In a recent maccha training clinic, the topic of dose for your maccha drinks at the cafe came up again, and it seemed relevant to take another look at this impossible question and let you know where JagaSilk sits on it currently. Over the years, we have explored and been asked about how much maccha to use per drink, and we have settled in on 2g. However, in the tea ceremony, we often measure 1.25g to 1.5g of tea. In cafes it is becoming more and more common to dose 3g per drink. It really depends on your perspective and your goals as a cafe.
Spoons and Scales
When we started our business in 2005, we did not even use a scale. We used a measuring spoon. We would level off 1 (measuring) tsp for a latte base and ½ (measuring) tsp for a traditional. It was actually my father who pointed out a cafe using a different spoon was serving notably weaker lattes for the size. We got ourselves a scale and found that different spoons measured 1.7g to 2.3g of the exact same maccha. Further study found that different weather and spoon packing during service made for different mass within the same volume. Very quickly from there we were sold on 0.1g scales.
Paralleling Your Maccha and Espresso Programs
We then started to see confusion over time where folks were dosing 2g shots for drinks we were recommending 1g for. We eventually came around to the understanding that simplicity is best. Rather than a different temperature and a different dose depending on drink type, we decided to parallel most spaces in the coffee industry and adopt a unified dose regardless of drink. The only thing we adjust now is water volume. 30ml of water for lattes makes them extra creamy with the milk. We recommend 90ml for a traditional bowl of usu-cha (equivalent to an espresso) whenever cupping teas, but will sometimes adjust this depending on the maccha quality (more water if the tea is a bit too bitter and less water if we want to magnify the umami in a particularly good tea).
A lot of the more recent dialogue has been on 12 oz lattes, by far the most common drink size in specialty cafes from what we have seen. What is the correct dose for this size of maccha latte? It’s a good question. We 100% believe that you should go back to basics and parallel your espresso drink program. 2g of maccha and 30ml of 65C water is the “shot”. If you are like most spaces, a 12oz latte is a milkier version of the 8oz latte. You do not add an extra shot of espresso for consistency. (If you are one of the few that do, then please do so with your maccha) The benefit of NOT increasing your dose is that it lets you customers manage their “milkiness” level. A cortado and cappuccino should be stronger by default. If they want a stronger large drink, encourage them to pay $3 for an extra gram. This helps manage costs and expectations.
“2g should be the default option”
There was a time in coffee where in New York they were using triple baskets and making 30g shots of espresso. Italy has been consistent with 7g or 14g shots. West Coast specialty coffee has been hovering around 16g or 17g for some time now, notably lower than the decade long norm of 20g. In our effort to have people drink smaller drinks, we really should keep the faith. Parallel your espresso menu. 2g should be the default option. Have an extra gram in your till for those that want more caffeine, but 3g and 4g drinks should not be your automatic “go to”. That is just way too much caffeine to be the new normal.
Maccha is so Much More Than a Latte
It is worth mentioning that a good sign of a shop that is not serious about their maccha is if they only have the maccha latte on their menu as an option. Imagine a cafe that only sold you coffee lattes. Or worse, imagine if ordering a coffee automatically got you a presweetened latte. There are definitely places in the world that do this, but we are grateful it is not the norm. The “long green” or “maccha americano” does great served next to an usu-cha and maccha latte, as well as a maccha cortado. And zero milk options are fantastic with 2g, even with 12oz.
Consistency is Key
Also, as an aside, 10oz drinks still taste great with 2g of maccha. It is with converting your “medium” drinks to all be 10oz (coffee and everything) as it reduces milk cost, improves strength of flavour, and still looks visually very similar to a 12 oz drink. At JagaSilk we serve only the 8oz drink but we are totally fine with making larger drinks in people’s own cup when asked. We have even been known to make 4g drinks upon request (which we charge for accordingly). It is worth noting that 2g : 30ml is a ratio and should be increased and decreased as such. For example, a 3g drink should use 45ml of water.
This is all to say that there is no right answer, but perhaps it lies in staying consistent. Look at what you are doing with your espresso and follow suit. Then you will have an intelligent menu that makes sense to your customers. Let them manage milkiness through their drink preference while you manage quality and consistency.
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