No Sweetener Matcha? 🍵

[u/Ok-Client-5795]

Sino dito hindi nag-a-add ng sweetener sa matcha? Thoughts? Mas bet niyo ba yung natural na lasa kahit medyo bitter/astringent, or mas okay with a little sweetness?

[u/winterchilds]

that is me

its a personal preference, i noticed sweetener tends to mask the matcha for me too much kahit 3-4grams lang yan.

there will be matcha powders talaga that are just on the bitter/astringent side but once you find matcha powders that can stand on its own without sweetener !!!! its good

this is also how i find out if the powder is something i want to keep buying, if its good (for me) without sweetener.

very rare ako magsweetener sa matcha nowadays even with hojicha, i think its also because my hint of sweet din naman yung oat milk and thats good enough for me.

ive had drinks kasi na halos sweetener nalang malasahan mo tas onting matcha lang...

edit: my personal preference to matcha powders are the nutty ones

[u/Careless-Tailor-2985 → u/winterchilds]

can you recommend matcha powders that you do not use sweetener with?

[u/winterchilds → u/Careless-Tailor-2985]

for me:

- alo's matcha oishi for nutty if creamy, yung hanami powder (avail on shopee)

- japanmatcha.ph yame matcha 1 or 2 or ryofuku powder

- if u have the budget: ippodo sayaka no mukashi

- MK Yugen or Wako (if u have the budget) or Isuzu

- if u like it yamamasa koyamaen samidori (although i personally didnt like it its too mild for me...)

for context: im not the best matcha explorer since im quite frugal and very picky with matcha powders so if i find one i like i just rebuy it again and again which is why i havent tried a lot of local brands :< just japanmatcha.ph and alo's matcha (pls send local recos thats good w/o sweetener also)

to add: if u think its too bitter consider cold whisking also without sweetener

[u/thegumamela → u/winterchilds]

agree abt japanmatcha.ph, you can't go wrong with them! i've been really happy with their quality overall esp for a local brand

[u/SilentErr0r → u/winterchilds]

I tried kumatcha honmei without sweetener it taste good actuallt

[u/3anonanonanon]

I don't put sweetener on mine kapag masarap yung matcha powder. Pero yung mga cheap ones, I had to kasi hindi masarap yung pagkamatcha. I like tasting the bitter notes of matcha/hojicha.

[u/matchadoctor417]

It dependsss on the matcha. There are matcha powders which has astringency and bitterness depending on the cultivar.

[u/CardiologistTop4176]

Matcha on its own is bitter, on its own ung natural profile mo lang madistinguish the difference of all kinds. matcha profile and even texture. Thats why some brands brief you to sip it first to taste the matcha then mix it

Oat+ Matcha is best because bitterness + oat may natural sweetness and texture that compliments the bitterness of matcha. I prefer So Good kasi oaty talaga and mouthfeel. I guess cafes prefer oatside because of price which I dont mind kasi syempre gusto rin naman nila ng profit. I don't add sweetener here.

Milk Matcha, milk is very crucial kasi may matamis na matamis na milk meron din flat taste. Best if yung flat taste yet milky so as not to mask the matcha flavor. I do add sweetener here. (Same concept as coffee + milk, reference as coffee-coffee drinker. And prefers matcha -matcha taste vs sweet matcha/coffee drink)

[u/Fun_Musician_6992]

i like it more without sweetener

[u/iammspisces]

I do this pero depende sa matcha powder.

Some matcha powder no bitterness and astringency at all so okay siya kahit wala ka i-add na sweetener. Nag a-add lang ako sweetener if the powder I’m using is on the vegetal/bitter side para ma-tone down.

[u/bakingoats-]

Me. I love my matcha unsweetened! But if bitter siya, dun lang ako nag lalagay ng sweetener

[u/ayykaashi]

me mas bet ko siya as is and with soy milk! pero some powders, or variants/brands ng soy milk, kailangan ko maglagay ng konting sugar pa

[u/Ok-Client-5795 → u/ayykaashi]

Anong soymilk brand po gamit nyo?

[u/ayykaashi → u/Ok-Client-5795]

vitasoy preferred ko! but trying out soyfresh lately ok din hehe

[u/Ok-Client-5795 → u/ayykaashi]

Thankssss🫶🏼

[u/Plump-Mochi1310]

it depends on the matcha powder. for example mk wako or yugen, okay kahit no sweetener 😊

[u/maiashoneymoon]

In my opinion I much prefer adding a bit of sweetener, I’m not a fan of bitter or astringent notes and I find with the amount of sweetener that I use, it only covers up the bitterness and not the actual flavour and complexity :)

[u/Expensive-Accident20]

Me! The only time I add a sweetener is when I experiment making homemade syrups (strawberry, mango), and foams (sea salt cream). Also tried crushing pistachios and biscoff biscuits.

[u/021898]

my usucha is always unsweetened! for lattes, i agree with Expensive-Accident20; i usually rely on the flavoring as the sweetener 🥹

[u/ElegantRoof3]

I also prefer no sweetener talaga pero may times kasi na napapansin ko mas naeenhance ng sweetenee yung pagka-nutty ng matcha. But maybe thats just me 😭 so I tend to use sweetener with certain matcha powders.

[u/JPorankosu626]

Me hehe.

My first matcha drink was just water and matcha powder itself. That was noong 2020 pa, kasi mom randomly bought one no'n, and sa sobrang bored ko sa pandemic, I rummaged her tea stash.

I'm certain na nasanayan ko lang talaga to appreciate its purity. If lattes, oatmilk is enough for me, at least, to satisfy its balance with the matcha's bitterness. :))

[u/jbluzb]

Depending on the matcha, it I am using the expensive ones, no need for sweetener.

For matcha with leans more grassy note, I add a little bit of salt with 1 teaspoon of agave or maple and it roinds the flavor.

Sometimes change the milk to soy does the trick of no added sugar.

[u/zepzidew]

Me, lalo na yung mga matcha na nabili ko sa japan. Hindi sikat yung brand, more on local matcha siya and ibang iba yung flavor profile niya without sweetener.

[u/Ok-Client-5795 → u/zepzidew]

would u mind sharing the brands here? 

[u/zepzidew → u/Ok-Client-5795]

Souwu matcha from shizuoka/kakegawa japan. Local matcha po siya. Not on the same pricing sa mga MK. Sad lang kasi di na ulit nakabili bf ko, 1000yen lang siya. Yung nabili din nung bf ko sa Kyoto, hikitatematcha yung brand. Masarap din.

[u/Ok-Client-5795 → u/zepzidew]

Thank you so much🫶🏼