Last Updated on February 19, 2022 by John Moretti
Matcha tea has taken the world by storm. While matcha tea originated in the east, it has recently become a popular drink worldwide. You can now find it in many trendy coffee shops. It is also easy to make at home. If you have an espresso machine, you might be wondering, “can you put matcha in an espresso machine?”
Although many baristas do not recommend doing so, it is possible to brew matcha tea using an espresso machine. The tea might taste bitter or weak, and the quality of the tea will be reduced when using an espresso maker. Using an espresso machine to brew matcha will result in more cleaning time.
Even though it is not recommended to put matcha in an espresso machine, you can still use your espresso machine to make a perfect matcha latte. There are specific espresso machines that will deliver better quality tea if you want to use the device to make matcha. There are also many ways to enjoy drinking matcha tea.
Why Shouldn’t You Use An Espresso Machine To Make Matcha?
There are several reasons why you shouldn’t really use an espresso machine to make matcha.
1. Additional Cleaning Time
The first reason is that using an espresso machine to make matcha tea will result in additional cleaning time. You will have to clean the entire head of the espresso machine before and after using it to make matcha if you switch between making coffee and tea.
If you do not clean the machine between uses, both your matcha tea and your coffee will taste strange, and the quality of the brew will also be influenced. Cleaning an espresso machine takes some time. Therefore, using an espresso machine for making matcha when it does not deliver a better result doesn’t make much sense.
2. The Quality and Taste of the Tea Will Be Influenced
The second reason it is not advised to use an espresso machine to make matcha is that the quality and taste of the tea will be influenced. Espresso machines work by forcing boiling water (195-202°F) through the coffee grounds to extract the flavor out of the grounds within seconds. While this is an excellent invention for coffee, tea is not meant to be made in the same way.
Matcha tea should be brewed at lower temperatures. You should make matcha tea with water or milk that is 175°F. While this is not significantly lower than the water from an espresso machine, it is still enough of a difference to affect the taste and quality of the matcha. If the water you are using is too hot, the matcha could taste burnt. Burning the matcha will result in a bitter taste.
3. Weaker Tasting Tea
Another reason why an espresso machine is not ideal for making matcha is that it forces the water through the coffee grounds, after which the coffee grounds are discarded. However, matcha powder dissolves into the liquid when brewing it, meaning that the tea is not dumped.
The matcha powder will not be ingested if you are using an espresso machine to make matcha.
These are the main reasons why matcha should not be made in an espresso machine. However, you can still utilize your espresso machine to make matcha.
How To Use An Espresso Machine When Making Matcha?
Most baristas recommend making a matcha latte using the following method:
1. Firstly, measure out the matcha powder and throw it into a mug/cup. It would be best to use between ½ and ¾ of a teaspoon of matcha powder per cup.
2. Then, using a wooden whisk, whisk the matcha powder to remove any lumps.
3. Next, using the steamer of your espresso machine, steam the amount of milk you would like to add to your matcha.
4. Finally, add your steamed milk to the matcha powder, stir the mixture and enjoy. You can also add ice cubes and cold milk if you want to drink your matcha cold.
Most baristas will only use the espresso machine to steam the milk they add to the matcha latte. By doing so, you will get the complete benefits matcha offers because you will be drinking the powder. You will also have a delicious tasting tea because the hot milk will not burn the matcha.
While this is the most recommended way to make matcha, you might still want to try using your espresso machine to make matcha. In this case, some espresso machines are better suited for making matcha than others.
Which Espresso Machines Are Best For Making Matcha?
If you want to use an espresso machine to make matcha, the best way would be to use the steamer to steam the milk you add to the matcha powder. However, suppose you want to experiment using your espresso machine’s portafilter to make matcha. In that case, there are some espresso machines that work better.
Users have reported successfully making matcha tea in these espresso machines without additional cleaning work and with matcha that tastes burnt.
The best espresso machines to use for making matcha are:
- Breville BES870XL Express espresso machine
- Espresso BNV520RED Vertuo Next
- De’Longhi ECP3420 Bar Pump espresso and cappuccino machine
- Calphalon BVCLECMPBM1 Temp IQ espresso machine
These espresso machines all seem to have success when used for making matcha.
Please do bear in mind that even these espresso machines were not intended to be used for making matcha, and the brew could still taste bitter.
Conclusion
To conclude, while you strictly speaking could put matcha in an espresso machine, it is not advisable to do so. Matcha is made using lower temperatures and does not react well when placed under an espresso machine’s high temperature and pressure.
The best way to utilize an espresso machine when making matcha is by using the steamer function of the espresso machine to steam the milk that is added to the match.
There are some espresso machines that have been used to make matcha successfully. However, the quality of the tea is still influenced.
