Ceremonial vs culinary matcha — which should I buy?
Matcha grades feel arbitrary — what's the actual difference, and which do I need?
Ceremonial matcha: youngest spring leaves, shade-grown 3+ weeks, stone-milled cold and slow, bright jade green, drunk thin with water (usucha). Premium and pricey (€40+ per 30g tin). Culinary matcha: later harvests, less shade time, coarser milled, duller green-yellow, designed to survive sugar/dairy in lattes and baking. If you're drinking matcha straight, ceremonial is non-negotiable — the bitterness of culinary grade is jarring. For lattes, culinary is fine and saves money.
— Yurii — 931 Tea, 931 Tea