Customer Reviews

SerendipiTea Matcha Culinary Grade, Organic Green Tea, 4-Ounce Box

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

This morning I taste-tested 3 top-rated Matcha green teas that I recently purchased on Amazon.

1. Serendipi Tea matcha culinary grade organic green tea from Japan, 4 oz. costs $17.43
(result: *****)

2. Tea Zone matcha green tea powder, 8 oz. costs $16.99 (Amazon sells this as `Matcha Green Tea Powder By Malden Tea', but my black foil packaging label says it's made by Tea Zone)
(result: ****)

3. Liquid Jade powdered matcha green tea 100% organic, 3 oz. Cost $18.46
(result: ***)

Recipe:
I made 3 different cups of `green tea latte' with the following method:
1 tsp tea powder,
mixed with filtered water into a smooth paste,
added to 1/3 cup hot soymilk + 1/3 cup boiling water + 1 tsp raw agave nectar,
frothed into a Latte-style tea with hand-pump device.
NOTE: I am a scientist. Each cup was clearly labeled. I tasted the teas side-by-side, taking 3 sips of each before proceeding to next sample. I tasted in random order until all 3 cups were consumed. Total time: 15 minutes. I took lots of notes and drew graphs etc.

Result:
Serendipi Tea (5+ stars) won for sweet smooth flavor, amazing long lasting froth bubbles, and the fact it's organic!! Cost: $4.30/oz but worth it. Note on the packaging: For those reviewers complaining of the green tea powder leaking, I have to point out that it's hand packed, with a note explaining that you must pack it yourself in an airtight and light-blocking container. Fine with me, since this is the best tea I've found, and the act of packing it myself is itself a ZEN moment in which I feel a connection to the individual soul who packed the brown bag by hand just for me. You decide.

Tea Zone (Malden Tea) (4+ stars) came in second for a very nice flavor, but the frothy bubbles popped sooner than the Serendipi Tea, making for a lower rating, and plus, it isn't organic. But it gets extra points for its low cost: $2.12/oz (can't beat it for a daily tea).

Liquid Jade (3 stars) was an O.K. tea, ever-so-slightly more bitter than the other two I taste tested, and almost a chalky feeling (perhaps it was ground into larger particles than the other teas). Yes it's organic, always a plus, but at a cost of $6.15/oz, no way will I buy this again when I can get TeaZone 4 stars for a third this cost, and Serendipi Tea 5 stars for significantly less money as well. So long Liquid Jade (though I do love your container and I'll save it.)

This organic matcha is great for everyday use!!! I will definitely buy this matcha again and again! I put matcha in smoothies or make tea by the quart with honey. Ceremonial grade matcha is just too expensive to drink everyday by the quart or to load up smoothies with it. This tea has a good, clean flavor that is flavorful enough without being overpowering. I have found it to be delicious in smoothies made with a fresh peach or mango, coconut milk, honey, ice, and a teaspoon of this matcha powder dumped directly into the blender. It is a great way to enjoy the delicate flavor of matcha and the health benefits never tasted so good! You are getting many times over the anti-oxidant effects of green tea from a tea bag because you are actually ingesting the tea leaves when you enjoy matcha. When making matcha as a tea by itself, less is more. I use 1 teaspoon to a whole teapot of steaming (not boiling) water (but I enjoy strong flavors), then I mix in honey after it cools a little. After my morning cup of matcha, I store the remainder of the tea and honey in the fridge for iced matcha later that day. The flavor can be strong by itself, especially if you don't enjoy strong flavors, so it might be a good idea to start with smaller amounts (1/8 teaspoon or less per cup water) and work your way up to suit your individual tastes. Experiment and enjoy!

I drink a lot of tea, and over the years I have done my own research. Inevitably, I discovered matcha, its abundant health benefits and its ease of preparation. Few who are not avid tea enthusiasts or those who don't drink high quality teas for their staggering health benefits, or gift of wellness, might not favor the taste of matcha. However, for the majority, matcha honestly does not taste bad, and if you disagree, just add some sweetness to it, like some agave, honey, lemon, stevia, or sugar. You could even mix up the condiments to create your own nirvana for your taste buds. Anyways, through all my searching for organic matcha, SerendipiTea offers the best price, and consistent availability I've seen yet!

Thanks SerendipiTea :)

Matcha is purported to have elevated antioxidant and cognitive benefits above standard green teas and was the reason for the purchase. The price is also correspondingly higher, and this brand was the least expensive with the most favorable reviews available on Amazon. This product was my introduction to matcha, and I was pleasantly surprised. It seems a more potent version of your typical, off-the-shelf green tea in just about every way. As a regular tea drinker, I can definitely see this becoming a frequent addition to the different teas I consume on a regular basis.

The reason for the deduction of two stars was the packaging. The small box the tea is shipped in is small and relatively flimsy, but is sealed, which is not a big deal. However, as another reviewer testified, the plastic bag inside that actually contains the ground tea was not only partially unsealed, but I would estimate maybe a half tablespoon of powder escaped the bag's 'seal.' This is absolutely unacceptable. I don't care if you're shipping sand; any powder, let alone tea, let alone a finer grade of tea, needs to be completely sealed with an extraordinarily-high level of confidence that the bag is secure. I fail to believe this cannot be achieved within the boundaries of both successfully cost-effective and green packaging.

As a broke university student trying to maximize dietary healthfulness on a restricted budget, I'd very much like to include matcha in my regular tea consumption, but I'm not sure I'll order again from this outfit. The unprofessional feel I experienced from this product was not insignificant.

*****UPDATE - 10/13/11*****: I since reordered this product, and I was indeed surprised to find that any packaging concerns have been completely resolved. As in the pictures listed on the product page, the flimsy plastic the tea came in previously has been replaced by a thick, folded, brown bag placed inside a very solid tin - which I'm sure I'll reuse. The tea itself is fantastic and now it comes with killer packaging. Zero complaints about this product now; 5 big stars.

I haven't tried many brands of matcha, but this seems to be very high quality and it tastes great. My only problem was that the bag containing the powder (which is contained in the box shown in the picture) must have come open, or been punctured during shipping. I didn't loose much powder, but then entire shipping box was covered with a fine layer of green dust.
Besides the mess, I am happy with my purchase.

I compared 4 different brands of matcha green teas. Here's how they rate:

#1 DO 2nd Harvest, excellent flavor, texture, and color, expensive, organic

#2 Serendipi, great flavor, best price for the quality, organic

#3 The Tao of Tea, local Portland Oregon company, fair flavor, price slightly lower than DO, organic

#4 Maeda-en, available at Uwajimaya. Difficult to dissolve. Less favorable flavor and not organic

Uwajimaya has best selection of Matcha teas with several others I have not tried yet. Whole Foods carries both DO and Tao of Tea. New Seasons currently does not carry Matcha. Serendipi is available on Amazon for $17/4 oz. box, best tea for your money!

I'm not sure why, but I had high hopes for this matcha. The price is wonderful, but the label on the box says it is a "Product of USA". Now, I have nothing against American-made goods, but matcha is something that has a history in Japan, and it's there that it has been perfected.

I guess I should have been able to tell from the price that something was amiss, but I just held out hope that the fact that this product is culinary grade was explanation for the price.

The taste isn't bad, it's just that it takes about 3 times as much matcha powder than normal to make my lattes. Once I add all the extra in, it's tasty. But if I use that much, then I might as well use the more expensive, authentic powder from Habiki-an.

Just made a Green Tea Latte with this stuff and it is quite good. This is an excellent price for this quantity of organic tea from Japan. I don't ever drink matcha traditionally prepared, but I do enjoy it in cooking, sweet beverages, and ice cream. This particular tea has a very light, green, fresh grassy taste and I'm glad I'll be able to enjoy so much of it at this price.

For all those Green Tea Latte Lovers.......having trouble with clumping matcha?
This tea does not clump when prepared correctly..

I too got introduced to this drink at starbucks.....and alot of money later I decided to try it on my own, I went through alot of trials....and finally I am getting close to perfection...lol

1. Pour as much milk as you are going to use in a small pot, preferably with a handle
2. Add one heaping tsp of matcha powder ( or more if desired)
3. Add sweetner (if desired--I use 1 tsp brown sugar)
4. Whisk vigorously with a small metal whisk until clumps are gone.
5. Bring all to a boil and just before it starts to rise poor into your cup.

Enjoy!

Wish I read more of the reviews. The product arrived with then inner package all broken and tea powder everywhere. What a mess. Also, when I did get that all cleaned up, the tea tasted stale. What a waste of money. Stay away from serendipiTea.SerendipiTea Matcha Culinary Grade, Organic Green Tea, 4-Ounce Box