Matcha Grades Guide
Which matcha grade is right for you? Whether you're stocking a café in Melbourne, baking at home in Brisbane, or just working out what to order online, this guide explains what each grade means, how it is made, and what to use it for.
What matcha grades actually mean
Matcha grade is not a formal industry certification. It is a descriptor used to communicate the quality level, intended use, and flavour profile of a particular matcha. The main factors that determine grade are: when in the growing season the leaves are harvested, how old the leaves are, whether stems and veins have been removed, and how the powder is milled.
Higher grades use younger, first-harvest leaves with stems and veins removed. This produces a naturally sweeter, more delicate flavour with a vivid green colour. Lower grades use older, later-harvest leaves and have a stronger, more robust taste suited to recipes and cooking. Both can come from the same plant. The difference is in the timing and the processing.
Drinking straight, whisked with water, traditional preparation
Ceremonial Grade
Whisk with 70-80 degree Celsius water. No milk or sweetener required. Traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies.
Organic Ceremonial Grade Japanese Matcha — available in 60g retail size and with starter packs.
Matcha lattes, iced matcha, smoothies, high-volume service
Cafe Grade
Works well both straight with water and with steamed or cold milk. The standard choice for cafes and home baristas.
Cafe Grade Organic Matcha — available in 60g and bulk 500g / 1kg
Everyday drinking, lattes, modern recipes and budget-friendly option
All Purpose Ceremonial Grade
Works well both straight with water and with steamed or cold milk. The standard choice for cafes and home baristas.
Cafe Grade Organic Matcha — available in 60g and bulk 500g / 1kg
Baking, cooking, recipes where matcha is a primary ingredient
Culinary Grade
Use as you would ceremonial grade. Suitable for straight preparation and milk-based drinks.
Ceremonial Grade All Purpose Matcha — available in 60g
MATCHA GUIDE
Find Your Matcha
Compare our matcha grades and choose the one that best suits your daily ritual.
| Grade | Best For | Flavour | Organic | Milling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceremonial Grade | Drinking straight with water | Sweet, smooth, low bitterness | Yes — JAS certified | Stone-ground |
| Cafe Grade | Lattes, iced matcha, smoothies | Bold, clean, good milk integration | Yes — JAS certified | Stone-ground |
| All Purpose Ceremonial | Everyday drinking, lattes, budget option | Smooth, versatile | No | Bead-milled |
| Culinary Grade | Baking, cooking, recipes | Strong, robust, more bitter | Yes — JAS certified | Stone-ground |
Swipe to compare →
Questions. Answers.
Everything you need to know before your first order, and a few things our regulars still ask us.
Ceremonial grade uses the youngest first-harvest leaves with stems and veins removed, producing a naturally sweet, smooth flavour suited to drinking straight with water. Culinary grade uses more mature, later-harvest leaves with a stronger, more robust flavour suited to cooking and baking where it is combined with other ingredients. They come from the same plant; the difference is when and how they are harvested.
Cafe grade is the most practical starting point for most people. It is smooth enough to enjoy straight, bold enough to work well in lattes, and more affordable per cup than ceremonial grade. If you want to try traditional matcha preparation as it is done in the Japanese tea ceremony, ceremonial grade is the right choice.
Stone-ground matcha is milled using traditional granite millstones that rotate slowly. The slow process avoids heat buildup, which preserves the delicate flavour compounds and nutrients in the leaf. Bead-milling is a faster, industrial process. It produces a not as fine powder, but a powder that more easily mixes in liquids, which makes making drinks like matcha latte easier in modern applications.. However, it can affect the aroma and flavour profile. The Matcha Samurai organic ceremonial grade is stone-ground. All other grades are bead-milled.
Organic matcha carries JAS certification, which means it has been grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers and independently verified. Whether that matters to you depends on your priorities. The flavour difference between organic and non-organic matcha of the same grade is less significant than the difference between grades themselves. Our All Purpose Ceremonial Grade is non-organic but is a high-quality product at a lower price point.