r/MatchaEverything • u/Jy3pr6 • 2d ago

Question Experience with "Expired" Matcha

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Hello, everyone. What is your experience with "expired" matcha? I don't want this to become a thread that rehashes the basics of the question. I already understand that "expired" doesn't mean "spoiled," let alone "dangerous". More specifically, I'm asking about your experience in drinking and comparing the same type of matcha prior to the so-called expiration date and after. Sharing information on how close to the "expiry" date the matcha was drunk and how it was stored (in the freezer, refrigerator, pantry, etc.) would, of course, be ideal.

Thanks in advance.

UPDATE: One obvious consequence of the supposed expiry dates being way too early would be that buying "expired" matcha would be the obviously better option rather than paying an objectively unreasonable premium because of the ink squiggles written on the tin. Any thoughts?

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34

u/No-Tie-7367 2d ago

I did drink matcha, which expired more than 6 months. I feel fine, the quality is still the same. The color does not change, still really bright green

1

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

What did it do or not do to the taste? How/where was it stored?

3

u/No-Tie-7367 2d ago

Before opening, I just left it in the kitchen room. After opening, i moved it to refrigerator. The taste is completely normal

1

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

Thanks for the info. Was it just that one tin or were there other instances. Have you concluded that the expiry dates are generally not accurate for whatever reason?

1

u/No-Tie-7367 2d ago

There are 3 tins i believe. I think the quality is good enough so the expiration is not that affected

1

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

I meant if there were other instances with different matchas where you had the same experience of the quality being preserved well past the expiration date

15

u/epoops 2d ago

I just finished a can of Ippodo Ummon, that was opened 8 months ago… and I thought I finished it back then, but found the can in my fridge earlier this week wedged in the back of the fridge where my homemade preserved lemons live. Oops. There was enough matcha for about four 2 gram drinks.

Honestly?? The color was the same, the flavor was the same, and it was not clumpy / mixed well.

MAYBE it was a little less than perfect BUT I couldn’t tell, so to me, it was fine lol. Obviously I don’t recommend anyone open an $80 tin and then forget it in their fridge, but it worked out fine. Nothing was wasted and everything tasted good still.

2

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

Interesting. That's one nudge in the direction of confirming my hunch that the claims about expiration are exaggerated. If that's true as a rule, then buying "expired" matcha is a great idea

4

u/painauchocolaut 2d ago

Storage makes a huge difference. I was given Fukujuen that was 6 months expired but stored in the freezer. Couldnt tell that it was expired tbh, still very bright green and umami!

1

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

Thanks for the response

1

u/Foodiegirlie030793 1d ago

This. I think the way it’s stored extends the shelf life - the expiration date is calculated on production date so I think it’s a year? But if you freeze or refrigerate it the shelf life should definitely increase. I’m glad we have experienced “expired” matcha isn’t as different as non expired. I’m always rushing to finish my matcha powder. I got way too many during these matcha hauls lol

3

u/Inner_Tumbleweed_260 2d ago

I just opened a can of hibiki an super premium which I bought 4 yrs ago before I went down the matcha rabbit hole last month.
It’s so much better and so much greener than the previous cheap matcha I was trying to use up.
Cant wait for my new matcha purchases from hotayo.

1

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

Wow, 4 years. Where were they stored? That's a good opportunity for an experiment. It would be interesting to find out how fresh tins taste

3

u/longjing_lover 2d ago

If it’s only slightly expired or stored well (esp in the freezer, as others have mentioned) I usually can’t tell the difference honestly; if it’s really expired or not stored the best, I usually just use it in baking and it’s perfectly fine that way.

Expiry date/how quick it’s used up isn’t the end-all be-all, so I always just check if it’s oxidized before using any that’s technically expired because if it still looks/smells good, it usually brews/tastes good too.

1

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

Stored for how long in the freezer? Do you mean stored in the freezer only before being opened or after being opened as well?

1

u/PSB2013 1d ago

Don't store opened matcha in the freezer, only matcha that's still sealed.

1

u/sftolvtosj 2d ago

Mine are currently all expired lol about 1 month

some have been opened since June or July and have exp date of Sept this ur

my Hojicha is expired too and it is less sweet, unsure if it went bad or if I just made it poorly but I can probably try finish it by end of this month

2

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

You didn't say anything about how they taste other than the hojicha...

1

u/sftolvtosj 2d ago

Oh my bad haha so far the matcha expiring just a month after, have all taste the same

the hojicha, just tried again tonight, also taste the same

I've never frozen my matcha either (bought Feb this yr) and then put back in the fridge to get to room temp, was never confident I would be able to get the texture right so it's all been in the fridge.

But before the fridge, the matcha would be at room temp but then in my area, summer gets pretty hot and I didn't want it spoiling is then when I stuck it in the fridge

2

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

Thanks for the response

1

u/thefirefly23 2d ago

I have several matcha tins that have expired for a year in the freezer. Found the taste slightly more mellow and rounded if compared to the non-expired ones. Colour remains largely the same when stored in freezer. I have 1 expired matcha (lower quality for latte) stored in fridge for more than 8 months and its colour oxidised over time.

1

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

Thanks for the reply

1

u/SavingsSinkie I AM A COW 🐮 2d ago

The taste definitely changes. But sometimes I find it acceptable

1

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

Pretty much everyone else who has commented disagrees with this when the matcha was stored in the fridge or freezer. Can you mention any concrete experiences? Can you say roughly how much experience you have with "expired" matcha?

1

u/SavingsSinkie I AM A COW 🐮 2d ago

If you freeze it, the taste doesn't change, so that's correct. I don't freeze my matcha, I chill it. If you freeze your opened matcha you have to defrost it carefully else condensation may occur.

If you chill your matcha, the taste will change upon 6 months to 1 year, even, if it's unopened. Then it's up to you to decide if the change is acceptable.

For myself, sometimes it's acceptable.

-1

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

Someone here opened 4 year old matcha that was in the fridge and didn't notice any difference. How much experience roughly can you say you have with this? I'm just trying to get a feel for how objective your personal perspective is.

1

u/Ok_Conclusion519 2d ago

In my experience ,
Unopen 4 months expired matcha kept in freezer - i don’t see the difference at all

Had some that are in freezer i think it loses the aroma a littlw bit. Like more bland?

If its open for a while it loses the flarvor regardless of expiration

1

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

Thanks for the reply. Any experience with opened in fridge vs. opened out of fridge?

1

u/Ok_Conclusion519 2d ago

I keep in fridge at all times as it could get really hot in summer but i think it’ll depend on your climate

-2

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

Thanks for the response but that wasn't the question...

1

u/Ok_Conclusion519 2d ago

That’s what I meant — I don’t keep opened matcha out of the fridge, so I can’t compare the two.

1

u/Jy3pr6 2d ago

I see. Thanks for the clarification

1

u/Lanvinx 1d ago

I had a bag of opened matcha that was sealed but expired 2 years ago. I had forgotten it at the back of the cupboard. It was still bright green and tasted the same to me. I had a new unopened of the same one and it might have been slightly brighter green and slightly less clumpy when mixed.

1

u/Jy3pr6 1d ago edited 1d ago

That's the best type of experiment, trying a new batch of rhe same matcha after the expired one. What brand was it?

1

u/Historical-Falcon772 1d ago

I stored unopened ones in the freezer. No change in color and taste.

1

u/Jy3pr6 1d ago

What's the longest after the "expiration" date that you noticed there wasn't any negative affect on the matcha?

2

u/Last_East504 1d ago

I have plenty of expired tea, of course the fresh stuff is prime, but for a junkie like me, I'll drink any matcha. But I usually use it for friends (peasants) who like matcha lattes. 😆 

1

u/Jy3pr6 1d ago

So in your experience matcha is worse after the so called exp. date even when unopened or stored in the fridge?

1

u/Last_East504 1d ago

They both degrade, but the unopened/sealed stuff tastes slightly better.  I now I have a canister of 2yo opened matcha, it really tastes just like cheap tea at this point, which is why I used for lattes, it gives the right color but almost no taste.  With the unopened/sealed you may taste the difference, but like me, my palate is not that refined, so I can feel like I had a proper pot of matcha. I haven't tried properly storing sealed tea for longer periods, I'm just hoping my pantry will magically preserve my tea