FAQ
Answers to your Questions
QUESTIONS ABOUT MATCHA TEA
Discover Matcha tea on the ” What is Matcha tea? ” page.
Matcha tea is probably the easiest tea to make. In powder form, you don’t brew it like other teas but instead simply mix it with hot water. Once you have the necessary accessories, it only takes you 2 minutes to prepare it.
Discover Premium Ceremonial Grade IRO Matcha tea and its preparation ritual on the “My Ritual” page.
Matcha tea can also be used in the kitchen to make biscuits, cakes, ice cream, milkshakes, smoothies and even savoury dishes. In this case, you don’t need any accessories.
Discover IRO Matcha tea for Cooking and all our recipe ideas.
An ultra-trendy Matcha Latte is a modern and indulgent way to enjoy Matcha tea and benefit from its many health properties.
The high quality of our IRO Matcha for Cooking Premium Culinary Grade makes it perfectly suited for preparing Matcha Lattes. Its pairs particularly well with different types of milk without any loss of its distinctive taste. Its natural smoothness means there is no need to add sugar (though of course, you can always add a sweetener such as honey, maple syrup or vanilla syrup if you wish). For an even smoother Matcha Latter, you can also use our IRO Premium Ceremonial Grade Matcha.
Matcha Latte can be made with either dairy or plant-based milk. Oat milk, for example, adds a naturally sweet touch to your Matcha Latte. Almond milk adds a soft and delicate note that also pairs very well with Matcha. Some people also like the exotic twist of coconut milk.
Ingredients for 1 Matcha Latte:
- 2 Chashaku (or 1 teaspoon) of Matcha tea
- 50 ml of water
- 150 ml of milk (or non-dairy substitute)
- Equipment (optional): Matcha tea strainer, bamboo whisk, battery-powered milk frother or coffee machine with steam wand
Method:
- Sift the Matcha directly into a wide cup using a fine sieve (if you don’t have a sieve, spoon the Matcha straight into the cup).
- Add water at approximately 70°C and whisk with a Matcha bamboo whisk until you obtain a smooth, lump-free texture.
- Heat your milk to around 70°C, then froth it using a milk frother or steam wand.
- Gently pour the milk over the Matcha, finishing with the foam on top.
For an Iced Matcha Latte:
- Mix the Matcha with water (cold or lukewarm) as described above.
- Fill a glass with ice cubes, add the cold milk, then the whisked Matcha.
- Stir well.
Watch our demonstration videos to see the different ways of preparing a Matcha Latte, and choose the one that suits you best 😊:
How to make a hot Matcha Latte?
To cook with Matcha tea for Cooking, you don’t need any accessories. You just add the required quantity of Matcha tea to your favourite recipes.
To make a traditional Matcha tea (or a Matcha Latte), it is highly recommended that you use the traditional accessories. These accessories not only enable you to prepare your tea in the best possible way, they also form part of the ritual that accompanies your enjoyment of IRO Matcha tea.
The bamboo whisk (Chasen) is an essential accessory for mixing the Matcha tea powder properly with the hot water. No other tool can beat the results of a traditional bamboo whisk. The only option that can work if you haven’t got a Chasen is to use a battery-powered milk frother to mix your Matcha tea with the water.
The bamboo spoon (Chashaku) ensures you take the right amout to prepare your IRO Matcha tea (2 Chashaku per bowl with 10 to 15cl simmering water at 70-80°C). If you don’t have one, you can replace the 2 Chashaku with 1 level teaspoon of Matcha tea.
We don’t talk much about the Matcha tea strainer but it is nonetheless a very important part of enjoying your tea. In fact, it enables you to eliminate the little lumps that are created by the static electricity in the powder, preventing the unpleasant sensation that these can give when you drink your tea.
The bowl (Chawan) is essential to the preparation of your IRO Matcha tea. Any medium-sized bowl can do to start with but you will soon want to add a beautiful Matcha tea bowl to your Matcha tea experience! Drinking your IRO Matcha tea from a Matcha tea bowl is a totally different experience. Discover our selection of bowls in our store .
The whisk holder (Kusenaoshi) is an optional accessory that extends the life of your whisk and maintains its very unusual shape as long as possible. It is also a way of putting your whisk on display at home.
Before using your bamboo whisk for the very first time, it’s important to prepare it properly. This softens the tines, helps maintain its shape, and makes whisking your Matcha much easier.
- Fill a bowl or cup with hot water (≈ 90°C).
- Submerge only the tines of the whisk in the water for 4–5 minutes so they soften and begin to open naturally.
- Remove the whisk, rinse the tines under warm water, and gently shake off any excess water.
- Repeat this process 3–4 times, using fresh hot water each time. This allows the bamboo to fully relax before its first use.
Your chasen will then be softer, more durable, and will create a much finer, more stable foam when preparing your Matcha
You can also watch our video showing each step visually 📹
After each use:
Rinse the tines immediately with hot water to prevent Matcha from drying on the whisk, then let it dry upside down (resting on the tines or on a whisk holder) to preserve its shape and avoid premature damage.
Once it is completely dry, you can place it back on its base if you wish.
There are 4 ways of heating the water to to 70-80 degrees to prepare your Matcha tea:
- Use an electric kettle with adjustable temperature. This is the easiest and most accurate solution because you adjust the desired temperature directly on your kettle.
- Heat the water in a pan and check the temperature using a cooking probe thermometer or a kitchen thermometer.
- Bring the water to the boil, then let it cool. If you bring water to the boil in a pan and take it off the heat to leave it to cool, it will take approximately 3 minutes for the temperature to fall to 80 degrees and 5 minutes to reach 70 degrees.
- Bring the water to boil in a pan, then pour it into your bowl. This will immediately reduce the water temperature to 90 degrees. Put the water back into the pan, then pour it back into the bowl again. The water temperature will now have fallen to 80 degrees. Put the water back in the pan; wipe the bowl and put in 2 Chashaku of IRO Matcha tea. Now, pour in the water that will by now be at 70-75 degrees, the ideal temperature for preparing Matcha tea. The advantage of this method is that you will have pre-heated your bowl for an even better result!
No, this is a freshness bag for your Premium Ceremonial Grade Matcha inside the tin.
Matcha is a delicate product, sensitive to air, light, heat, and moisture.
The freshness bag helps protect it from all these external agents that could alter the quality of your Matcha.
If you pour the contents of the bag into the tin, not only do you risk losing some of it because Matcha is a very volatile powder, but it will also still be in contact with the air even when the tin is closed. This will cause it to deteriorate and lose its unique taste, aromas, green colour and health benefits more quickly.
How should you use and store your Matcha? Follow the steps in our video!
- Take the bag out of the tin.
- Using your fingers, tap the powder down to the bottom of the bag.
- Cut the top of the freshness bag.
- Use your bamboo spoon to tap the powder still on the sides of the bag down to the bottom.
- Take the Matcha you need.
- Close the bag by folding the top down to remove the air and hold in place using an elastic band.
- Store the bag in the tin and keep it in a cool, dry place.
Take care to seal your tin or bag of IRO Matcha tea after every use. Keep your IRO Matcha tea airtight and away from light, heat and humidity because all these elements will oxidise your Matcha tea.
You can also store your Matcha tea in the fridge. In this case, check that the condensation doesn’t run into your Matcha tea (which would lead to mould) and that it isn’t exposed to the odours of other foods in the fridge. Avoid taking it out of the fridge for too long to prevent it suffering severe changes in temperature, which could also generate condensation.
Once it is open, your IRO Matcha tea can be kept for several months in good storage conditions (in its sealed packaging in a cool, dry place or in the fridge) but we recommend using it as quickly as possible (in 1 or 2 months) to ensure optimal aroma and flavour.
IRO Matcha tea is made exclusively in Japan. Japan is unquestionably the country most specialised in Matcha tea cultivation and that produces the best Matcha tea in the world.
We compared numerous Matcha teas from a vast range of different producers to find the best organic Matcha tea producers in Japan and offer the tea to you under the IRO brand.
Discover more about our Premium Ceremonial Grade Matcha tea and our Matcha tea for Cooking on the dedicated pages.
Yes! IRO Matcha tea is 100% organic.
Our Matcha tea is cultivated in lush green countryside by farmers who have over 20 years’ experience in farming organic Matcha tea. It is cultivated in a totally ecological and environmentally friendly manner, free from the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.
IRO Matcha tea is certified by Certisys (BE-BIO-01) according to the strict rules of the European Union. It is also certified Agriculture Biologique and certified organic in Japan by the relevant authorities.
Organic farming prohibits the use of chemical products, such as fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, fungicides and weedkillers. Organic farming respects the environment and is based on the recycling of natural organic matter and the use of organic and natural methods to combat parasites, diseases and weeds.
When you enjoy IRO Matcha tea, you can be sure to benefit from a product that is 100% organic, 100% natural and free from additives.
Matcha tea is one of the healthiest drinks on the planet. A true treasure for your health, it is, in particular, one of the most powerful antioxidant foods in the world.
To find out more, go to the page My Health Benefits.
Matcha tea is a natural product full of health benefits and has no major contraindications.
Matcha tea does, however, contain caffeine, like all teas (caffeine is sometime called theine in tea but it is exactly the same molecule).
One bowl of Matcha tea contains around 50mg of caffeine, which is 2 to 3 times less than a cup of coffee.
The European Food Safety Authority recommends a maximum daily dose of caffeine (from all sources) of:
- 400mg for adults
- 200mg for pregnant women
- 3mg per kilo of body weight for children and teenagers
It is also generally recommended to limit caffeine consumption during breastfeeding.
A Matcha tea drinker will usually consume 1 to 2 bowls per day (for example, one in the morning at breakfast and one at lunchtime or in the early afternoon).
If you have health issues, for safety reasons only, consult your doctor before drinking large quantities.
There are 4 main criteria for recognising a quality Matcha tea: its colour, its flavour, its aroma and the froth created on its surface. Achieving the quintessence of these elements is the obsession of our Japanese producers.
Colour: a high quality Matcha tea will be a bright, almost electric green. Matcha tea is so green because it is grown in the shade in its final weeks. In the shade, the tea leaves are forced to overproduce chlorophyll, which gives them this bright green colour. In comparison, a lower quality Matcha tea will not have been appropriately or sufficiently shaded and it will be much less green. A low quality Matcha tea will have a dull colour and may even tend towards yellow or brown.
Flavour: a high quality Matcha tea develops no or very little bitterness because it contains a lot of amino acids (L-theanine), which gives it a sweet, pleasant flavour (we sometimes talk about umami taste). A Matcha tea that is bitter or has an unpleasant flavour is a sign of low quality. IRO Matcha has a sweet, rich flavour full of green and floral notes, making you want only one thing: more.
Aroma: this is probably the element that is the least easily used to distinguish a quality Matcha tea from another. A quality Matcha tea should have a pleasant, sweet and green aroma due to the amino acids it contains (L-theanine). The higher the quality of a Matcha tea, the richer and more complex the olfactory notes it develops.
Froth: a quality Matcha tea, upon whisking, will produce a good, dense froth made up mainly of tiny bubbles (on the condition that you whisk it properly, which takes a bit of practice). On the other hand, the froth on a poor quality Matcha tea will not be dense and won’t last long in your bowl.
Generally, a primary indication of the quality of a Matcha tea is its price. You can find Matcha teas at all sorts of prices but you will find that there is no miracle involved: “you get what you pay for”.
In fact, the lower the price, the later the Matcha tea has been harvested, and the the less care will have been taken in its cultivation, harvest and production. It could also have been produced from older leaves or leaves harvested from lower down on the plant.
In any case, the difference between a good and a poor Matcha tea will be clear to the taste, insofar as the latter will leave a bad memory: unpleasant taste in your mouth, bitter even tart.
A high quality Matcha tea such as IRO Matcha will give you intense pleasure to the taste, offer excellent health benefits and make you want to come back for more and more!
All three are 100% organic Japanese Matcha teas, but they differ in terms of taste and usage.
- IRO Premium Ceremonial Grade Matcha is a very high-quality Matcha tea, made exclusively from the finest tea leaves of the first spring harvest in Kagoshima, in the south of Japan. It is bright green in color, with a fine texture, and smooth, green and rich taste, without any bitterness. It is ideal for enjoying as a traditional Matcha tea, simply mixed with hot (but not boiling) water using a bamboo Matcha whisk.
- IRO Matcha for Cooking Premium Culinary Grade is ideal for preparing Matcha Lattes or for using in all your Matcha-based recipes in the kitchen. It is very high quality for a “culinary” Matcha because it is made from a blend of first and second harvest tea leaves, whereas traditional culinary Matcha is usually made with third and/or fourth harvest tea leaves, which are much lower quality. It has a more pronounced flavor than IRO Premium Ceremonial Grade, with a round aroma reminiscent of baked pastries, and only very slight bitterness that goes unnoticed once mixed with milk in a Matcha Latte.
- IRO Premium Matcha Genmaicha powder is a unique tea that combines organic first-harvest Matcha with finely ground organic roasted rice. It is mainly prepared as a latte, hot or iced, and offers a smooth and toasted flavor that is very comforting and indulgent, with hints of puffed rice and popcorn.
Although both are Japanese green teas, Matcha and Hojicha are very different in both taste and color.
- Matcha is a shade-grown green tea ground into a very fine powder. Good quality Matcha is typically intense green in color and taste, and rich in antioxidants and L-theanine. It contains caffeine (theine) and provides steady and stable energy. Matcha is used both as a drink (traditional or latte) and in cooking.
- Hojicha powder, on the other hand, is a roasted green tea that is then ground into powder. Roasting gives it a brown color, a smooth, roasted and almost caramelized flavor, and a very comforting aroma. It also contains antioxidants and L-theanine, but is lower in caffeine (theine) than Matcha tea, which makes it an excellent and relaxing alternative, also for people who are sensitive to caffeine/theine. It can be enjoyed as a latte, hot or iced, and can also be used for cooking.
Hojicha Latte is the ultimate comfort drink, with subtle notes of roasted hazelnut, caramel and cocoa. Since Hojicha contains less caffeine than Matcha, it can be enjoyed at any time of the day. It is an excellent alternative to coffee (very popular among coffee lovers) or to Matcha.
IRO Hojicha powder is perfectly suited for preparing Hojicha Lattes. The fine texture and rich aroma guarantee a very tasty drink, both hot and iced.
Ingredients for 1 Hojicha Latte:
- 1 teaspoon (about 2 grams) of IRO Hojicha powder
- 30 to 50 ml of water
- 150 ml of milk (or non-dairy substitute)
- Recommended tools: Matcha bamboo whisk, battery-powered milk frother or coffee machine with steam wand
Method:
- Spoon the Hojicha powder into a cup.
- Add the hot water at about 70°C and take a moment to enjoy the delicious aromas!
- Whisk vigorously until you obtain a smooth, lump-free liquid.
- Add the hot milk (which you can froth beforehand if you have the appropriate equipment).
For an Iced Hojicha Latte:
- Repeat the steps above, but use lukewarm or room temperature water.
- Fill a glass with ice cubes, add the cold milk, then the whisked Hojicha.
- Stir well before drinking.
Watch our demonstration videos to see the different ways of preparing a Matcha Latte, and choose the one that suits you best 😊:
Yes, we also offer other delicious Japanese teas such as Hojicha powder.
We also have a range of Japanese loose teas.
If you are unsure of how to prepare them, go to the page “Brewing loose tea“.
You can make iced tea with IRO loose teas using the cold brewing technique, which you can find on the page “Brewing loose tea“.
Matcha tea can also be prepared cold; find out how on the page “Cold brew Matcha“.
Our loose teas come from the beautiful mountainous region of Shizuoka in central Japan. This is a very green and sparsely populated area, where the mountains are covered with large tracts of forest.
Like us, insects are very fond of delicious young tea leaves. Our tea is grown in an elevated rural area and this altitude means there are far fewer insects, which is ideal for organic farming, which forbids the use of pesticides.
QUESTIONS ON DELIVERY AND PAYMENT
We deliver to the following countries: Belgium, Mainland France, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom.
For all other countries in the European Union, please contact us in advance at info@matcha-iro.com.
Please see our Delivery page for more information.
Delivery is free over a certain order amount, which varies according to the country of delivery.
Please see our Delivery page for more information.
We deliver free to Belgium for all online orders over €48 and to Mainland France over €79 !
Delivery is also free to Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany and to the United Kingdom for all orders over €99, and to Spain and Italy for all orders over €119.
See our Delivery page for more information.
You can make totally secure payments on our website by credit/debit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Bancontact, PayPal, iDeal, Belfius, KBC/CBC, Meal/Eco/Gift voucher from Pluxee, Edenred and Monizze (Belgium) or by bank transfer.
Please see our Secure Payment page for more information.
Yes, if you have a Belgian Pluxee, Edenred, or Monizze card, you can pay for your order under certain conditions using meal vouchers, eco vouchers, or gift vouchers (only valid in Belgium):
- With your Pluxee, Edenred, or Monizze meal vouchers: you can pay for all teas as well as the Discovery Box.
- With your Pluxee, Edenred, or Monizze eco vouchers: you can pay for all teas and the Discovery Box, as these are certified organic products.
- With your Pluxee, Edenred, or Monizze gift vouchers: you can pay for any product in our online shop.
Conditions:
- Only one type of voucher can be used per order.
- To use a specific type of voucher, all products in your cart must be eligible for that payment method. For example, if you choose to pay with meal vouchers but your order includes both teas (eligible) and accessories (not eligible), the payment cannot be completed.
- The shipping costs cannot be paid with vouchers.
If your credit is insufficient or if shipping costs need to be paid, you will be redirected to pay the remaining amount of your order using another standard payment method (credit/debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Bancontact, PayPal, Belfius, or KBC/CBC).