Have you ever bought matcha powder to brew at home only to find it so bitter you squint your eyes? Or used an expensive grade for baking cakes, only to have the aroma completely fade? These problems disappear once you understand matcha grading. Although matcha looks uniformly green worldwide, its character and purpose vary greatly. Currently, there is no fixed legal standard, but within the green tea industry, grades are classified by harvest time and leaf quality. Thairath Online invites you to decode the three main grades every green tea lover should know, to make every sip worthwhile.
Ceremonial Grade
Ceremonial Grade is the highest and most expensive grade, made from the first tender tea buds of the harvest. It is slowly stone-ground with granite mills to preserve quality, resulting in a bright, vivid green color.
Its taste is soft and smooth, with a high umami richness reminiscent of seaweed or broth, and virtually no bitterness. This grade is best brewed plain with hot water (Usucha), as in traditional tea ceremonies, to fully enjoy its authentic flavor.
It should not be mixed with milk, sugar, or used in baking because its delicate taste would be completely overshadowed, making it a waste.
Premium Grade
This grade is just below Ceremonial, offering a balanced profile. It often combines leaves from the first and second harvests to achieve a stronger flavor. The color is still beautiful green but slightly less bright than Ceremonial.
The taste is more intense, with a slight astringency which is beneficial as it cuts through richness, making it ideal for mixed drinks like Matcha Latte, smoothies, or iced beverages with milk or oat milk. The flavor can stand up to milk without being overwhelmed or lost.
Culinary Grade
Culinary Grade does not necessarily mean the lowest quality. It is made from fully mature tea leaves, resulting in a heavier body and often a dull or slightly yellowish green color rather than a bright green. The taste is distinctly bitter and astringent with a strong tea aroma.
This grade is perfect for baking—cakes, cookies, brownies, ice cream—or cooking, because its intense bitterness and flavor hold up well to heat and are not lost when combined with flour, butter, milk, and sugar.
It is not recommended to brew Culinary Grade with water alone, as its strong bitterness and astringency may spoil the drinking experience or cause stomach discomfort.