What is "ceremonial grade" matcha?
What Is "Ceremonial Grade" Matcha?
You've probably seen "ceremonial grade" on matcha packaging and cafe menus. It sounds official. It sounds like there's a governing body somewhere certifying matcha into tiers. There isn't. Surprise~
"Ceremonial grade" is a marketing term, not a real classification. There's no industry standard, no certification body, no agreed-upon definition. Any producer can put it on their label, and many do — including producers selling matcha that wouldn't pass muster in the hands of an actual tea master.
Here's our opinion on matcha grading and what to look for instead.
The "real" grades
In practice, matcha quality exists on a spectrum, but the most useful way to think about it is in three tiers:
Koicha grade is the highest quality matcha available. It's made from the youngest, most tender tea leaves of the first spring harvest, shade-grown for 20-30 days under traditional canopy structures. The shading allows the leaves to produce more chlorophyll and L-theanine, which gives the matcha its vivid colour, natural sweetness, and depth of umami. After harvest, the leaves are steamed, dried, de-veined, and stone-ground on granite mills — a process so slow that a single mill produces about 40g per hour. Koicha grade is thick enough to be kneaded, not whisked, and is traditionally served in a thick, paste-like consistency with no foam.
Usucha grade is excellent matcha meant for "thin tea" — the style most people picture when they think of matcha. Normally first-harvest leaves, shade-grown, stone-ground. Less concentrated than koicha grade. This is the matcha you whisk vigorously with hot water until a fine foam forms (if you ascribe to the Urasenke school of thought). Naturally sweet, complex, pleasant bitterness. Meant to be drunk straight, without milk or sugar.
Culinary grade (sometimes called "cafe grade" or "cooking grade") often uses later-harvest leaves from lower on the plant. Less shade time, more bitterness, duller colour. Sometimes more fertilizers to make up for the lower overall nutrient content. This is the grade most cafes use in matcha lattes, and what you find in matcha-flavoured desserts and baked goods. It's designed to be mixed with milk and sugar.
Below culinary, there's ingredient grade — the cheapest. rownish-green, bitter, mostly used in packaged food products. This is what's in your matcha Kit-Kat.
Why "ceremonial grade" doesn't tell you much
The term was created for Western and export markets. It suggests a binary — ceremonial (good) vs not ceremonial (everything else) — but quality is actually a spectrum with many variables: the region, the shading method, the harvest timing, the grinding process, the freshness. Ad nauseum.
A bag labelled "ceremonial grade" could be genuinely excellent first- or second-harvest matcha from Uji. Or it could be mediocre matcha with a fancy label and aesthetic packaging. You have no way to tell from the label alone.
What you can look for:
- The producer. Reputable Japanese producers (from Uji, Nishio, Kagoshima) stand behind their product with specific information about origin and harvest. If there is minimal information about the producer, be wary.
- The colour. Fresh matcha is vivid green. This applies even at culinary grades. If your matcha is dull and dusty, there is a good chance it has not been stored properly and allowed to oxidize.
- The taste. High-grade matcha is balanced — natural sweetness and depth with pleasant bitterness. It is rarely hollow.
- The price. Good matcha is... fairly expensive. A 30g tin at Rp 300,000-600,000+ (after, say, jastip, or taxes + shipping) is in the right range for usucha or koicha grade. If it's Rp 50,000-100,000 for 30g but labelled "ceremonial," be sceptical.
Why the price gap is so large
Labour. Early-harvest leaves tend to be hand-picked. The shading structures are built and maintained by hand. Stone-grinding is slow and the mills need frequent maintenance.
Yield. The first spring harvest produces far less volume than later harvests. Only the smallest, youngest leaves qualify.
Region. The best matcha comes from a small number of regions in Japan, primarily Uji (Kyoto), Nishio (Aichi), and parts of Kagoshima. Many are arguing that green tea harvested and processed abroad, but in the Japanese manner, can be sold as "authentic matcha" as well, but we will leave it to you to decide.
Why most cafes don't serve high-grade matcha
Usucha-grade and koicha-grade matcha are expensive and were never intended to be used as an ingredient. They are the stars of their own shows, whereas matcha lattes require harmony with other players — milk, creamer, sweetener, etc.
There's nothing wrong with a matcha latte made well. But if you've only ever had matcha mixed with milk and sweetener, you haven't actually tasted matcha. The difference is like comparing instant powdered coffee to a properly extracted pour-over. Same plant, completely different experience.
How to drink it
For a starting point, try usucha — sift 2-3g of powder into a wide-mouth bowl. Add 70-100ml of low-mineral water at about 80°C (not boiling). Whisk with a bamboo chasen in a W-shaped motion until a fine foam forms, or almost. Drink it straight like you would any other cup of high-quality tea.
That's it. The quality of the matcha should speak for itself.
HomageMakes is a cafe in Bandung serving classic coffee, high-grade matcha, loose leaf tea, and in-house baked goods. We host free public coffee cuppings every month, and you can try usucha and koicha from reputable Japanese matcha producers every day except Wednesday.