Question 1

What makes Lowinsky's matcha different?

Accepted Answer

We import directly from a small group of farms in Miyazaki, Yame, and Shizuoka. Hillel tastes every harvest sample in Hamburg and rejects most of what's offered. What survives — single cultivar, single farm, single harvest — is what we sell. No blends, no warehoused stock, no flavour additions.

Question 2

Where does your matcha come from?

Accepted Answer

Three regions of Japan: Miyazaki and Yame on Kyushu, and Shizuoka on Honshu. We work directly with the farms, which means short supply chains and small batches rather than wholesale lots blended for consistency. The catalogue rotates with each harvest, which is why some teas are seasonal.

Question 3

What cultivars do you carry?

Accepted Answer

Currently Okumidori (sweet, full-bodied — our most popular), Yabukita (clean, bright — the Japanese benchmark cultivar), and Kanayamidori (deep umami, often blended with Yabukita for balance). What's in stock depends on the season. Every tin states the cultivar, region, and harvest year on the label.

Question 4

What does ceremonial-grade actually mean?

Accepted Answer

Less than you'd think. The term has no legal definition in Europe and is used loosely by anyone selling green powder. We prefer the Japanese distinction: matcha intended for koicha (thick) versus usucha (thin) preparation. Koicha-grade is the highest quality, made from young first-harvest leaves. Usucha-grade is everyday matcha — still excellent, but less rarefied.

Question 5

Is your matcha organic?

Accepted Answer

Some of it. We don't make organic certification a hard filter, because the best Japanese matcha — including most of the small-farm tea we import — sits outside the European organic regime, which is incompatible with traditional Japanese cultivation methods.

Question 6

Why is your matcha more expensive than supermarket matcha?

Accepted Answer

Because it's a different product. Supermarket matcha is wholesaler-blended, often months or years old, and frequently mixed with culinary-grade or stem-heavy lots to hit a price point. Our tea is single-cultivar, single-harvest, imported in small batches and shipped within weeks of arriving in Hamburg. The price reflects what direct sourcing actually costs.

Question 7

What's a good matcha to start with?

Accepted Answer

Most people start with the Okumidori 50g from Miyazaki — full-bodied, sweet, and forgiving if your whisking technique is still developing. The Kanayamidori-Yabukita blend in 30g is the lowest-commitment way to try us. If you're already familiar with matcha, ask about whatever first-harvest tea is currently in stock.

Question 8

How do I prepare matcha at home?

Accepted Answer

Sift 1–2 grams of matcha into a wide bowl. Add roughly 60 ml of water at 70–75°C — well below boiling. Whisk briskly with a chasen (bamboo whisk) in a W or M motion until a thick, fine-bubbled foam forms. Drink immediately.

Question 9

What's the difference between koicha and usucha?

Accepted Answer

Koicha (thick tea) uses about twice the matcha and half the water of usucha (thin tea). It's whisked into a glossy, almost syrupy consistency rather than foamed, and traditionally drunk in small sips. Koicha demands a higher-grade tea. Most home preparations and almost all lattes are usucha.

Question 10

Do I really need a bamboo whisk?

Accepted Answer

For real matcha, yes. A kitchen whisk won't aerate the powder finely enough, and an electric milk frother gives uneven texture. A chasen costs €15. We carry handmade 80-prong bamboo whisks alongside the tea — once you've tried both, the difference is hard to ignore.

Question 11

How long does matcha keep once opened?

Accepted Answer

Unopened and vacuum-sealed: about twelve months. Opened: drink within four to six weeks. Matcha oxidises rapidly once exposed to air, light, and heat — it loses colour, brightness, and umami in that order. Buy 30g or 50g rather than larger sizes unless you drink it daily.

Question 12

How should I store matcha?

Accepted Answer

Sealed, in the fridge, away from strong-smelling foods. Bring a portion to room temperature before whisking — cold matcha doesn't dissolve well. Don't decant into a clear jar on a sunny shelf, however good it looks. Light is the second-fastest way to ruin it after air.

Question 13

Where do you ship to?

Accepted Answer

Across Germany and the EU. We dispatch from Hamburg every Wednesday in vacuum-sealed packaging to protect freshness in transit. Order by 11 a.m. on Wednesday for same-day shipping — orders placed later go out the following week.

Question 14

Can I taste before I buy?

Accepted Answer

If you're in Hamburg, yes — come to the café at Lehmweg 36 in Eppendorf, two minutes from Eppendorfer Baum (U3). We pour every matcha in the catalogue by the cup, and we run a free monthly tasting (the Friday Powder Club). For online buyers, the 30g tins are the lowest-commitment way to try a new cultivar before moving up to a 50g.

We reject most matcha before it reaches your cup.

Single-origin, single harvest

Most of what we're offered, we reject

Imported in small batches, shipped weekly

Summer drinks coming soon!

Come by the café on Lehmweg 36

Coming Soon

Taste matcha properly — grade by grade, side by side.

OkumidoriMatcha 30g