prepared powdered tea): 8–12 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 60s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. | Whisking (bowl-prepared powdered tea): 2–4 g/100 ml at 70–80 °C, first steep 30s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. |
| Cultural context | Not recorded for this tea. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and is willing to drink something several times before it makes sense. It rewards attention to leaf weight and timing. | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.