Testing different ways to make iced matcha latte
I noticed for a while now that whenever you can see an iced matcha latte being prepared online, they're making it differently than I do. So I thought I'd describe both versions and see which one I like better!
my version
The way I make it usually is:
- Put desired amount of matcha powder into the glass.
- Add a little filtered, cold tap water.
- Whisk.
- Add 2-3 ice cubes.
- Fill up with filtered, cold tap water.
- Add a little bit of (oat) milk on top. Unfrothed in my case, you may froth it beforehand though.
That means the matcha powder stays cold the entire time.
the other version
But other people heat up the matcha as usual before pouring it into an iced beverage with lots of ice and milk. So I tried that, like this:
- Put a lot of ice into the glass so it is at least half full with ice.
- Poured a bit of (oat) milk in; it looks a lot, like it's half the beverage, but thanks to the ice, it isn't actually that much. Depending on the drink size and preferences, you might wanna add a bit of water (I did).
- Prepare matcha powder in a second cup/bowl, with 80 degree celsius water, whisking etc.
- Pour matcha into the prepared iced beverage.
assessment
The pros of my version for me: Only one cup needed, less ice needed, I can dose everything in a more straightforward way, and there's more actual liquid to drink. I think we all know that feeling when we drink an iced beverage at a restaurant or cafe and after two sips, all you have is ice. I don't like that. And if you let it melt, it just waters down the taste. Those are exactly the cons I see in the other version; you're left with a lot of ice later that waters everything down and takes up space so you aren't actually getting that much to drink.
In general, I had hoped that maybe heating up the matcha powder beforehand would activate some flavors in it that would come out in the iced matcha then, but that wasn't the case. It tasted less strong than I am used to and there were no new notes or taste. The pros for the other version come down to this: You might like matcha in a less intense way, and doing it like that will actually produce a stunning gradient. Pretty sure that's also why everyone filming does it that way - it's simply visually more appealing. But since you're gonna stir and mix it anyway, maybe you want to prioritize differently.
Maybe I will do a third version some time where I prepare my version but with warm matcha.
conclusion
I think my version is more efficient, stronger and tastier :^) and you get more liquid to drink. It just doesn't have a gradient!