Koicha and usucha are two traditional ways of preparing matcha.
Usucha means “thin tea” and has a lighter, drinkable consistency.
Koicha means “thick tea” and uses more matcha with much less water, creating a dense and concentrated texture.
What Is Usucha?
Usucha is the style most people picture when they think of traditionally prepared matcha. It is whisked with enough water to create a smooth, liquid tea and can develop a fine layer of foam.
As one common preparation, Ippodo uses about 2 grams of matcha with 60 mL of water at around 80°C. The tea is whisked quickly with a bamboo whisk.
Usucha is generally the easier style to start with because the flavour is less concentrated than koicha.
What Is Koicha?
Koicha is a much thicker preparation. Instead of whisking the matcha rapidly to create foam, the powder and water are mixed slowly until the tea becomes smooth, glossy and almost syrup-like.
Ippodo's koicha recipe uses about 4 grams of matcha with 30 mL of water at around 80°C. That is twice as much matcha and half as much water as its usucha recipe.
The result is intense. Koicha puts the matcha's sweetness, umami, bitterness and astringency on full display.
How Do Koicha and Usucha Taste Different?
Usucha tastes lighter and is easier to sip. You can still taste the matcha clearly, but the extra water softens its intensity.
Koicha is much more concentrated. A smooth matcha can become rich, savoury and deeply umami when prepared this way. Any harsh bitterness or astringency also becomes harder to hide.
For more on the flavours you may notice, read What Does Matcha Taste Like?
Do You Need Different Matcha for Koicha?
Koicha and usucha are preparation styles, not two different types of matcha powder. However, not every matcha is pleasant when made as koicha.
Because koicha is so concentrated, tea producers commonly recommend smoother, less astringent matcha for it. Marukyu Koyamaen, for example, notes that all of its matcha can be prepared as usucha, while only its higher-quality selections are recommended for koicha.
This does not mean a label alone guarantees good matcha. Freshness, processing and flavour still matter. See How to Tell Good Matcha From Bad Matcha for the signs worth paying attention to.
Is Koicha Supposed to Be Frothy?
No. Koicha is usually mixed slowly rather than vigorously whisked. The goal is a thick, smooth and glossy consistency rather than a layer of foam.
Usucha is whisked much more quickly and is the preparation more commonly associated with foamy matcha.
Which One Should You Try First?
Start with usucha if you are new to drinking matcha straight. It uses less powder, has a lighter texture and makes it easier to get familiar with the tea's flavour.
Try koicha when you have a smooth matcha that you already enjoy and want to taste it in a much more concentrated form. Matcha drinkers discussing the two styles often make the same practical distinction: usucha is the more approachable everyday preparation, while koicha is an intense experience that leaves very little room for harsh flavours.
Choosing Between Koicha and Usucha
Choose usucha when you want a lighter, whisked bowl of matcha. Choose koicha when you want a dense, concentrated preparation that puts the tea's flavour at the centre of the experience.
The matcha can be the same. What changes is the ratio, technique, texture and intensity.
