What is usucha?
Usucha (薄茶), thin tea, is matcha whisked with water into a light, foamy drink. It is the everyday way of preparing matcha: about 2 g of matcha with water at 70–80 °C, whisked quickly in an M or W motion until a fine foam covers the surface.
What is koicha?
Koicha (濃茶), thick tea, is matcha prepared with roughly twice as much powder and far less water. Instead of being whisked to a foam, it is kneaded slowly into a smooth, glossy paste. Koicha belongs to formal tea gatherings, and because it concentrates the tea's flavour, bitterness included, it is traditionally made only with the highest grades.
Usucha and koicha compared
| Usucha | Koicha | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Thin tea | Thick tea |
| Matcha per bowl | ≈ 2 g | Roughly twice as much |
| Water | More, at 70–80 °C | Far less |
| Texture | Light foam | Smooth, thick, no foam |
| Motion | Quick M or W whisking | Slow kneading |
| Matcha grade | Ceremonial | The highest ceremonial grades |
| Whisk | 100- or 120-prong chasen | A sturdy chasen with fewer, broader prongs |
Which matcha and whisks to use
For usucha, a ceremonial matcha and a fine whisk: our ceremonial matcha (GTG202001) is made to be whisked with water and drunk as it is, and the 100-prong (GTG201001) and 120-prong (GTG201005) whisks lift the finest foam. For thick tea, a sturdy whisk such as the shin chasen (GTG201009, GTG201010), whose broad prongs knead without breaking.
The tea is in matcha tea, and the whisks are compared in matcha tools.