I hated matcha the first time I tried it. It was uber BITTER, foul, and disgusting. I couldn’t even bring myself to rate it because I didn’t want to do that to 52 Teas.
I’d been thinking about the matcha since then. I was sad I didn’t like it at all. I had wanted to like it. I’d even thought about trying it again on a few days but pushed it off when the time came. Finally, yesterday evening I gave it another go.
I followed Cofftea’s recommendation using a very rough conversation from weight to volume. I figured it would at least be a place to start. All was pretty much the same as far as smells and looks until my first sip. ??? Was this the same tea I used the first time? I CANNOT believe the difference in taste using 1/4 the amount of matcha and nearly double the amount of water. I had thought no matter what I did it would still be horribly bitter.
The Strawberry Matcha was smooth, light, definitely green, and strawberry. Like “Hey! I’m GREEN! You want to make something of it?”. Unlike the smell, the strawberry wasn’t kiddie breakfast cereal marshmallows. It was distinctively strawberry and I could noticeably taste it. Last time, I could barely tell it was there. It was a little weak and there was lots of matcha sediment towards the bottom so maybe I need to whisk it more or perhaps use a bit more matcha. I have rated it but I suspect the rating will go up as I refine how I like it.
So complete 180. Matcha is good!
1/4 tsp in 8 oz water.
Preparation
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On one hand I think I need to just stop reading these cuz I’m so upset mine still is not here- but on the other hand I’m ABSOFRICKIN UBBERLY EXCITED that you figured out a better ratio!:)
Chrine, I didn’t hate my S.M. the second time around either. SO I’m still on TEAM CHRINE!! Lol
So glad that you figured out the right ratios!
Yours STILL hasn’t come?? It’s nearly two weeks now. It needs to come! I want to read your tealog on it and see how it compares to other matchas. I’m thinking positive thought for a Wednesday arrival!
I know! I was so excited too. I’m trying to convince my husband to try it again. He’s extremely skeptical. I made some for him the first time I made it and he thought it was awful.
lol
GO TEAM CHRINE!! MATCHA SUPERSTARS!!
Chrine… I’m VERY upset w/ 52teas… and at this point I don’t care if Frank reads it here or not. I’ve placed 3 orders w/ them and they have all taken 2 weeks. I’m in WI. There’s no way that should happen. The reason he gave for my previous order being so late was because of a computer problem or something… but that was ONLY after I complained… he said he was trying to get the problem fixed “before anyone noticed”… um… HELLO! It’s been two weeks, I’m gonna notice if my tea isn’t here. So I’ve been dupped, decieved, and taken for stupid. And all I got was an apology that, from as much as I could tell online, didn’t sound very sincere. I do realize that my matcha was free (I won their contest), but that’s no excuse for the crap I’ve gotten from them. I placed another (and most likely my last) order on the 8th, so we shall see how long that one takes.
P.S. sharing matcha w/ your special someone is an awesome experience!:)
Chrine, Was it just me or did you feel like this tea might be okay cold like maybe iced? Call me crazy and maybe it’s the strawberry that has me thinking it may not be bad iced.
Oh and uh GO TEAM CHRINE!!
I might have to try this tomorrow!
Do it Ricky! Torture me!
Well that was the idea ;)
It shouldn’t have to be that way, but that’s the only choice cuz you should not deprive yourself.
Haha, you’ll get yours soon, don’t worry! Just have some Mandarin matcha instead in the meantime or grind up some Tencha =]
I’m getting low on my mandarin so I’m trying to ration it. And I have no matcha mill so I steep and decant my tencha.
Cofftea – Don’t get mad at me but I think what you have is a case of Matcha Envy! hehe
SoccerMom- oh I always have matcha envy! I will be the very 1st to admit that. But this is case is just me being pissed at a company:)
Okay Cofftea I’m sorry to be the one to call you out on this but why is it okay for you to say pissed (which doesn’t bother me BTW) but you won’t order A&D because it has “Damn” in the name. I’m only asking because I’ve noticed that you’ve said you won’t buy A&D a couple of times because of the name yet I notice that you curse too.? Am I missing something about A&D product labeling. I would be mad too if my tea took two weeks to get to me but most of my tea orders take like 9 days anyway.
Dear Ms. “Cofftea”,
As I told you via private message earlier yesterday, I do not know what happened to your package. I am 100% positive that it shipped out on the same day with the first big batch of Strawberry Matcha orders. Apparently, it has been lost by the USPS, which is not my fault, however, (as I stated in my PM) we are going to send a replacement package to you right away. I am sorry you have had to cope with this inconvenience.
I am also sorry you feel the need to insult me (when you insult my business, you insult me). I take pride in what we do here at 52teas. I think we provide some of the best and most unique tea blends on the market. We are a small business, and frankly, we do not have the resources that some of our competitors have to spend on order processing and fulfillment. Sometimes I drop the ball; I am human, it happens. All I can do is try to do better the next time. But to say that we have duped you, deceived you, or taken you for stupid is hurtful in the extreme as is intimating that my apology for your inconvenience was somehow insincere.
Somewhere along the line, people are being taught that the nastier we can be about a situation, the better results we will get when it comes to resolving the problem. Well, maybe this is contrary to good business sense (and you can insult me for this too), but I don’t work that way. If you sincerely believe that my motives are so evil as to require such a public verbal scourging, then perhaps you shouldn’t order from me any more.
Don’t get me wrong, I need customers. But I would rather go out of business than have customers who assign such terrible motives to me. I have been working at this business for three years now. I have used up all of my savings and borrowed every penny I could get. I haven’t paid myself one thin dime. But I am still doing it—because this is what I love. I do it because I love reading these reviews on Steepster and knowing that people are enjoying our teas all over the world. For you to say that we have duped you, deceived you, or taken you for stupid makes me seriously question why I am doing this.
Frank, I’m sorry you feel that my stating facts is insulting you or your company. Perhaps then you should change your practices so my statements are no longer fact. Maybe you should question why you’re doing this. It’s odd that I seem to be the only customer that has had several poor experiences with your customer service (except for my groundhog order where a computer glitch which you tried to hide from your customers delayed my order… I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing… If it is truely the fault of USPS (except when you have computer problems whether you hide them or not), then perhaps you should speak to someone there about it. My advice from a business stand point would be to start giving tracking numbers- that way you know and the customer both know exactly who is to blame for delayed/lost packaging.
Be nice children ;)
@SoccerMom she refuses to purchase from A&D due to a religion thing. Nothing wrong with that. People have their beliefs.
@Frank Sorry, great post, but I just laughed when I read the word Frankly. Frankly, Frank, sorry, bad joke. It was just funny.
Actually Frank, I recall you use stamps.com to ship out a package. Tracking #s for first class packages are only 50 cents more. Why not add an extra option to let them have it if they so choose to.
Ricky, I do not appreciate being refered to as a child. I am simply stating facts and defending myself in the most polite way possible, but this is not a pleasant situation and my emotions are not positve.
It was a joke, did you not see the smiley face. =]
Some things are not funny no matter if you add it or not, I view it as an insult. (Just ask Jason, I’ve gotten in trouble for the same thing).
Cofftea ~ Does your boyfriend share your love of tea?
SoccerMom ~ Hmm, I don’t know what I’d think about it iced. I’ve be interested to read your tealog about it if you tried it though! I did think a splash of milk might be good in it.
Ricky ~ TEAM CHRINE says you should try some Strawberry Matcha today! TEAM CHRINE firmly believes you will enjoy it.
lol @ matcha envy!
Chrine, not so much- just sweet tea.. and you know my personal opinion of sweet tea lol. I bought his mom the decaf (which is really herbal… grrr) adagio sampler plus some extra decaf samples. Thanks for reminding me, I need to find out what she’s tried and how she likes them. I’m hoping I can convert Grant as easily as I converted my ex:)
And Ricky- try it the plain way… aren’t you w/ LiberTEAS in that easier is better? A matcha smoothie/latte is too much work!=D
I never thought I’d see this day…
A smoothie/latte is not too much work – but additional gadgetry would be required to make a smoothie or a latte, so I would not prepare a smoothie or latte for myself on a regular basis. But I do occasionally prepare these things for myself when I want to.
It’s not just that it’s extra work, in fact, that is the smallest of the issue. It’s that I keep the extra gadgets stored away… not on my countertop for easy access. We have limited kitchen space and I have three other people in my household, not to mention that a good part of my kitchen space is used for my business. I don’t think it’s very fair to have ADDITIONAL tea gadgetry everywhere you look. My family lives here too, and I’m the only one using the tea kettle.
And WHO said tea drinkers were boring??? We got drama too. :)
Tracking is now availble for your 52teas orders:
Thank you so much 52teas! Are plans to have it available for Manteas as well? Possibly for free since there’s no place to add "STEEPSTER for a $1 off our order like you have generously provided at 52teas?
LOL. “Give an inch…” I’ll see what I can do with Manteas. Running out of time today. Too much work to do. Just finally got the email newsletter trivia challenge resolved (check your inboxes—someone is going to be happy), and I STILL desperately need to update my 52teas In-Stock page. (I’m so far behind.) And I have packages to take to the post office (Including yours, Cofftea—you should have your tracking number in your email inbox (tho it hasn’t been scanned yet)).
I don’t see it as the “give an inch” addage- I see it as you should give the same (good) customer service to all your customers no mater what website they order from. I won’t have the $ or the space for my 1lb Mayan Chocolate Chai order any time soon so it won’t affect me personally if you don’t get around to it today- it is, after all, mid afternoon. “As soon as is convenient” works for me. I want that chai, but I don’t want risk anything happening to it so I probably won’t purchase it before tracking is available. Tracking recieved, now just waiting til it gets in the system. Thanks:)
@SoccerMom Life would be pretty bland without drama in it :D Think about all the drama movies that wouldn’t exist!
Ricky, I disagree. If there were no drama life would be a happier place.
Chrine- your positive thinking didn’t work. :(
@Ricky I do like (watching) drama after all I’m totally addicted to The Real Housewives of New York. I mean who couldn’t not like drama and like that show.
o.O whistles
On one hand I think I need to just stop reading these cuz I’m so upset mine still is not here- but on the other hand I’m ABSOFRICKIN UBBERLY EXCITED that you figured out a better ratio!:)
Chrine, I didn’t hate my S.M. the second time around either. SO I’m still on TEAM CHRINE!! Lol
So glad that you figured out the right ratios!
Yours STILL hasn’t come?? It’s nearly two weeks now. It needs to come! I want to read your tealog on it and see how it compares to other matchas. I’m thinking positive thought for a Wednesday arrival!
I know! I was so excited too. I’m trying to convince my husband to try it again. He’s extremely skeptical. I made some for him the first time I made it and he thought it was awful.
lol
GO TEAM CHRINE!! MATCHA SUPERSTARS!!
Chrine… I’m VERY upset w/ 52teas… and at this point I don’t care if Frank reads it here or not. I’ve placed 3 orders w/ them and they have all taken 2 weeks. I’m in WI. There’s no way that should happen. The reason he gave for my previous order being so late was because of a computer problem or something… but that was ONLY after I complained… he said he was trying to get the problem fixed “before anyone noticed”… um… HELLO! It’s been two weeks, I’m gonna notice if my tea isn’t here. So I’ve been dupped, decieved, and taken for stupid. And all I got was an apology that, from as much as I could tell online, didn’t sound very sincere. I do realize that my matcha was free (I won their contest), but that’s no excuse for the crap I’ve gotten from them. I placed another (and most likely my last) order on the 8th, so we shall see how long that one takes.
P.S. sharing matcha w/ your special someone is an awesome experience!:)
Chrine, Was it just me or did you feel like this tea might be okay cold like maybe iced? Call me crazy and maybe it’s the strawberry that has me thinking it may not be bad iced.
Oh and uh GO TEAM CHRINE!!
I might have to try this tomorrow!
Do it Ricky! Torture me!
Well that was the idea ;)
It shouldn’t have to be that way, but that’s the only choice cuz you should not deprive yourself.
Haha, you’ll get yours soon, don’t worry! Just have some Mandarin matcha instead in the meantime or grind up some Tencha =]
I’m getting low on my mandarin so I’m trying to ration it. And I have no matcha mill so I steep and decant my tencha.
Cofftea – Don’t get mad at me but I think what you have is a case of Matcha Envy! hehe
SoccerMom- oh I always have matcha envy! I will be the very 1st to admit that. But this is case is just me being pissed at a company:)
Okay Cofftea I’m sorry to be the one to call you out on this but why is it okay for you to say pissed (which doesn’t bother me BTW) but you won’t order A&D because it has “Damn” in the name. I’m only asking because I’ve noticed that you’ve said you won’t buy A&D a couple of times because of the name yet I notice that you curse too.? Am I missing something about A&D product labeling. I would be mad too if my tea took two weeks to get to me but most of my tea orders take like 9 days anyway.
Dear Ms. “Cofftea”,
As I told you via private message earlier yesterday, I do not know what happened to your package. I am 100% positive that it shipped out on the same day with the first big batch of Strawberry Matcha orders. Apparently, it has been lost by the USPS, which is not my fault, however, (as I stated in my PM) we are going to send a replacement package to you right away. I am sorry you have had to cope with this inconvenience.
I am also sorry you feel the need to insult me (when you insult my business, you insult me). I take pride in what we do here at 52teas. I think we provide some of the best and most unique tea blends on the market. We are a small business, and frankly, we do not have the resources that some of our competitors have to spend on order processing and fulfillment. Sometimes I drop the ball; I am human, it happens. All I can do is try to do better the next time. But to say that we have duped you, deceived you, or taken you for stupid is hurtful in the extreme as is intimating that my apology for your inconvenience was somehow insincere.
Somewhere along the line, people are being taught that the nastier we can be about a situation, the better results we will get when it comes to resolving the problem. Well, maybe this is contrary to good business sense (and you can insult me for this too), but I don’t work that way. If you sincerely believe that my motives are so evil as to require such a public verbal scourging, then perhaps you shouldn’t order from me any more.
Don’t get me wrong, I need customers. But I would rather go out of business than have customers who assign such terrible motives to me. I have been working at this business for three years now. I have used up all of my savings and borrowed every penny I could get. I haven’t paid myself one thin dime. But I am still doing it—because this is what I love. I do it because I love reading these reviews on Steepster and knowing that people are enjoying our teas all over the world. For you to say that we have duped you, deceived you, or taken you for stupid makes me seriously question why I am doing this.
Frank, I’m sorry you feel that my stating facts is insulting you or your company. Perhaps then you should change your practices so my statements are no longer fact. Maybe you should question why you’re doing this. It’s odd that I seem to be the only customer that has had several poor experiences with your customer service (except for my groundhog order where a computer glitch which you tried to hide from your customers delayed my order… I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing… If it is truely the fault of USPS (except when you have computer problems whether you hide them or not), then perhaps you should speak to someone there about it. My advice from a business stand point would be to start giving tracking numbers- that way you know and the customer both know exactly who is to blame for delayed/lost packaging.
Be nice children ;)
@SoccerMom she refuses to purchase from A&D due to a religion thing. Nothing wrong with that. People have their beliefs.
@Frank Sorry, great post, but I just laughed when I read the word Frankly. Frankly, Frank, sorry, bad joke. It was just funny.
Actually Frank, I recall you use stamps.com to ship out a package. Tracking #s for first class packages are only 50 cents more. Why not add an extra option to let them have it if they so choose to.
Ricky, I do not appreciate being refered to as a child. I am simply stating facts and defending myself in the most polite way possible, but this is not a pleasant situation and my emotions are not positve.
It was a joke, did you not see the smiley face. =]
Some things are not funny no matter if you add it or not, I view it as an insult. (Just ask Jason, I’ve gotten in trouble for the same thing).
Cofftea ~ Does your boyfriend share your love of tea?
SoccerMom ~ Hmm, I don’t know what I’d think about it iced. I’ve be interested to read your tealog about it if you tried it though! I did think a splash of milk might be good in it.
Ricky ~ TEAM CHRINE says you should try some Strawberry Matcha today! TEAM CHRINE firmly believes you will enjoy it.
lol @ matcha envy!
Chrine, not so much- just sweet tea.. and you know my personal opinion of sweet tea lol. I bought his mom the decaf (which is really herbal… grrr) adagio sampler plus some extra decaf samples. Thanks for reminding me, I need to find out what she’s tried and how she likes them. I’m hoping I can convert Grant as easily as I converted my ex:)
And Ricky- try it the plain way… aren’t you w/ LiberTEAS in that easier is better? A matcha smoothie/latte is too much work!=D
I never thought I’d see this day…
A smoothie/latte is not too much work – but additional gadgetry would be required to make a smoothie or a latte, so I would not prepare a smoothie or latte for myself on a regular basis. But I do occasionally prepare these things for myself when I want to.
It’s not just that it’s extra work, in fact, that is the smallest of the issue. It’s that I keep the extra gadgets stored away… not on my countertop for easy access. We have limited kitchen space and I have three other people in my household, not to mention that a good part of my kitchen space is used for my business. I don’t think it’s very fair to have ADDITIONAL tea gadgetry everywhere you look. My family lives here too, and I’m the only one using the tea kettle.
And WHO said tea drinkers were boring??? We got drama too. :)
Tracking is now availble for your 52teas orders:
http://www.52teas.com/2010/04/14/tracking/
Thank you so much 52teas! Are plans to have it available for Manteas as well? Possibly for free since there’s no place to add "STEEPSTER for a $1 off our order like you have generously provided at 52teas?
LOL. “Give an inch…” I’ll see what I can do with Manteas. Running out of time today. Too much work to do. Just finally got the email newsletter trivia challenge resolved (check your inboxes—someone is going to be happy), and I STILL desperately need to update my 52teas In-Stock page. (I’m so far behind.) And I have packages to take to the post office (Including yours, Cofftea—you should have your tracking number in your email inbox (tho it hasn’t been scanned yet)).
I don’t see it as the “give an inch” addage- I see it as you should give the same (good) customer service to all your customers no mater what website they order from. I won’t have the $ or the space for my 1lb Mayan Chocolate Chai order any time soon so it won’t affect me personally if you don’t get around to it today- it is, after all, mid afternoon. “As soon as is convenient” works for me. I want that chai, but I don’t want risk anything happening to it so I probably won’t purchase it before tracking is available. Tracking recieved, now just waiting til it gets in the system. Thanks:)
@SoccerMom Life would be pretty bland without drama in it :D Think about all the drama movies that wouldn’t exist!
Ricky, I disagree. If there were no drama life would be a happier place.
Chrine- your positive thinking didn’t work. :(
@Ricky I do like (watching) drama after all I’m totally addicted to The Real Housewives of New York. I mean who couldn’t not like drama and like that show.
o.O whistles