---
title: "Matcha for Beginners: Your First Bowl Step by Step"
description: "Your first bowl of matcha in five steps: amount, sieve, water temperature and whisking. Plus common mistakes and the question: straight or with milk?"
url: "https://rinsumila.com/en/blog/matcha-for-beginners"
image: "https://rinsumila.com/images/ratgeber/matcha-einsteiger-schale-besen-og-28be0ae3.jpg"
lang: "en-US"
generated: "2026-10-02T18:39:42.306Z"
source: "rinsumila.com, HTML converted to Markdown at origin"
---

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![Ceramic bowl of freshly whisked matcha with a bamboo whisk, a bamboo scoop in front](https://rinsumila.com/images/ratgeber/matcha-einsteiger-schale-besen-7e7f33bd.jpg)

For your first bowl, sieve about 2 g of matcha into a bowl, add 70 ml of water at roughly 75 °C and whisk it to a fine foam with the bamboo whisk (Chasen). The water must not boil, or matcha quickly turns bitter. If drinking it straight still feels too unfamiliar, start with a latte: whisk 2 g in 30 ml of water and top up with 200 ml of milk or oat drink. Most beginner problems come from water that is too hot, skipping the sieve or old powder.

## What you need for the first bowl

You only need a few things:

-   **Matcha** of a quality intended for drinking straight
-   **a bowl** with a wide, round shape that leaves room for the whisk (a cereal bowl will do in a pinch)
-   **a fine sieve**, an ordinary metal tea strainer is enough
-   **a Chasen**, the bamboo whisk, for the fine foam
-   **a spoon**, traditionally the bamboo Chashaku
-   **water**, freshly heated and cooled briefly, not boiling

If you want everything at once and matching, in the [START RITUAL](https://rinsumila.com/en/products/start-ritual) you will find DAILY (50 g) together with Chasen, Chashaku and sieve. A bowl is not included there; you get one in the FULL RITUAL, either as the glass bowl RIN or the ceramic bowl AKENO.

### Is the equipment important if I only drink latte?

Partly. A metal sieve is perfectly fine and no compromise. You can replace the spoon with a small teaspoon if you have weighed once how much is roughly 2 g for you. The Chasen is the piece where the difference shows most clearly: with it the powder disperses most reliably and evenly in the water and turns foamy. For latte, other tools will do if need be (see below).

### What should you look for in a beginner set?

Look at the material information for bowl, sieve and whisk. A ceramic bowl with a food-safe glaze, a stainless steel sieve and a bamboo Chasen are the usual materials. For the bowl, look for a note that it is suitable for food, and ask if a set gives no materials.

## Measuring, sieving, water, whisking in five steps

These steps apply to the thin preparation (Usucha), which is the one drunk most often.

1.  **Warm the bowl.** Pour some hot water into the bowl, swirl it and tip it out. That way the matcha cools down less quickly in the bowl.
2.  **Measure.** The usual amount is 1 to 2 g of matcha per bowl. Take 2 g to start. How many spoonfuls that is depends on the spoon: spoons vary. Weigh the amount once with a precision scale and note how much that is with your Chashaku or teaspoon.
3.  **Sieve.** Press the powder through the sieve directly into the bowl. Matcha is so fine that it easily forms little lumps. Sieving breaks them up, and the whisk can disperse the powder evenly in the water. You can help along with the back of the spoon.
4.  **Add the water.** Usually you take 60 to 80 ml of water, here it is 70 ml. The temperature is 70 to 80 °C, about 75 °C is a good value. With boiling water matcha tastes distinctly more bitter. Let freshly boiled water cool briefly or pour it once into another vessel. A thermometer helps for exact values.
5.  **Whisk.** Hold the Chasen loosely between thumb and two fingers, the tines just above the bottom of the bowl. Move it quickly back and forth in an M or zigzag with a loose wrist, without scraping the bottom. When the mixture is even and a fine layer of foam has formed, slowly lift the whisk to the surface and, after one last calm round in the middle, pull it out. At the end there is a fine, dense, light green layer of foam without large bubbles.

Drink the bowl straight away, because the foam collapses over time and the powder settles.

### What if I don't have a Chasen?

It works without one, but the foam is usually coarser. You can use a small metal whisk in a cup, an electric milk frother, or a closable jar or shaker in which you shake the matcha vigorously with the water. The Chasen remains the most reliable. You should sieve beforehand in any case. For straight matcha the Chasen is worth it at some point, for latte with milk you can manage without at first. Which whisks, sieves and bowls exist and which set is worth it, you can read in the [guide to matcha tools](https://rinsumila.com/en/blog/matcha-starter-set).

## Typical beginner mistakes and how to fix them

### The matcha tastes bitter

The most common cause is water that is too hot, so boiling or just below. Other reasons are too much powder for the amount of water and a basic quality intended for latte. Go down to about 75 °C, measure exactly and try 2 g to 70 ml. If it stays bitter straight anyway, that is not unusual: matcha has a naturally grassy, bitter side. Many beginners find their first way in through the latte and get used to the straight aroma from there.

### The matcha tastes thin or watery

There are three reasons: too little powder, too much water or old powder that has lost its aroma. Check the amount first: weigh 2 g rather than estimating, and use no more than 70 ml of water. In the bowl that looks like little, which is normal and no mistake. If you then want it stronger, use a little less water. If it tastes flat despite the right amount and the powder looks dull, it is probably too old.

### Lumps remain

Usually the powder was not sieved or was stirred directly into cold water. Sieve every time and add the water only after the powder. It also helps to add just a small sip of water first, mix the powder with it into a smooth paste and then pour in the rest. If lumps float in the water, it helps to press the whisk at an angle against the rim and crush them.

### Hardly any foam or large bubbles

When whisking you probably moved the whisk too slowly or in a circle instead of a zigzag. Large bubbles form with movements that are too deep or too strong. Work from the wrist, not the arm, faster rather than harder, and lift the whisk close to the surface at the end to break up large bubbles. The water should not be too cold.

### The colour looks odd

A fresh, bright green is good, the foam rather light green. If the matcha looks yellowish, brown or dull olive, the powder is usually old, badly stored or was whisked with water that was too hot. Look at the bowl in daylight, a photo can deceive. If the powder in the pack also looks dull, it is down to the powder. Colour alone does not tell you whether you can still use the matcha, though.

### It doesn't taste like in the tea house or café

Anyone who has drunk matcha in Japan often knows very freshly prepared bowls from fresh powder, partly in the thick form (Koicha: 3 to 4 g in 30 to 40 ml). Good water and practised technique also make a difference. At home it helps: fresh powder, a tightly sealed container, exact amounts, 75 °C, sieved and whisked with a Chasen. In a café milk and sometimes sweetness are often added, so the same amount tastes rounder there. With a latte you come closest to the café taste at home.

### How do I store matcha so it doesn't go bad?

Airtight, dark and cool. After opening, it is best to use it up within a few weeks, because open powder loses colour and aroma faster than you think. If matcha smells musty or rancid, is damp or clumped from moisture, or you see mould, throw it away.

## Start straight or with milk?

Both are right, it depends on your taste.

-   **Straight** shows the real character of matcha: grassy, slightly bitter, with a note of umami. Count on 2 g to 70 ml of water at about 75 °C. If you pull a face after the first sip: that is normal and no sign that you are doing something wrong. It does not mean you will never like matcha: many people get used to the bitter taste through the latte and several attempts.
-   **As a latte** it is milder and rounder. Whisk 2 g in 30 ml of water at about 75 °C and top up with 200 ml of milk or oat drink, over ice or warm. If you like it sweeter, stir in a little syrup or sugar, best only after tasting.

If your first attempt was bitter but tasted good as a latte, you have done nothing wrong. Narrow down the bitterness through temperature and amount and try the straight bowl again later.

### What do I order first in a café?

If you are trying matcha there for the first time, take a latte. It is less bitter and shows you the taste without you having to drink the straight version right away. Ask whether the matcha is sweetened, because that varies.

## What does well-prepared matcha taste like?

A good matcha smells fresh and green, similar to freshly cut grass or steamed spinach. In the mouth it is soft and slightly creamy. On top come a mild sweetness, a slight bitterness and an impression of umami that is a little reminiscent of broth. It should not taste sharply bitter or dusty-dry. A slight bitterness in the aftertaste is normal, but it should not leave a lingering harsh sensation.

The foam is fine, the liquid velvety, without a gritty sediment at the bottom of the bowl.

## Where to go from here

Once the first bowl has worked, you can feel your way forward in small steps:

1.  **Adjust the amounts.** A little more or less water changes strength and sweetness noticeably.
2.  **Switch between straight and latte**, for example straight in the morning and as iced matcha in the afternoon.
3.  **Try a second variety**, for example one for drinking straight and one for latte and recipes.
4.  **Pay attention to freshness**: rather buy small packs and use them up within a few weeks after opening.
5.  **Try hojicha**: that is a roasted green tea that is also offered as a powder. It tastes nutty and mild, is less bitter and can be prepared in a similar way.

Small packs are a good starting point: PURE in the 30 g tin costs €39.90, DAILY in the 50 g pouch €34.90. On the market, Japanese matcha at 30 g is usually between €19 and €49. At 2 g per bowl, 30 g is enough for 15 servings and 50 g for 25 servings.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does it look normal when I drink matcha for the first time?

Yes, in most cases. A rich to light green drink with fine foam and some powder that settles after a while is normal. A yellow-brown colour, lumps or foam made of large bubbles would stand out. Lumps and large bubbles can usually be improved through sieving, water temperature and whisking; a yellow-brown colour is more likely down to the powder itself.

### What tips are there for the first matcha latte?

Sieve 2 g of matcha, whisk the powder smooth with 30 ml of water at about 75 °C and top up with 200 ml of milk or oat drink. Taste first, then sweeten if needed. Don't stir the powder directly into cold milk, where it clumps more easily.

### Which matcha powder suits me at home as a beginner?

A Japanese matcha of bright green colour that is fine and soft in the mouth. A small pack is a good starting point and helps keep the powder fresh. Read the label: origin, preparation recommendation and best-before date should be clearly stated. For latte an everyday quality is enough, for drinking straight a finer variety is worth it.

### How do I get started with matcha?

Matcha is finely ground green tea: instead of infusing leaves, you whisk the powder with water and drink it all. Get matcha, sieve, bowl and a Chasen ready, buy only a small pack and follow the five steps above. Start straight or as a latte, whichever appeals to you more.

### What can I buy online that is cheap but still good?

Compare not just the pack price but the price per serving: €34.90 for 50 g of DAILY is about €1.40 per serving at 2 g per bowl. Very cheap powders can be old or intended for baking. Check origin, colour and information on packaging and preparation.

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